Photo credit — Scott Sulkazi By Robert Gullo NEFJ Correspondent NEW BRITAIN, CT — Two of the best teams in the state of Connecticut for high school football squared off Friday night as the No. 1 Windsor Warriors and No. 6 Masuk Panthers battled for the Class MM state championship. Tied 21-21 with seven seconds remaining in the game, Masuk junior kicker Jackson Zylick hit the game-winning field goal to……
CIAC Class MM and Class SS State Title Game Previews
Courtesy of the CIAC It is championship weekend in the state of Connecticut. Here are our Class MM and Class SS previews ahead of tonight’s games. Class MM Preview (1) Windsor Warriors (11-0) vs. (6) Masuk Panthers (9-3) Breakdown: Windsor has been a wagon all season long led by Bowling Green commit Cashmire Lewis. Lewis has been a force on both sides of the ball and powers an offense that……
Harasymiak adds first few coaches to new UMass staff
New UMass head coach Joe Harasymiak announced a trio of staff additions on Thursday in a statement released by the program. Joe Castellitto (Special Teams Coordinator), Tre Bell (Cornerbacks) and Kayon Whitaker (Defensive Analyst) are all joining this new era of Minuteman football. Castellitto spent the previous two seasons at Dartmouth under the late Buddy Teevens. Castelitto joined the Big Green as the special teams coordinator and nickels coach initially….
New England Transfer Portal Report for 12-13-24
With the transfer portal officially open now, several of the top division one players in New England have entered and are already receiving offers. Here is the latest update on where local players in the portal stand. 1.Rhode Island’s A.J Peña entered the portal on Tuesday and already has over 12 offers. 24/7 currently ranks Peña as a three-star portal recruit. Here are the schools that have already offered the…
BC players weigh-in on Belichick joining the ACC
Image courtesy of BC Athletics While BC and North Carolina don’t technically play against each other again until 2028, this is going to be fun. Bill Belichick is of course joining the ACC as the new head coach at North Carolina, meaning Bill O’Brien is now back in indirect competition with his former boss and mentor. The prospect of the two of them squaring off in the ACC title game…
UConn coach Jim Mora speaks about Bill Belichick, transfer portal
On Thursday, UConn coach Jim Mora participated in a Zoom call leading up to a December 27 Wasabi Fenway Bowl against North Carolina. Of course, UNC is the next destination for former Patriots coach Bill Belichick. During the Zoom call, most of the discussion was around both that, and the comings and goings of the transfer portal. When asked about Belichick, Mora was extremely complimentary of him. “I think it’s……
Bill Belichick to become next head coach at North Carolina
Courtesy of North Carolina Athletics A week ago we were scoffing at the prospects of Bill Belichick taking over at the University of North Carolina after a report surfaced that he interviewed with the school last week. Well, the joke is on us because tonight Bill Belichick came to terms on a five year deal to become the school’s head football coach. The The deal is valued at $50 million…
Final 2024 MIAA Top 25
A look at our final 2024 MIAA top 25 as we put a bow on the season. As is custom, we put a premium on team accomplishments. It is not simply the 25 teams for who would beat whom. That is the case In some of these placements, but not all. We like to get all eight division champions in. It was another great season, so let’s look back and remember……
Needham’s Kopcso named Patriots Coach of the Year
What does two straight wins on Thanksgiving in the country’s oldest public school rivalry and the program’s first Super Bowl appearance in 13 years get you? Just recognition from the New England Patriots as the high school Coach of the Year, no biggie. Andre Tippett – as he’s done for many years now each week – presented Kopcso with the award at Needham High School on Tuesday with a few…
Harasymiak can be the right guy but he will need time to turn the UMass program around
Courtesy of UMass Athletics UMass hired Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak as the school’s new head football coach last week. The hiring was universally applauded as the 38 year old Harasymiak has the perfect blend of local ties and experience on his resume. Harasymiak played at Springfield College and has coached locally at Maine Maritime and the University of Maine where he eventually became head coach in 2016. Harasymiak led……