Local sports roundup:
Westborough Warriors sixth-grade A Division travel team wins second straight league title
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Westborough - Led by a balanced offensive attack and a suffocating defense, the Westborough Warriors, an A Division travel basketball team made up of sixthgraders from the Mill Pond School, captured their second straight conference championship last month.

The Warriors, who compiled a two-year conference record of 23-3 (11-1 in 2006-2007, 12-2 in 2007-2008) followed up that title with another one, capturing the prestigious Ashland Invitational Tap Off Tournament with a thrilling come-from-behind, 35-34 victory over a travel team from Franklin.

It was the first time in three attempts that the Warriors won the Ashland tournament.

Members of the Westborough Warriors were: Ciara Bowser, Heather Clemons, Haley Colentro, Jordan DeArmond, Tory Flahive, Katrina Joubert, Katie Litwin, Catherine Martin, Melissa Mastrogiacomo, Mia Natale and Amy Wilchowski. The team was coached by Jon Bowser, who was assisted by Dan Flahive.

DeArmond scored the winning basket for the Warriors with 20 seconds to play, rebounding the ball on the offensive end and then scoring on a lay-up, to put her team ahead, 35-34.

Franklin pushed the ball quickly up-court, but the Warriors' stifling defensive pressure prevented Franklin from even getting the potential game-winning shot off .

The Warriors were the only Westborough travel team to capture a championship this season. Three other teams competed for titles but came up just short. Westborough, with its rich and developed youth program, has two, sometimes three, travel teams from different divisions - boys and girls - win titles each year.

Shrewsbury boys lacrosse eyes more

success

The Shrewsbury High boys lacrosse team has 14 returning veterans back from the squad that played for the Central Mass. title last season and Colonials coach Nate Skermont is expecting more success.

Skermont, in his second year as coach, feels the returning players, as successful as they were last season, will excel this season.

Seniors Paul Grip, Mikhael Jette, Dan Thomas and Eric Hubbard will serve as cocaptains for the Colonials. Grip and Jette play in the middle of the field, keeping a watchful on eye on both the offense and defense, while Thomas and Hubbard will run the defense.

Grip led the Colonials in scoring last year, with 35 goals and 32 assists. A rarity as a junior captain, Grip earned team Most Valuable Player honors. Other returnees include defenders Brian Roy, Steve Tarpey and Jon Paulhus, and goaltender Ben L'Bassi. Back to pace the off ense will be attack Ian Powers, who scored 46 goals last season.

Marlborough

volleyball off to

surprising start

Marlborough High volleyball coach Pete Lepore welcomed back this year just two seniors and three players total who saw considerable playing time, but the experienced and inexperienced have blended together nicely and the Panthers entered play this week with a 5-2 mark.

Leading the surprising earlyseason surge have been senior co-captains Joe Nicholson and Bruno Aragao, the returnees with the most experience, and junior Sean Scanlon.

Newcomers for Marlborough who have made an impact include juniors Jon Gallardo and Navid Sharifi.

Contact Ken Powers at kpthesportsguy@yahoo.com with your sports team's news.