Mass. high school sports playoffs highlights for March 10

Bishop Fenwick girls ride dynamic senior captain duo past Medway into Division 3 basketball final
Georgetown boys keep nerve, rally past Millbury to return to Division 4 boys’ basketball final
With big man Ryan Mutschler running the show, Hanover hoop outmuscles Greater Lawrence in Div. 3 semis
With a second-half surge, Masconomet answers last year’s collapse to reach Division 2 championship
No stopping Jae Scott, Wachusett girls’ basketball in Division 1 semifinal win over Bishop Feehan
St. Mary’s boys’ basketball gets defensive in Division 2 semifinal win over Plymouth South
‘Freshman factor’ the difference for St. Mary’s girls’ basketball in D2 semifinal over Whitman-Hanson
With surgical precision, Pittsfield girls’ basketball runs by Apponequet in Division 3 semifinals
High school photo gallery: Taking final giant steps
Six of the 10 championship matchups have been determined, while No. 2 Hopedale (17-7) awaits its opponent in the Division 5 girls final. Both semifinals will be played Wednesday in D1 boys, D5 boys, and D4 girls. All games will be played Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Tsongas Center in Lowell (days, times TBA).
Division 1 girls: No. 1 Springfield Central (21-3) vs. No. 3 Wachusett (21-3)
Division 2 boys: No. 1 St. Mary’s (23-3) vs. No. 3 Masconomet (21-3)
Division 2 girls: No. 1 Medfield (24-0) vs. No. 3 St. Mary’s (23-3)
Division 3 boys: No. 1 Hanover (23-1) vs. No. 2 Salem (23-2)
Division 3 girls: No. 1 Bishop Fenwick (19-5) vs. No. 2 Pittsfield (20-5)
Division 4 boys: No. 1 Wareham (20-5) vs. No. 3 Georgetown (19-5)
There were two to choose from, as No. 3 Georgetown and No. 2 Millbury battled to the final possession in Division 4, while No. 3 Masconomet clawed back from down 10 at halftime to defeat No. 2 Pope Francis.
Georgetown, which is on its third coach, Ted Schruender, in the last 12 months — after Josh Kielty left for St. Mary’s and his replacement, Kevin Fair, was dismissed last month for his conduct in a win vs. Newburyport — got big plays late from senior captains Brendan Loewen and Irvin Zapata in a 53-51 Division 4 semifinal victory. Loewen hit a trio of free throws in the final 15 seconds, building on Zapata’s six 3-pointers at Woburn High. Schruender previously coached Triton.
In Worcester, Masconomet fell behind, 20-10, at halftime against Pope Francis. After losing a 16-point halftime lead in last year’s semifinal vs. Somerset Berkley, the Chieftains were motivated to bring it in the second half — and they did, producing a 27-point third quarter en route to a 50-48 Division 2 semifinal victory, powered by 19 points from Thomas Denton and 16 from Jimmy Farrell.
Caitlin Boyle, Bishop Fenwick — The senior chipped in everywhere for the Crusaders, totaling 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 55-38 Division 3 semifinal win over Medway.
Nathaniel Lane, Salem — The senior set the tone early with 11 first-half points, finishing with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in a 68-50 win over Lynn Classical in the Division 3 semifinals.
Celia Neilson, Bishop Fenwick — The senior nearly posted a triple-double, filling the stat sheet with 22 points, 11 steals, and 8 rebounds to defeat Medway.
Elian Rodriguez, Salem — The junior did what he does best, score the basketball, netting 19 of his game-high 30 points in the second half to lift the Witches.
(Includes Monday games)
Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 30
Sam Brigham, Pope Francis, 27
Aaron Cote, Wareham, 22
Celia Neilson, Bishop Fenwick, 22
Irvin Zapata, Georgetown, 22
Jayden Delaleu, Millbury, 21
Amare Rose, Wareham, 21
Naya Annigeri, Medfield, 20
Lamar Valentina, West Bridgewater, 20
Genesis Grimes, Springfield Central, 10
Cleto Deng, Salem, 8
Celia Neilson, Bishop Fenwick, 8
Nate Lane, Salem, 5
Celia Neilson, Bishop Fenwick, 11
Cleto Deng, Salem, 3
Nate Lane, Salem, 3
Caitlin Boyle, Bishop Fenwick, 4
It was NEPSAC decision day, with several MIAA stars opting for prep schools next year.
▪ Andover senior defensive end/tackle Jackson Fuller, the 6-foot, 3-inch, 230-pound Merrimack Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year, is heading to Williston Northampton for a post-grad year.
▪ Xaverian’s 6-1, 185-pound star wide receiver Christian McIntyre, fresh off breaking the Hawks’ school records for receiving yards (1,562) and touchdowns (26) on 65 catches, will spend a season at Avon Old Farms.
▪ Alex Turrisi, a 6-1, 215-pound outside linebacker/edge rusher from St. John’s Prep, is headed to Williston Northampton after producing 80 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles as a senior for SJP.
▪ North Reading senior wide receiver Gavin Brady, who was named Cape Ann League MVP after catching 68 passes for 1,198 yards and 17 touchdowns, is also bound for Williston Northampton for a post-grad year.
▪ Catholic Memorial’s 6-4, 285-pound junior defensive lineman Quinn Adams is transferring to Tabor and reclassing to repeat his junior year in Marion.
▪ After three years at Brooks, 6-4, 250-pound defensive end/offensive lineman Simon Nuamah is transferring to Tabor and reclassifying as a junior.
▪ Catholic Memorial sophomore Liam Conlon, a 6-3, 215-pound linebacker, is transferring to Tabor for his junior season.
▪ Amherst senior Natalie Stott, a Williston Northampton graduate from Franklin, was named NESCAC women’s ice hockey Player of the Week after stopping all 65 shots she faced in the league semifinal and championship games, leading Amherst to a repeat title. She made 39 saves in a 1-0 win over Colby in the championship game and in the process broke the Division 3 record for career victories for a goaltender with 84. She also owns the most career shutouts with 44.
▪ Northeastern senior Ryan Griffin, a North Andover graduate, was pegged as the Coastal Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week for earning a pair of wins in a 3-1 week for the Huskies. In his first collegiate start, Griffin went 5⅓ innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts against LSU. He came on in relief in another game and provided two perfect innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts.
▪ Brandeis senior Ragini Kannan, a Westford Academy graduate, was named UAA softball Pitcher of the Week for a second straight week to open the season. Kannan went 3-0, allowing one earned run while striking out 22 in 18 innings at The Spring Games, finishing with a 0.39 WERA and 0.56 opponent’s batting average.
▪ Bates junior Riley McClure, a Pingree graduate from Georgetown, was named NESCAC men’s lacrosse Player of the Week after totaling 13 points across three games. He had two goals and an assist vs. Emerson, five goals and two assists vs. Trinity and two goals and an assist vs. Wheaton.
▪ Lafayette sophomore Benjamin DiBattista, a Belmont Hill graduate from Westwood, was named Patriot League men’s lacrosse honorable mention after notching his fifth hat trick of the season, adding an assist and a ground ball in a 10-9 win over No. 8 Army West Point.
▪ Rhode Island College sophomore Gabrielle Sweeney, an Ayer-Shirley graduate, was tabbed Little East Conference softball Player of the Week following a four-game stretch in which she batted .500 with two runs, two doubles, and an RBI.
▪ Keene State senior Andrew Wiegand, a Wachusett graduate from Jefferson, was named LEC men’s lacrosse Goalkeeper of the Week for a second straight week after posting a 6.5 goals against average and 69.7 save percentage across two games.