Region's teams are among the best

No doubt about it. Right in our own neighborhoods are some of the best high school athletes and teams in the state. Our communities are making a strong case for being the dominant region in the state.

This season certainly helped reinforce our claim to that title. On Nov. 17 St. John's won the division 1 state soccer championship over Framingham (see Pioneers and Colonials shoot for state titles), and Westborough won the division 2 girls state volleyball championship over Bourne. Combine that with state final appearances by Shrewsbury High's field hockey team (a 6-4 loss to Acton-Boxboro) and girls soccer team (1-0 loss to Acton-Boxboro), and it was truly a dominant fall for area sports programs. This fall adds to the résumé of the big time local teams, playing in big time games.

Westborough's volleyball win was one of the biggest of this fall's "bigs" as the Rangers beefed up their regular season schedule with the vision of a run to their first state title. Coach Roger Anderson seemed to have everything pointing to this state final, and his girls didn't disappoint. After winning the district title, the Rangers swept six straight games in the states (3-0 over Longmeadow in the state semi's). Westborough swept Bourne 25-16, 25-22 and 25-18, in the state finals before a raucous, a predominant Rangers' crowd in the game played at Hudson High.

Congrats to the Rangers girls, who include seniors Mina Baban, Christina Carr, Danielle Coffey, Caitlin Piper, Kristin Collins and Alexa Ebert, juniors Austin Murray, Kayla Volpe, Jessie Bready and Gayle Heim. Sophomores on the newly crowned state champs are Sarah Barnes, Kasey Kraus, Aoife Feighery and Leah Ryan.

St. John' s Hall of

Fame banquet St. John's is set to induct their 10th athletic Hall of Fame class on Saturday, Nov. 26, in a banquet at the Wachusett Country Club. The event starts with a cocktail reception at 6PM, followed by dinner. Tickets are $35 and can be obtained by calling 508-842-5353.

Those being inducted include Michael J. Morrill (Class of '46), Phillip S. Morrill ('48), Joseph J. Garvey ('51), Donald E. Akerson ('54), Robert P. DelSignore ('61), Philip J. Lahey ('64), Robert A. Raslavsky ('71), Levon N. Kachadoorian ('72), Kim Visbaras ('74), James A. Knight II ('80).

Tuesday Football

Playoffs

Pi Post Thanksgiving football is going to look a little different

f as the new Central

MB Mass/Western Mass Super Bowl format is instituted.

T The format, which aligns

more closely with what has been done in Eastern Mass for several years, is being tried for the first time in our region. What it means for area football fans, are more of those exciting postseason games.

For some programs it will mean playing three big time football games in nine days, including traditional Thanksgiving morning games, a Tuesday after Thanksgiving playoff game, culminating with a Super Bowl on Dec. 1.

Area teams that look to be playing in playoff football include Assabet Valley (final regular season record 10-1, the Aztecs having not lost since Week 1, Shrewsbury (who went into its Thanksgiving Day game with a 10-0 record) and St. John's.

If I have this new playoff thing sorted out correctly, the marquee game should be on Tuesday, Nov. 27 when Fitchburg plays Shrewsbury for the right to advance to play in the following Saturday's Super Bowl against Western Mass.

Send mail and sports ideas to ron_woodcock@charter.net