RallyNorth.net

Dylan Epstien finished the 50-yard dask i a time of 5.8, takig first place and helping Andover to a fourth place finish (51 points) at yesterday's MVC freshman/sophomore meet.  

BEVERLY — On a day when most results went as predicted, Central Catholic’s Ben Tavitian pulled off the biggest upset.

Seeded third entering the Division 2 North Sectional, the Raider senior was last night’s only winner not seeded either first or second. While he might not have been considered a premeet favorite, Tavitian breezed into the finals, needing fewer than 3 minutes to record a pair of pins and earn a spot in the title match where he posted his third fall of the day in 2:34 over top-seeded Peter Salem of Dracut.

Freshman Christian Thompson's first career goal could not have come at a better time as his second period tally proved to be the game-winner in Central Catholic's 3-2 win over Waltham. Lloyd Hayes and Mike Kelleher also scored for the Raiders.

Methuen finished up an 8-2 season with a sweep of Central Catholic and Dracut. Methuen's Samantha McGovern and Victoria Daigle tied for the all-ariound title with 34.7 totals. Central, which beat Billerica, was led by Maddie Arndt (season best 9.1 on beam) and Giana Contrada and Jamie Maffeo excelled in the all-around.

Central girls basketball outscored Lowell 16-0 to win 53-32 over Lowell.

Amanda Williams sat most of the first half with two fouls. She was huge in the second half and scored 17 points for the game.

Unbeaten Central Catholic, which is ranked first in all the EMass. and statewide polls, trailed by 12 at the half and never could catch up in a 62-56 shocker to Lowell. Central had won 22 straighht games vs. MVC teams dating back to a loss to Andover in the 2010 Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney. The Raiders had won 53 straight MVC regular-season games since losing to Lowell on Jan. 16 2008.

Sophomore Lloyd Hayes was sent in on a breakaway by Zack Cote and deposited a backhander past the Tewksbury goalie midway through the third period to earn Central Catholic a 3-2 victory. Mike Kelleher, a Tewksbury resident, played a strong game with an assist for Central.

Methuen's wrestling team (17-0) wrapped up the Merrimack Valley Conference title and its first unbeaten dual-meet season in at least 25 years with a 42-21 victory over Central Catholic. Heavyweight Anthony Giorgio, who got hurt in the first meet of the season, returned for a 5-4 decisionwhile Christian Monserrat remained unbeaten with a first-period pin at 113. C.J. Doherty and Scott DelRossi also had first-period falls.  

Driven by great team defense down the stretch sparked by Alex Nagri, Central Catholic survived a tough offensive night to beat Cambridge in overtime, 47-45. Nagri scored all nine of her points in the second half with a huge bucket and free throw in OT. Freshman point guard Giulia Orlando ran the Raider offense effectively in the win.

Courtney Carver and Jesse Livingston led the way, finishing one-two in the all-around with scores of 35.8 and 35.7, as Andover remained unbeaten (8-0) in girls gymnastics, clipping Central Catholic 139.95 to 134.70.