Tewksbury

Tewksbury is a very good football team. With impressive wins over Andover, Lowell, and Central Catholic, the Redmen are one win from claiming the Merrimack Valley Division 2 title and a playoff berth. There's just one problem. It's the wrong team. At least that's the feeling if you're a Lawrence fan. Logically, Lawrence should be the MVC Division 2 winner, assuming the Lancers beat Dracut this week and Methuen the following week. By doing that, Lawrence would finish 4-0 in the conference, including - and pay attention - a win over Tewksbury.

STICKING POINTS High 5 Jill Barnes , Lowell: The senior attack poured in seven goals as the Red Raiders held off Merrimack Valley Conference foe Tewksbury, 21-15. Keifer Heckman , Peabody: Six goals from the junior attack powered the Tanners past Triton Regional, 11-9. Marissa Irwin , Shawsheen Regional Tech: In a 22-11 victory over Methuen, the senior attack netted seven goals. Mitch McCarthy , Tyngsborough: The senior attack collected six goals and one assist as the Tigers clinched the Midland Wachusett League's B Division title with a 12-10 victory...

Tewksbury got its first victory in an impressive fashion, beating visiting No. 6 Andover, 38-28. "We had to go out and fight and our kids did a good job executing what we trying to do on offense," said Tewksbury coach Brian Aylward. "Everybody that touched the ball played hard and the defense kept running to the ball. Our margin for error is small and our kids understand that. " Andover (2-1) clung to a 16-14 lead at the half, but the Redmen (1-2) had three consecutive scores, two by senior running back Chris Bettano and one from senior quarterback Kevin Saunders.

Voters at a Special Town Meeting approved spending $275,000 from the town's Community Preservation Fund to rehabilitate the historic Ella Flemings School on Andover Street. The school was constructed in 1859 to serve what was then called School District 3, the north Tewksbury area. It was later named after Ella E. Flemings, who served as the school's teacher from 1900 to 1912 and after that as the principal of the Foster School in the town center from 1912 to 1919. The Flemings School was closed in 1949 but reopened because of overcrowding in the 1950s.

Debate over a proposal to switch Tewksbury to a city form of government came to a decisive end when the plan was overwhelmingly shot down by voters. The proposal, offered by a Special Act Charter Committee, called for a new charter that would scrap the existing Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting and establish a nine-member town council. By a vote of 561-51, a Special Town Meeting May 8 indefinitely postponed an article calling for the town to seek a special act to make the change.

Tewksbury lost to Haverhill, 27-20, last night, but Lawrence's 6-2 loss to Dracut punched the Redmen's ticket to the postseason. Tewksbury dropped to 5-4 and 2-2 in the Merrimack Valley Conference Division 2. Because of the MVC scoring system (two points for a conference win in the division, one for a conference win outside of it), Tewksbury finished the night with 7 points to Lawrence's 4. The Redmen were leading Haverhill, 14-12, after three quarters but the Hillies outscored their conference foe, 15-6, in the fourth quarter on a run from Chance Brady and a touchdown pass from Tommy Morgan...

The extravagant bright-red championship banner that hangs in the Breakaway Ice Arena is a constant reminder of what the Tewksbury boys' hockey team accomplished last year as Division 2 state champs. For some teams, losing 12 seniors can make that banner feel more like a cross to bear than a cherished memory, but this group of Redmen hasn't skipped a beat, going 5-1-1 in the early part of the season. "It's tough to replace the talent we lost, but we have talent coming back," said head coach Derek Doherty.

A scientific instruments firm plans to invest $18.2 million to relocate part of its operations to a Tewksbury industrial park adjacent to Interstate 495. Thermo Fisher Scientific on Oct. 12 closed on the purchase of a vacant 156,000-square-foot building in the Ames Pond Corporate Park off Route 133. The Waltham-based firm plans to renovate the building to serve as the new consolidated site of its portable analytical instruments business, now...

Washington Trust said its Commercial Real Estate Group recently provided $20,000,000 for the refinancing of the Highwood Office Park in Tewksbury. With 278,000 square feet of space, the property is a three building office center with multiple tenants, Washington Trust said. The financing was provided to Highwood Investors, LLC, an affiliate of BPG Properties Ltd. BPG Properties is a private equity real estate fund manager. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island.

A Tewksbury man died Sunday after he collided with a moose while riding his motorcycle on Route 119 in Ashburnham, police said. Keith Dumont, 39, and his wife, Caroline, 41, were traveling south when they hit a moose crossing the road. Both were thrown from the motorcycle, Ashburnham police Sergeant Todd Parsons said. Caroline Dumont, who was a passenger on the bike, was taken to UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester by LifeFlight helicopter and released Tuesday morning, Parsons said.

Debate over a proposal to switch Tewksbury to a city form of government came to a decisive end when the plan was overwhelmingly shot down by voters. The proposal, offered by a Special Act Charter Committee, called for a new charter that would scrap the existing Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting and establish a nine-member town council. By a vote of 561-51, a Special Town Meeting May 8 indefinitely postponed an article calling for the town to seek a special act to make the change.

The Tewksbury Historical Society is holding its annual spring fund-raiser at 7 p.m. Saturday at the senior center, 175 Chandler St. Richard Smith will perform as Henry David Thoreau and discuss Thoreau's first book, "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. " The book, published in 1849, recounts an eight-day canoe trip that took Thoreau through Tewksbury, among other towns. Smith, an Acton resident, is a local actor and Thoreau historian who performs frequently in the role. Saturday's event is being supported by the Tewksbury Cultural Council.

High Five Kiara Amos , Malden: The senior righthander recorded her seventh shutout of the season, tossing a one-hitter in a 12-0 win over Somerville. Joe Barry , Austin Prep: The senior catcher went 4 for 4. including two doubles, to help send the Cougars past Bishop Fenwick, 7-5, in Catholic Central play. Ben Bowden , Lynn English: In a 2-1 victory over Gloucester, the senior pitcher yielded one hit and struck out a season-high 16 batters. Molly Rowe , Newburyport: The senior pitcher delivered herself the win, cracking a go-ahead triple in a 3-2 win over Rockport.

A new town charter proposal and a fiscal 2013 budget plan are among the items set to come before voters at town meetings this week. The charter proposal is the sole warrant item for a Special Town Meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The article asks if the town should seek special legislation to eliminate the Board of Selectmen and town meeting and create a nine-member town council. The budget and other spending measures — including funding union contracts — are scheduled to be taken up by the annual Town Meeting that convenes at 8 p.m. Monday.

High Five Kyle Devin, Lynn Classical: With three hits, three runs, and three RBIs, the junior catcher helped propel the Rams past Saugus, 15-4. Abby DiCredico, Wakefield: The junior shortstop went 4 for 4 with three RBIs as the Warriors stopped Stoneham, 10-8. ShawnaDiPietro, Masconomet: In dealing Rockport its first loss, the Chieftains were led by the senior captain, who went 3 for 4, including two home runs, and three RBIs. Nick Pineau, Woburn: The senior pitcher tossed a two-hit shutout as the Tanners blanked Reading, 6-0. Christie Raymond, Westford: The Grey Ghosts shut out Newton...

Olivia Antczak stared down her catcher at Central Catholic, Kelly Michal, waiting for the sign. With two runners on base for visiting Chelmsford, two outs in the third inning, and the Raiders already trailing 3-0, the freshman hurler had the look of desperation Wednesday afternoon. However, on a 2-2 count to Jen Janiak, Antczak threw a diving curve and the Chelmsford hitter chased the ball out of the zone for strike three. It was the 73d strikeout, through seven games, for the tall freshman righthander from Atkinson, N.H. "We've really hit the ground running and played...

High Five Kyle Devin, Lynn Classical: With three hits, three runs, and three RBIs, the junior catcher helped propel the Rams past Saugus, 15-4. Abby DiCredico, Wakefield: The junior shortstop went 4 for 4 with three RBIs as the Warriors stopped Stoneham, 10-8. ShawnaDiPietro, Masconomet: In dealing Rockport its first loss, the Chieftains were led by the senior captain, who went 3 for 4, including two home runs, and three RBIs. Nick Pineau, Woburn: The senior pitcher tossed a two-hit shutout as the Tanners blanked Reading, 6-0. Christie Raymond, Westford: The Grey Ghosts shut out Newton South, 3-0, behind...

Paul Famiglietti Senior Alana Casey (left) and freshman Noelle Bellmer. The following was submitted by Malden High publicity director Paul Famiglietti: Under the watchful eye of new coach and former Tornado star Vanessa James, the Malden High School gymnastics team opened its 2012 with two victories. The Tornadoes defeated Tewksbury at home on Jan. 3, 118-106, and then on Jan, 5 narrowly beat rival Medford - last year's Greater Boston League champs ¬- 115-113.

High Five Ally Fazio, Andover: The senior midfielder scored five times and dished out two assists to lead the Golden Warriors past visiting Pinkerton Academy, 17-8. Peter Hargrave, Westford: In a 12-11 upset of Masconomet, the sophomore goalie made 17 saves. Zach Jacobs, Tewksbury: The Redmen trumped Pentucket, 16-2, thanks to seven goals from the junior middie. Courtney Lanier, Lowell Catholic:The sophomore made 19 stops as the Crusaders held off Essex-Aggie, 15-10.