Adam Kurkjian

Holy Cross 31, Georgetown 10 — Crusaders claim fifth straight share of Patriot League crown

November 18, 2023

By Tony Catalina NEFJ Correspondent WORCESTER — In a must-have matchup against the Georgetown Hoyas, the Holy Cross Crusaders cruised to a 31-10 win and a fifth-straight piece of the Patriot League crown. While Holy Cross needed help that they didn’t receive from Lehigh against Lafayette, the Crusaders controlled what they could in a convincing win. Coach Bob Chesney spoke about how although the Crusaders did not win an automatic……

(2) Xaverian 20, (3) Needham 17 — Resilient Hawks hold on, set up date with SJP in D1 Super Bowl

November 17, 2023

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BROCKTON — It is nice to have depth, until you have to use it. You take away two of the best weapons on any offense, you will see a sharp downturn in performance. In that respect, maybe Xaverian is a little different. In Friday night’s D1 state semifinal against Needham, starting running back Denzil Pierre and wide receiver Jonathan Monteiro each left the game in the first half with injuries…….

(1) King Philip 41, (5) Barnstable 21 — Warriors book another Gillette trip

November 16, 2023

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WEYMOUTH — For King Philip, the Warriors are back where they belong. Where is that? Gillette Stadium, of course, to play for another state title. The Warriors have made it a home away from home, of sorts. With Thursday night’s 41-21 walloping of Barnstable, King Philip earned a return trip to the D2 state final. In the last seven state tournaments, the Warriors will be in the championship for the……

New England high school preview — Week 11

November 15, 2023

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Now we are at that point in the season where basically every game is a big one. We’ve got every MIAA postseason matchup in the eight divisions, plus out of state. Also, check out our NEPSAC bowl capsules. Let’s get to it. Division 1 St. John’s Prep vs. Andover — We knew Andover would be good this season, but did not necessarily think the Warriors woud be back here. At……

NEPSAC bowl capsules

November 15, 2023

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Leon Modeste Bowl — Choate (8-0) at Phillips Exeter (7-1) These might be the two best NEPSAC teams playing this weekend, or is at least close to it. Choate has walloped most of the teams it has played this season. Nick Rubino has had an excellent season at quarterback. He spreads the ball around to talented skill players like Pearson Hill, Jadon Spain, and Blaize Cameron. Choate also has some……

Q&A with Marshfield coach Chris Arouca

November 14, 2023

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Another big game this weekend is the D2 state semifinal between Catholic Memorial and Marshfield. The Rams opened the season with losses to St. John’s Prep and Methuen, but have come roaring back with eight consecutive wins. We reached out to Marshfield coach Chris Arouca to talk about his team and the challenge ahead. Here is an edited version of that conversation. Adam Kurkjian: The first thing I want to……

Q&A with Barnstable coach Ross Jatkola

November 13, 2023

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One of the biggest games of the coming weekend is in D2, when Barnstable plays King Philip. The Red Hawks are the No. 5 seed and come in at 9-1, having just beaten Peabody, 13-9, over the weekend. We wanted to catch up with Barnstable coach Ross Jatkola, so we talked with him briefly over the phone on Monday night. Here is an edited version of that conversation. Adam Kurkjian:……

Week 8 Chaos Poll

November 12, 2023

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A big shakeup in the Chaos Poll, as Belmont Hill winning the ISL and some losses in the ranks of the postgrad schools leads to some changes. Belmont Hill shocked everyone this year, and is rewarded here with a big jump. On to the rankings . . . Week 8 Chaos Poll 1. St. John’s Prep (10-0) 2. Catholic Memorial (7-2) 3. Xaverian (8-2) 4. King Philip (10-0) 5. Springfield……

Week 10 MIAA Top 25

November 12, 2023

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Some big results this weekend, with the Xaverian win over Springfield Central acting as the main mover. There are plenty of other games that made a difference in other spots, too, and you’ll see that throughout. On to the rankings . . . Week 10 MIAA Top 25 1. St. John’s Prep (10-0) — Gets Andover for the second year in a row. 2. Catholic Memorial (7-2) — Got a……

BB&N 52, Lawrence Academy 21 — Knights deliver early knockout

November 11, 2023

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GROTON — In Saturday’s Independent School League showdown with Lawrence Academy, BB&N wanted to send an early signal that the Knights were the superior team. Message received, loud and clear. Bo MacCormack returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and the Knights never looked back in a 52-21 victory. BB&N scored 42 points by halftime, and dominated from start to finish. With the win, BB&N improved to 6-2 and looks……