Courtesy of Tim Crowley By Tyler Amaral NEFJ Staff Football is officially back in Massachusetts. Week 1 featured some chalk results and some surprises. Our top three of Xaverian, Catholic Memorial and St. John’s Prep all held serve. After the top three, plenty of teams moved either up or down in this week’s Top 25. Canton and Methuen are new additions this week. The Bulldogs pounded Franklin 34-0, while Methuen……
Image courtesy of AP Photo (Charles Krupa) FOXBOROUGH – Well, that certainly didn’t go how any of us hoped. This was supposed to be different. The offense was supposed to be better. The defense was supposed to be better. Mike Vrabel’s team was supposed to play a cleaner, more entertaining brand of football. Instead in the rainy season opener on Sunday at Gillette Stadium, the offense mustered just 10 points…
By Ryan Barry NEFJ Correspondent AMHERST – Located just 6.5 miles north of the campus of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst sits Mount Sugarloaf. With its sweeping views of the Pioneer Valley and open rock faced slopes to its south, one could say there’s enough room for a “Mount Rushmore” should anyone ever be interested in such a project. If the UMass Athletics department were up to task, no doubt…
Once again, we had 13 of the 17 local teams in action this weekend and what a weekend it was. Blowouts, crazy finishes and statement games. As always, check out game stories from some of the action over the weekend on the site. Here’s a recap of all the other stuff you might have missed: Rhode Island 31, Stony Brook 17 The No. 8 nationally-ranked Rams moved to 2-0 overall…
Image courtesy of BC Athletics Boston College had a chance to make a statement in prime time on Saturday night when the Eagles took on Michigan State on the road. BC did make a statement, going toe-to-toe with a good Big 10 opponent, putting up 40 points on offense. Unfortunately, the Eagles gave up two more points, losing 42-40 in a wild double overtime shootout. There’s reasons to be encouraged…
If you tune in to 98.5 The Sports Hub on Sunday for the Patriots’ season opener against the Raiders, you’ll hear familiar voices. Bob Socci and Scott Zolak have become fan favorites and a part of New Englander’s Sunday routine. The duo has enhanced some of the biggest moments in franchise history with grace and some flare, inscribing themselves in history forever with memorable calls. But, there’s been a third…
Image courtesy of the New England Patriots By Sophia Sargent NEFJ Contributor FOXBOROUGH – Coming into the Patriots’ season, change is the theme, not only with the coaching staff, but across the roster as well. With New England set to open the year at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, the big question is how this new team will perform with so many new faces? One notable storyline that will thrust one…
By Allen Lessels NEFJ Correspondent Durham, N.H. – University of New Hampshire coach Rick Santos called on Nick Reed, a sophomore transfer out of the University of Buffalo, multiple times Saturday night in Wildcat Stadium and he delivered. Again and again. And again and again. Reed boomed four field goals, including a 40-yarder as time ran out in the game, to lift the Wildcats to a 19-16 win over Holy…
By Charlie Adams NEFJ Correspondent NORTH KINGSTOWN – Back-to-back State Champion Bishop Hendricken got off on the right foot on Saturday on the road to the three-peat. Reigning Division-I champion North Kingstown was no slouch, but the Hawks played their brand of football with some new faces leading the way to a 12-3 win. “You never know what you’re going to get [at the start of the season],” Hendricken coach…
By Ryan Barry NEFJ Correspondent AMHERST – A tornado warning, torrential rain, and a two hour delay couldn’t stop the Bryant Bulldogs from upsetting UMass 27-26 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday evening. Trailing 26-24 with 1:45 left in the game, sophomore quarterback Brennan Myer (22-for-44, 318 yds, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) led the Bulldogs deep into UMass territory. Executing perfect clock management, Bryant worked the game down to just…