Note: We wanted to create a new feature that honored the history of the high school game a little. This is a snapshot of MIAA play in 2000, and while a lot of that info is hard to access, we still remember a good amount of it.
So here’s an attempt to capture those old glories. If you have any additional information from other years, it is welcome.
Here is a look back at 2000.
— If there were an all-state poll that year, Fitchburg likely would have won it. The Red Raiders opened the season with a big, decisive win over Xaverian at Crocker Field. Fitchburg also beat Brockton that season, and went on to win the Central-Western Mass. D1 Super Bowl over Springfield Central.
— Speaking of those Super Bowls, that year the MIAA crowned 19 champions. Although those were worthy accomplishments, the coming playoff realignment for the following year was an improvement. It cut down on the number of champions, and created some great matchups. But back to 2000 . . .
— Another key storyline was in the coaching ranks, as Brockton’s Armond Colombo earned his 300th win in a 17-7 decision over Xaverian at the Hawk Bowl. Brockton had a solid year, but tied Durfee in Big Three play, and the Hilltoppers went to the postseason off the ‘last to go’ tiebreaker.
— In that Super Bowl, Durfee met BC High, where the Eagles won convincingly. BC High was good at the skill positions, but its strength was along the lines, where the Eagles had Tim Bulman. Bulman was a wrecking ball on the interior, and he was the class of those positions despite some depth there around the state. BC High’s only loss was a major upset to Malden Catholic, and the Eagles’ win over Xaverian at the Hawk Bowl was one of the highlights.
— Two teams that did not make the postseason, but were some of the best around, were Everett and Marshfield. Everett’s only loss was a 6-0 defeat to Peabody, where the Tanners’ Ray Lamonica returned an interception the length of the field for the game’s only score. Everett dominated that game statistically, but Lamonica’s pick was decisive. For Marshfield, the Rams had an offensive line to rival anyone’s in the state. Sean Morris was an explosive back. But Whitman-Hanson beat the Rams, 9-7, in an upset. Had either Everett or Marshfield played in an extended playoff like we see now, either could have won state titles.
— Bridgewater-Raynham won one of the D1 Super Bowls, shutting out Waltham. Most people expected Waltham to win at the time, but the Trojans surprised many with that victory. B-R was back at it a year later and lost to Everett in the D1 game.
— Framingham had maybe its best team of the program’s modern era. Quarterback Tony Gonzalez was a speed demon, and Jarrad Jordan was a bruising back. The offensive line was excellent. The Flyers earned a big win over Walpole at Turco Field, and went on to win one of the D2 Super Bowls over good Acton-Boxboro team that would start its lengthy winning streak the following year.
— If Fitchburg had its say as the best team in the state, it would have had an argument from Norwood. The Mustangs ran the table and beat that Whitman-Hanson team in a D2 Super Bowl. Norwood boasted one of the best two-way players in the state in running back/safety/linebacker Alfred Fincher, who had a terrific college career at UConn and made it to the NFL.
— Reading was another D2 champion, as the Rockets beat Chelmsford, 23-13, at Boston University’s Nickerson Field. Quarterback Steve Pizzotti had a huge game that day with 234 yards and a touchdown passing.
— One of the best Super Bowls was Gloucester’s 35-26 win over Foxboro, also at BU. The Fishermen had great speed and were always well-conditioned.
— Speaking of that Foxboro team, the Warriors won a Hockomock League that was particularly deep and talented. Foxboro was the team to end North Attleboro’s winning streak, which (I think) reached 39 games (that may be a game off by a couple but I’m not certain). Foxboro had a strong offensive line and one of the best backs around in Dave McDonnell. Marshfield beat Foxboro decisively in a late-season nonleague game between two of the state’s best.
— Another D3 Super Bowl that was noteworthy was Rockland’s 20-3 victory over Bishop Feehan. Feehan was the favorite, but the Bulldogs played great defense, and running back Bobby Murphy was a tremendous weapon on offense.
— In Division 5, Bellingham beat Martha’s Vineyard, led by quarterback Ricky Santos was just beginning to build his legend before a sterling career at the University of New Hampshire.
— Savio Prep won one of the D6 Super Bowls over Charlestown. The dominant force in Savio’s run was running back Stephen Grillo, who wasn’t big, but plenty fast.
— Maybe the best Super Bowl was the 1A Central/Western Mass. game won by Shrewsbury, 22-21, over Longmeadow. With the Colonials down, 21-14, late in the fourth quarter, Mario Johnson scored a touchdown in the final minute, then ran in the two-point conversion to seal the win.