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LAWRENCE — In a rare in-game meeting between opposing head coaches, Andover's Dave Fazio smiled and gave Central Catholic's Rick Nault a playful shove.

"I thought I had you," Fazio said.

Central Catholic junior Billy Marsden may be known more for his jump shot than his physical play, but you might have a hard time convincing Lowell of that.

The 5-foot-10 Marsden, who played limited minutes in a 61-53 loss to Lowell just 11 days earlier because of an ailing ankle, slashed his way to 14 of his team-high 20 points in the second half, including 10 points in the pivotal fourth quarter, as Central (11-1, 8-1 MVC) knocked Lowell (13-1, 9-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten, 72-66.

LOWELL — If anything can be taken from Raider Rumble I here at the Riddick Field House, it's that unbeaten Lowell High knows how to close.

The 10-0 Red Raiders took charge in the MVC Large with a 20-4 fourth-quarter barrage, sending Central Catholic to its first loss of the year, 61-53, before a standing-room crowd of about 1,500 last night.

LAWRENCE | Too easy.

Even without leading scorer Billy Marsden (sprained ankle), Central Catholic's boys, the No. 1 ranked team in the region, made it look too easy offensively, shredding Lawrence High's scrambling defense in an 81-55 thrashing last night before a packed house of about 1,200 at Memorial Gymnasium.

Central Catholic didn't exactly solve Andover High's vise-like defense, especially that mesmerizing 2-1-2 halfcourt trap.

The Raiders basically survived the determined Warriors, riding a blur of an 11-0 flurry midway through the second half for an ugly, yet still impressive, 50-43 win before a standing-room crowd of about 1,400 last night.

The Billy Marsden Fan Club gained about 1,200 new members last night.

Heading into last night's 33rd Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney championship game, only a few of Marsden's young cousins (various Saloises and Batchelders) were dues-paying members. The excitable youngsters had the bright-red T-shirts with "Billy Marsden Fan Club" and No. 25 written on them.

As Central Catholic players leaped into a pile after capturing the school's 10th Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament title last night, they were undoubtedly already feeling the effects of the physical beating that Lawrence gave them.

Eleven second-half points, 30 for the game.

That certainly wasn't part of the Andover High game plan. Central Catholic brought its own eraser, 6-foot-9 sophomore Carson Desrosiers, who swatted 10 Andover shots, altered at least a half-dozen more and turned the paint on the Raider defensive end into a no-fly zone.

Tradition, tourney experience, talent, it's not a bad skill-set to fall back on when your world is disintegrating around you.

The top team in Eastern Mass., Central Catholic, saw a first-round blowout win nearly evaporate in the second half, barely surviving a wild rally from gritty North Andover and prevailing, 63-49.

Billy Marsden scored a game-high 29 points and Carson Desrosiers had a fine game with eight blocks, 14 rebounds and six points during Central Catholic's season-opening 80-37 win over Billerica. Mike Alvarez added 16 for the Red Raiders.