There are no shortage of teams to keep a close eye on this fall. Whether it be due to coaching changes, graduations, transfers or all the above.
We’ve narrowed the list of teams that you’ll want to pay attention to down to 10.
These 10 teams aren’t the best teams in the state or favorites in their respective divisions, but rather teams that have interesting storylines attached to them entering September.
Without further ado, here are some teams to monitor:
Ten MIAA teams to watch
Teams listed in alphabetical order
Apponequet: The Lakers qualified for the Division 5 playoffs last season, but finished the year with a 5-6 record overall. Apponequet was the only team to defeat Division 6 state champion Fairhaven and the Lakers also managed to knock off their always-competitive Thanksgiving rival, Old Rochester. These two wins toward the end of the season showed what the Lakers are capable of on their best night. Senior running back Brody Joly is poised for a massive season. Don’t be surprised if the Lakers are the top team in the South Coast Conference Large this fall.
Bishop Fenwick: The postseason ban is over for Bishop Fenwick athletics. The Crusaders should jump right back into the playoff picture in Division 5 this season. A year ago, the Crusaders went 6-5 with key wins over Marblehead and St. Mary’s. Fenwick also dropped a close one to Division 2 Bishop Feehan. Keep an eye on quarterback Brayden Clifford.
Brockton: Things couldn’t have gone much worse in the City of Champions last fall. The Boxers went 3-8 in the first and only season of the Jermaine Wiggins era. Now Jailson Silva has taken the reigns at the one of the most proud football schools in New England. How will the Boxers respond to last year? The schedule, as always, is challenging, so there won’t be much time for Silva and company to work out any kinks. The Boxers are also dealing with the graduation of wide receiver Cam Monteiro and transfer of quarterback Jayden Campbell. Luke Turco figures to have a lot on his plate this season.
Carver: Carver is coming off the best season in program history. The Crusaders went 9-2 with their only losses coming to Middleboro on Thanksgiving with their starters resting and at Gillette Stadium in the Division 8 state title game against West Boylston. The Crusaders lost Tyler Lennox, Derek Lopes, Robbie Peterson, Jameson Helms and more to graduation and head coach Ben Shuffain left for his alma mater, Sharon. There are a lot of moving pieces this fall, but don’t discount the foundation that has been built. Carver will be led by Teagan Zakrzewski and Jack Balzarini.
Central Catholic: Central Catholic had an uneven first season without Chuck Adamopoulos on the sidelines. The Raiders were a playoff team, but finished a game under .500 at 5-6. Blake Hebert missed most of the season and has since transferred out of the school. Still, there’s reason to be optimistic in year two of the John Sexton era. Three sophomores to keep an eye on are lineman Brian Waller-Reitano and running backs Drew O’Keefe and Armani Mills. Drew Alsup should have a big senior year.
Hanover: Hanover, like Carver, is coming off a very successful season with their only two losses coming on Thanksgiving and at Gillette Stadium. The Hawks graduated a lot of talent from last year’s team, but the cupboard is far from bare. Expect the Hawks to return to the Division 5 playoffs led by Love’on Flowers, Aidan Boutin, Sebastian Brown and Brandon Ericco.
Lynn English: Former Bulldogs star Tyllor McDonald is back on the sidelines as the Lynn English head coach. Lynn English is coming off a 3-8 season but showcased their skill this summer with success in 7-on-7 leagues. Now, the Bulldogs will need to prove they can play at a high level with the pads on.
Methuen: Methuen has blossomed into one of the top programs in Division 1. Record-setting quarterback Drew Eason has graduated but expect the offense to remain explosive. Drew’s younger brother, Shane, will be one of the top offensive weapons in the state this season. Receivers Joshua Kwakye and Adrian Blake will form a strong duo and Aidan Marino is back to anchor the offensive line. Expect the Rangers to compete for a spot in the Division 1 quarterfinals again.
Randolph: The Blue Devils finished a game under .500 last season, but they were also one possession away from earning a trip to the Division 8 state semifinals. Randolph has turned into a top small school program lately in the hyper-competitive South Shore League. The Blue Devils figure to be top contenders in the division this year led by star running Nathanyel Gomes. Abraham Cornet returns at quarterback, as well.
West Springfield: Last year, the Terriers had their best season since 2017, going 8-2 and qualifying for the playoffs. The two losses were by a combined 11 points. West Side will once again be a factor in the Division 3 playoff picture led by one of the more underrated quarterback-receiver duos in the state in Nate Stone and Johnny Gingeruha.