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Heavyweight Brian Nicoll put an exclamation point on an impressive statement made by the Timberlane wrestling team yesterday at the 54-team Lowell Holiday Tournament.

The Owls, who finished second last year by a point and a half, came back with a vengence to claim their third team crown in four years with 241 points, comfortably ahead of runners-up Concord, N.H., and Winchester, who tied with 210. Pinkerton (120) was sixth, Central Catholic (111) came in eighth and Salem, N.H. (102<1/2>) tied for 10th.

METHUEN | Meghan Thomann knows it won't be this easy again. But hey, it was fun while it lasted.

The Bentley College-bound senior guard scored 24 points | including 18 in the second half | to lead Andover over Eastern Massachusetts No. 1 Lowell, 59-45, in the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament semifinals last night at Klimas Memorial Field House.

Salem gave undefeated Lowell its best shot in the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament | but for only a little more than a quarter in a 60-43 Red Raiders win.

The Blue Devils, behind senior guard Danielle Stoodley (team-high 15 points) and junior forward Amanda Saab (14 points, 16 rebounds) led 8-7 after a drive down the lane for a basket by sophomore forward Olivia Connors. That came just moments after talented Lowell center Whitney Wilson went down with an ankle injury and left the game for good.

Ashley Rivera admitted it: She came into last March's Division 1 North final too cocky.

"We played like it was going to be handed to us," the Lowell point guard said.

Central Catholic walked away from Tsongas Arena with a victory. Rivera walked away with a headache. "It was definitely painful," she said. "Everybody thought it was our year."

HAVERHILL | Just take what the defense gives you | a simple theory but usually difficult to apply.

When Lowell brought its defensive backs and safety up near the line of scrimmage to take away Haverhill's option running attack, the Hillies had the weapons to respond.

When Lowell scored two consecutive goals in the second half to erase a two-goal deficit, Peabody interim girls soccer coach Dennis Desroches wasn't surprised.

Peabody needed two overtimes to dispose of Lowell last year, but Erika Digiacomo made sure overtime didn't enter the equation last night, netting the game-winner with just 30 seconds to play for a 4-3 Tanner victory.

ustin Colella scored an unassisted goal 12 minutes into the game and senior Matt Arquin's first career goal ended up as the game-winner as the Prep won a Div. 1 North first round matchup. St. John's, which got an assist from Nick Marinakis, will play Acton-Boxboro in the quarterfinals.

LOWELL | Lowell's gameplan was to put the bull's-eye on Mike Leavitt's back, and the Red Raiders executed it well, holding the Central battering ram to 91 yards on 15 carries. Lowell, though, spent the rest of the night at Cawley Stadium learning the lesson that the Raiders are more than just Mike Leavitt.

LOWELL | The weather made the comparison inevitable.

"Last year we had a rainy game (against Lowell) and ended up losing in overtime," said wide receiver Matt Rayner. "It was a little added inspiration. We weren't going to let it slip away like last year."

METHUEN | "They all hurt," said Methuen coach Pat Graham after last night's 31-30 heartbreaking loss to Lowell, but this one may have hurt just a little more.

The Rangers (2-4) took a commanding 27-0 lead in the first half and, after a 20-yard Giuliano Pizzo field goal, still led 30-21 with just 3:09 left to play in the game.