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Morgan Lumb pumped in a season-high 22 points and North Andover (10-6) blitzed Newburyport 47-36, to punch its ticket to the state tourney. Lumb, Pam Coufos, Mackenzie Mello and Leah Chittick were defensive stalwarts.

Commanding free throw shooting did the trick as Georgetown beat Newburyport for the first time in over five years, 44-42. The Royals sank 10 of 14 foul shots down the stretch, and staunch defense led by Morgan Gott (11 points, 6 assists and 4 steals) set the stage.

One challenge down, one more to go.

With a depth-driven 45-41 victory over previously unbeaten Newburyport, North Andover locked up at least a share of the Cape Ann League boys track title. The Knights can win it outright if they beat a one-loss Masconomet squad in their last league meet Saturday.

Pentucket reveled in the good (a 16-point halftime lead) and struggled through the bad (a 6-point overtime deficit), but pulled itself together at the very end to edge Newburyport, 57-55.

After Pentucket's 14-point halftime lead withered to two entering the fourth quarter, the Sachems regrouped to pull away from Newburyport 44-37. Sarah Higgins led the way with 14 points while Coley Viselli had 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

BOSTON — Running in the Division 2 All-State meet, Rebecca Morse felt the effects of a week-long illness and slipped to 37th place. Morse was with the leaders for the first mile but didn’t have the strength to keep up the pace, finishing with a time of 20:01.23. Dennis-Yarmouth junior Jordan O’Dea was the individual champ in Division 2, taking the lead from the start and gradually extending it, finishing in 18:34.89. Bishop Feehan captured the team title with 63 points, 16 fewer than runner-up Hamilton-Wenham. Pentucket finished 11th in the 19-team field. Impressive freshman Kelsi McNamara complemented Morse by coming in 50th in 20:27.

Pentucket's Leah McNamara scored with about 9 minutes left to cut the Newburyport lead to one goal.

But the No. 17-seeded Sachems wouldn't score again and lost 2-1 to the No. 1 seed in the Division 2 first round.

See Pentucket highlights against Newburyport.

WEST NEWBURY — It was an unfortunate case of deja vu for Pentucket.

For the second straight season, the Sachems led Newburyport by two scores midway through the third quarter, and for the second straight season the Clippers stormed back to take the lead.

Angie Minott scored North Andover's lone goal in a 1-1 tie with Newburyport that helped the Scarlet Knights remain one point behind Newburyport in the CAL standings in field hockey.