Peabody Soccer, Volleyball Squads Ready for Tourney Journey

Haley Dowd and the Lady Tanners are the favorites going into the playoffs for GIRLS' SOCCER. Dowd, a junior, has racked up another year of impressive achievements, notably breaking first the school's career goals record and then the career scoring record. The Tanners have also seen strong seasons from Victoria Digiacomo, Cayla Bucci, Bianca Muscato and Katie Brunelle.

Peabody finished the season at 16-0-2 and faces either No. 16 Westford Academy or No. 17 Masconomet (they play Saturday) in the first round of Division I North play Monday at home (5 p.m.). The winner of that game will then take on either No. 8 Concord-Carlisle or No. 9 Central Catholic.

The Lady Tanners were similarly seeded last year, but dropped a quarterfinal match to Westford in the Division I North tournament. The only other loss of the season was in the regular season to conference opponent Danvers. In 2009, the Lady Tanners fell to Acton-Boxborough in the Sectional Final.

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Fresh of the heels of securing another pair of Northeastern Conference titles, the undefeated BOYS' and GIRLS' CROSS-COUNTRY squads blazed to the front of the pack as well last Saturday at Bradley Palmer State Park for the NEC Meet.

Junior Catarina Rocha set a blistering pace in the girls' varsity race and cruised ahead of runner-up Marblehead's Mary Kauffman by more than two minutes to finish at 17:54. Rocha was nine seconds off the course record. Lauren Barrett and Sam Allen took third and fourth for Peabody, 20:09 and 20:11, respectively, Sydney May finished ninth in 21:02 and Sara May filled out the scoring in 11th at 21:22, giving Peabody 28 points to Marblehead's 64. Beverly placed third with 78 team points.

On the boys' side, Nick Christensen blew by his competition to finish in 15:50, 33 seconds ahead of Beverly's Peter Hale. The Tanners' T.J. D'Amato (3rd, 16:33), Drew Fossa (8th, 16:51), Ben Braz (13th, 17:20) and Anthony Tedescucci (19th, 17:40) kept it to 44 points to hold of Swampscott and Marblehead at 66 and 67 team points, respectively.

The Tanners now prepare for the Eastern Mass. Meet Nov. 12 at Franklin Park prior to the State Meet Nov. 19 also at Franklin Park.

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BOYS' SOCCER begins tournament play in Division I North this Sunday in Lowell (2 p.m.) after finishing the regular season 13-5. The Tanners are seeded No. 8 while Lowell is seeded No. 9. Despite consecutive postseason appearances, Peabody hasn't made it past the first round of the tournament since 2007.

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The Lady Tanners VOLLEYBALL club, finishing the regular season at 11-7, enter the postseason seeded No. 7 in Division I North play. Peabody hosts Salem Sunday (5 p.m.) in a first round match. Salem is the No. 10 seed. The winner on Sunday will travel to powerhouse Central Catholic on Tuesday. Peabody has made it to the postseason on a regular basis but lost early on in the tournament, although in 2007 made it to the semi-final against Andover.

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The Peabody FIELD HOCKEY club is out of the postseason running after falling to Natick, 2-0, in a first round Division I North contest Thursday. The Tanners' club finished the regular season 10-5-3.

Fenwick GIRLS' SOCCER gets another crack at Belmont after losing in overtime during a semi-final round of the Division II North tournament last year. The Lady Crusaders (9-3-6) are seeded No. 8 and host No. 9 Belmont Saturday at 5 p.m.

BOYS' SOCCER is seeded 12th heading into postseason play Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at Madison Park against Boston International, the No. 5 seed in Division III North. The Crusaders finished the regular season 9-7-2. They lost to Weston last year in the first round of sectionals.

VOLLEYBALL knocked Winchester out of the first round, 3-1, Friday and moves on to the quarterfinals to face unbeaten Boston English on Monday (6:30 p.m.) at English. Fenwick is seeded No. 8, wrapping up the regular season at 13-7, while Boston English has amassed an 18-0 record. The Fenwick ladies did cruise all the way to the Division II North Final last year, falling to Melrose, 3-2.

BOYS' and GIRLS' CROSS-COUNTRY prepares for the Eastern Mass. Meet Nov. 12 at Franklin Park prior to the State Meet Nov. 19 also at Franklin Park.

Fenwick FOOTBALL (2-6) travels to Arlington Catholic today (1 p.m.)