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North Andover's Kelley Johnson, a senior tri-captain, scored his first goal of the season for St. John's Prep as they tied defending Div. 1 state champion St. John's of Shrewsbury. Haverhill product John Woelfe was also singled out by coach Dave Crowell as having a strong game.

The Eagles (3-1) plated eight runs in the seventh inning to break open what had been a tight game and win 14-3.

Though the Prep led 4-3 after one inning, Metheun was gathering steam. Senior Matt Warden came on to pitch the game's final five innings and allowed only one baserunner with five strikeouts in a difference-making performance.

WORCESTER | St. John's of Shrewsbury coach Bob Foley almost did it about 20 minutes after his team was humbled by Central Catholic, 68-47, at the DCU Center last night.

He almost called Central perfect.

WORCESTER | Judging by the huge crowd yesterday, with nearly 6,000 of the 13,423 paid here yesterday packing the DCU Center for Central Catholic-St.John's, the MIAA wouldn't mind Raiders-Pioneers II for the 2009 state title matchup.

WORCESTER | Central Catholic point guard Wilfredo Pagan had to take a moment to wipe a few tears from his eyes as he reflected on the game that had just ended.

"I'm living a dream," said Pagan. "From the start of our freshman year, we wanted to win a state championship. This was my last high school game, and you can't go out any better than that."

xt [4088]: WORCESTER, Mass. | The were no cheapies along the way here, Charlestown (ranked No. 1 in Eastern Mass.), No. 2 Lowell, No. 3 BC High, to name three truly high-powered victims.

The seeds had Andrik Cruz primed for a third straight sectional final disappointment.

Cruz would have none of that. The Methuen High senior, wrestling at 145 pounds, made his third North championship try a winning one, heading up an area contingent of two champs and 15 places moving on to the Division 1 North championships in Bridgewater next weekend.

It was a great day for Lancers at the Haverhill Invitational yesterday.

And it was a particularly good day for the Lawrence Lancers, who captured their second straight Haverhill Invitational title, rolling up 199<1/2> points to edge the runner-up Londonderry Lancers (174<1/2>) for top honors.

Before the New Year's Eve game, St. John's Prep hockey coach Kristian Hanson's message to his players was simple | keep shooting. Hanson knew St. John's of Shrewsbury had an outstanding goalie in senior Ben Siok, and the only way the Eagles were going to prevail was to put a lot of shots on net.

It ended | and it ended emphatically.

The defending Division 1 state championship St. John's Prep soccer team saw their 37-game unbeaten streak come to an end yesterday as host St. John's of Shrewsbury scored five first-half goals and blasted the Eagles, 6-1.