VIDEO: Xaverian Wears down Brockton

Videos by Matt Siegel (@SportVideoMA)

Brockton, Mass. - It was all even for a half, but eventually Xaverian found a way to pull away from feisty Brockton, 14-0, thanks to some stingy defense, and a powerful ground game.

Our Matt Siegel was there to capture all the biggest plays, which you can view below.

PHOTO GALLERY: Xaverian Lax Downs St. John's (Shrewsbury)

Photos by Andrew Bowman (@andrew_bowman5)

Shrewsbury, Mass. - Xaverian hit the road and defeated Central Mass power St. John's (Shrewsbury) 9-6 Wednesday in a battle of two of the state's best Catholic School lacrosse programs.

Our Andrew Bowman was there with his camera to capture these sweet shots for you.

Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

PHOTO GALLERY: Everett vs Xaverian at Gillette

Photos By Eamon Convey (@eamonconvey)

FOXBOROUGH - You can read a full recap of Everett's D1 state championship win over Xaverian here, but here are some awesome images of the title game from our Eamon Convey.

Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

Everett Pulls Away from Xaverian for Back-to-Back Division 1 Titles

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

FOXBOROUGH - For Everett, Saturday night was a perfect ending to a perfect season.

Jake Willcox threw for 185 and two touchdowns while Anthony Norcia compiled 124 yards receiving as Everett defeated Xaverian, 35-10, to win the Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium.

The Crimson Tide (12-0) went into the half holding their smallest halftime lead of the season at 14-10.

As it did all season long, Everett, in the blink of an eye, left its opponent in the dust.

Xs & Os: Everett Uses "Sluggo" to Pull Away from Xaverian

By John Sarianides (@xnojoe)

FOXBOROUGH - For the first time this season, Everett failed to go into the half with a double-digit lead.

Early on in Saturday night's Division 1 state championship game at Gillette Stadium, Xaverian did a great job of running the ball, keeping Jake Willcox and the explosive Crimson Tide offense off the field for much of the first half.

Previewing The MIAA State Football Championships: Divisions 1 & 8

Can Everett capture a second state title in a row? The Tide has plenty of new faces since last year, but still plenty of championship caliber talent.

 By SuiteSports Staff

We finish our series of MIAA state championship previews with the largest and smallest divisions in the Commonwealth. For any of our past previews, click below, and continue on for breakdowns of Everett vs Xaverian and Hoosac Valley vs Millis.

Divisions 2 & 3
Divisions 4 & 7
Divisions 5 & 6

Xaverian Crushes Catholic Memorial, Advances to D1 Super Bowl

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WESTWOOD — Over the course of the first five years of the new MIAA playoff format only one program has represented Division 1 South.

For the fifth straight time, Xaverian is headed to the Super Bowl as behind 167 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception from Ikechukwu Irabor the No. 3 Hawks downed No. 5 Catholic Memorial, 35-7, in the Division 1 South Sectional Final on a winter night at Xaverian Brothers High School.

The Hawks (6-3) will be looking to win their third state championship in five tries.

Xaverian Football Has a New Three-Phase Star

By SuiteSports Staff

WESTWOOD - Two seasons ago, Coby Tippett electrified fans and invigorated his teammates while leading the Xaverian Hawks to an undefeated season and Super Bowl.

Last year, the Hawks tried to use cornerback Mekhi Henderson as a similar all-purpose weapon, yet he wasn't quite the same type of transcendental talent as the son of the Patriots Hall of Famer.

In order to get back to the mountaintop and earn a crack at an Everett team that's now defeated them twice in a row by a combined score of 59-14, the Hawks may need to find a new three-phase star, and he might just have emerged on Friday night. 

Everett is Clear Division 1 Favorite After Thrashing of Xaverian

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

EVERETT - Within moments it was clear; The Crimson Tide are the prohibitive Division 1 favorites in 2017.

Behind a stellar opening day performance from quarterback Jake Wilcox, Everett cruised to a 38-7 victory over Xaverian on Saturday afternoon at Everett Memorial Stadium.

The lead up to the game was a recognition of the town, as it was the Crimson Tide’s homecoming, while the 44 minutes of play that followed were a non-stop celebration of a prolific Everett offense.

Wilcox, who went 11-for-16 for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns, used a multitude of offensive weapons that the Hawks were simply unable to contain.

Your MIAA Football Weekend Primer: Week 1

Coach Peter Columbo and his Brockton Boxers hope the last few years' disappointments have made them stronger.

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

Brockton has used the past two seasons of heartbreak to build up the experience it needs for this year.

After losing key players in each of the past two seasons, including returning quarterback/receiver Junior Montero last season, the Boxers have endured those losses by giving younger players the playing time to develop.

That experience is going to be needed right from the get-go against Lexington in week one.

Your Do-or-Die Monday Super 8 Preview

The two-time defending Super 8 champion Braintree Wamps face elimination today.   Photo by Brendan C. Hall for ESPN Boston.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

For the second time in the four-year history of the MIAA Division 1A Super Eight tournament, the top four seeds won their opening round games and advanced to the winners bracket.

Number one seed St. John’s (Shrewsbury) squeaked past eighth seeded Belmont 3-1, while four seed BC High knocked off two-time defending champion and fifth seeded Braintree. On the other side of the bracket, two seeded St. John’s Prep dominated seventh seeded Newton North, 18-3, and three seed Central Catholic took care of business against sixth seeded Xaverian, 11-2.

The tournament continued on Sunday with St. John’s (Shrewsbury) topping BC High and St. John’s Prep besting Central Catholic in the winners bracket. Both St. John's squads are off to the semifinals, while BC High and Central Catholic are now one game away from elimination.

But today the one-loss bracket begins with Newton North and Xaverian going head-to-head, and Braintree playing Belmont. In each of those contests, one team will see its Super 8 dreams end. Here's how we see do-or-die Monday shaking out.

Xaverian Lax Upsets Franklin in D1 South Matchup

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

FRANKLIN, Mass. –  Xaverian boys’ lacrosse struggled through a brutal regular season schedule and finished below .500 at 8-10, but the Hawks qualified for the tournament under the Sullivan Rule after winning a share of the Catholic Conference.

On Sunday evening, the 12th seed demonstrated that records don’t tell the full story, as they upset fifth-seeded Franklin, 8-7, in a Division 1 South matchup. 

Peabody Baseball Continues Roll With Win at Xaverian

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WESTWOOD - Slowly but surely, Peabody is building itself a nice resume.

Behind two hits, two RBIs, and two stolen bases from leadoff hitter Nick Palma, and a complete game from starter Jake Zeuli, the Tanners defeated the Xaverian, 7-2, on a windy Thursday afternoon at Xaverian Brothers High School.

The win, put together with a 5-1 win over St. John’s Prep, and 6-1 win over Danvers, at least puts Peabody in the Super 8 conversation at this point in the season.

Xaverian Baseball Holds Off Newton North

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

NEWTON - Xaverian coach Gerry Lambert has been waiting for one of his more inexperienced players to come up big in a key spot. On Thursday afternoon, Sean Birch did just that.

With the Hawks and host Newton North deadlocked in a 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth inning, Birch lined a go-ahead RBI single up the middle that scored Aidan McLaughlin, as Xaverian went on edge the Tigers 3-2 on a cold Thursday afternoon at Newton North High School.

Xaverian (4-3) was able to grab an insurance run two batters after Birch’s single, as a balk brought home Birch to put the Hawks up 3-1.

The insurance run proved critical in the bottom half of the inning when the Tigers (3-2) threatened to win the game.

Brian Gaughan Leads Walpole in Huge Win at Xaverian

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

WESTWOOD, Mass. – After spinning eight shutout frames only to watch his team lose in extra innings to Xaverian last Patriots’ Day,  Brian Gaughan couldn’t wait to get another shot at the Hawks.

One year later, the Rebels ace earned a shot at redemption and he held to escape a jam in the bottom of the seventh inning and seal a 2-0 non league win for Walpole on the road.

Sperzel Powers Xaverian Past Catholic Memorial for Gardner's 200th Win

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

WEST ROXBURY - Sean Sperzel’s five goals led Xaverian past Catholic Memorial in an 11-7 affair on a chilly Friday night in West Roxbury.

Xaverian (1-2) took a 2-0 lead before CM (2-1) tied it up, but the Hawks re-gained the lead and never looked back.

Malden Catholic Edges Xaverian On Opening Day

Final: Malden Catholic 1, Xaverian 0. CGSO from Nick Ianuzzi. Jake Horrigan the sole RBI in HBP @GlobeSchools pic.twitter.com/6NII9RgmVq

— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 3, 2017

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

MALDEN, Mass. – Offense was hard to come by on a chilly Opening Day at Malden Catholic, but Lancers junior righthander Nick Iannuzzi kept his team in the game against Catholic Conference rival Xaverian. 

Xaverian threatened with runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, but Iannuzzi stranded all five Hawks before settling down to throw a complete-game shutout and power the Lancers to a 1-0 victory on their home turf.

Your 2017 MIAA Lacrosse Primer: Division 1

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

It's lacrosse time in Massachusetts, and over the next few days we're going to be rolling out previews of all three MIAA divisions. We begin today with the state's largest division, where powerful Lincoln-Sudbury is going for a historic three-peat.

Your 2017 MIAA Baseball Primer

Can Braintree score a Super 8 three-peat?  Photo by Brendan C. Hall, via ESPN Boston.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Despite some existing remnants of snow from a long winter, and a cold, rainy couple of weeks, it is officially time for spring sports. With the spring season brings the return of what is sure to be an exciting handful of months across high school baseball. The “Super Eight” tournament has clearly increased the buzz with regards to baseball across Massachusetts, and with a lower Division team in Plymouth North and a Western Massachusetts team in Pope Francis both making the field last season, there are plenty of reasons to expect many twists and turns throughout this year.

So, without a further ado, here is a preview of what to expect heading into the 2017 baseball season.

Xaverian’s A.J. Ryan Picks Yale After Last-Minute Campus Visit

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

A decision that had been weighing on A.J. Ryan’s shoulders for weeks came down to a matter of minutes but, when it was all said and done, Ryan committed to the school that was always at the top of his list.

On Tuesday afternoon Ryan announced his commitment to Yale University after choosing between the Bulldogs, Princeton, and Colgate.

For months Ryan, who was named the Suite Sports Defensive Player of the Year following the 2016 season, was committed to Brown University, but de-committed and reopened his recruitment in the fall.

Discussions with Navy, Colgate, Yale, and Princeton occurred for weeks, and finally this last weekend the two-time state champion visited Colgate and came away impressed.