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CONCORD | For years, the Amesbury softball team could be counted on for an annual appearance in the EMass. Division 2 North semifinal.

Chris Perry's arrival in 1985 cemented the school's status as a perennial softball contender. Four state titles and 16 Cape Ann League titles followed.

NORTH BILLERICA -- If a picture is worth 1,000 words, the look on Marblehead senior Eric Fader's face as he hoisted the Division 3 North championship trophy might as well have been worth one million.

Simply put, one thousand words aren't enough to describe the joy Fader and the 12th-seeded Headers (14-10-0) felt when, against all odds, they dropped No. 2 Concord-Carlisle, 1-0, to win the first sectional title in school history at the Chelmsford Forum last night.

LOWELL | Concord-Carlisle soccer standout Michael Burke took a big blow to the head in a regular season game against Westford Academy more than two weeks ago. The resulting concussion was serious enough that some people believed his high school career was over.

No. 8 North Andover closed out its season with a 2-0 loss to top-seeded Concord-Carlisle in the Division 2 North quarterfinals.

"We possessed the ball for nearly three quarters of the game," said Scarlet Knights coach Bill Tarbox. "We had good scoring chances, but we just couldn't take advantage." Ross Marchand and John Carney stood out on defense while Cannon Moltz and Drew Pickul performed well on the midfield for North Andover.

The No. 16 seed Magicians (9-6-5) gave the No. 1 seed and defending champions a tough contest in a Div. 2 North first round match.

Marblehead, which played Sunday, came into the game with a defensive strategy in order to conserve energy against the team who had eight days rest. It worked well until Concord Carlisle scored on a Marblehead own goal.

Jackie Sullivan threw the ball in to Melissa Arn, who volleyed it into the goal 13 minutes into the second half to give No. 2 North Andover a 1-0 win over No. 15 Concord-Carlisle in the Division 2 North first round.

In search of a goal and a berth in the MIAA Division 1 North first round, the Peabody field hockey team turned to its captains and the leaders delivered. Co-captain Sam Terenzoni fed fellow co-captain Tawny Palmieri as the 15th seeded Tanners toppled Concord-Carlisle 1-0 in preliminary round action.

CONCORD | Playing just minutes from the Old North Bridge and the starting point of the Revolutionary War, the Methuen football team could not get off to the revolutionary start they were hoping to last night at the Rangers fell to Concord Carlisle, 29-7.