FOXBOROUGH – Shawsheen Valley Tech and defending champion Foxborough played an instant classic for the Division 5 Super Bowl on Friday night, but not the kind you’d expect. This was not an offensive clinic, but rather a defensive slugfest that saw the teams combined for just 200 yards of total offense and 13 punts. In the end, the Rams held the Warriors to just 58 yards, did just enough on…
MIAA Division 8 Super Bowl: (2) West Boylston 22, (1) Randolph 16 — Lions roar to three-peat
By Mukala Kabongo NEFJ Staff FOXBOROUGH — West Boylston held off a late Randolph rally to escape with the 22-16 victory for their third straight state title. The number one and two teams in Division 8 put on quite the show for fans at Gillette Stadium. No.1 Randolph came into this game looking to win its second state title in the last four years, while No.2 West Boylston came to……
UMass officially introduces Harasymiak as another new era begins
Image courtesy of UMass Athletics By Andrew Guindon NEFJ Staff AMHERST – Recently hired University of Massachusetts Amherst football head coach Joe Harasymiak was officially introduced at a news conference Friday morning. One aspect of the football program was continuously visited throughout the press conference: the beginning of a new era for football in Amherst. UMass Athletics Director Ryan Bamford was adamant that the athletic department is “very serious” about…
Rhode Island-Mercer FCS playoff preview
After winning the program’s first postseason game since 1985 last Saturday, Rhode Island now has a chance to do something the Rams also haven’t done in 39 years Make it to the FCS quarterfinals. URI last played in the FCS quarters in ’85 against Furman and lost 59-19. Back then, you only needed to win one round to reach the quarters in a 12-team bracket. With a win over No….
Bill Belichick wants back in after interviewing at North Carolina of all places
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File) How many of you had Bill Belichick interviewing for the North Carolina opening? I know I didn’t see that coming and chances are, neither did you. Belichick interviewing for a college job makes zero sense considering that outside of being around the Navy Football program, he has no college experience. Sure, he has plenty of college connections but those relationships are built on evaluating players, not…
MIAA Division 2 Super Bowl: (1) Catholic Memorial 39, (2) King Philip 21 — Knights run past Warriors
FOXBOROUGH — Since coach John DiBiaso came to Catholic Memorial, the Knights have featured a level of depth at the skill positions that is simply unmatched. You want to stop running back Mekhi Dodd? Sure, but what about fellow back Lasean Sharp? If you can slow the running game, what can you do about quarterback Kise Flannery and his receivers? In Thursday night’s Division 2 state final against King Philip,……
MIAA Division 1 Super Bowl: (3) Xaverian 14, (4) Needham 7 – Hawks make it back-to-back D1 state titles
FOXBOROUGH – Following an ugly loss to BC High on October 18th, Xaverian had a soul-searching moment while sitting with a 3-3 record. From that point on, the Hawks have looked like the defending D1 champs and on Thursday night at frigid Gillette Stadium, Xaverian made it back-to-back Super Bowl titles with a 14-7 win over previously unbeaten Needham. The Hawks’ defense held the Rockets to 156 yards of total…
MIAA Division 4 Super Bowl: (2) Scituate 29, (1) Duxbury 13 — Sailors earn revenge
By Tyler Amaral NEFJ Staff FOXBOROUGH — Scituate waited 370 days to avenge last year’s 62-33 Super Bowl loss to Duxbury. The wait was well worth it as the second-seeded Sailors rolled to a 29-13 win over No. 1 Duxbury in the Division 4 title game to capture the program’s third state championship since 2018. The Dragons had no answer for Scituate’s passing attack led by junior quarterback Jonny Donovan……
MIAA Division 6 Super Bowl (1) Hudson 21, (3) Fairhaven 14 – Hawks hold on for perfect season & first state title in 33 years
By Jared Keene NEFJ Staff FOXBOROUGH – There’s no better way to finish off perfection than achieving the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl at the home of the Patriots. From the opening week, Hudson approached this season one game at a time. The Hawks always talked about being 1-0 each week, not 7-0, 8-0, 9-0, and so on. And they expected to make it to Gillette, not by…
MIAA Division 7 Super Bowl – (1) Uxbridge 42, (3) Mashpee 20 – Spartans win 2nd straight Super Bowl
By Tyler Amaral NEFJ Staff FOXBOROUGH – Third-seeded Mashpee was able to hang tough for 44-plus minutes, but top-seeded Uxbridge made two back-breaking plays in the final three and a half minutes to secure its 27th consecutive win and second straight Division 7 Super Bowl title, 42-20. Clinging to a 28-20 lead after a Mashpee score, Uxbridge junior Cam LaChapelle took off down the right sideline, evaded several would-be tacklers…