By Craig Boland NEFJ Staff On Sunday, December 8, at 12:30 PM, 24 teams across six divisions will play across the state to determine the state championship matchups to be played the following weekend at Rentschler Field (UConn) or Arute Stadium (CCSU). Below are previews for the state’s two small school divisions. Class SS (332-418 boys) Waterford (9-2) at Killingly (11-0) Killingly won their quarterfinal game 75-14. They have also…
CIAC playoff preview – Class M & Class MM
By Craig Boland NEFJ Staff On Sunday, December 8, at 12:30 PM, 24 teams across six divisions will play across the state to determine the state championship matchups to be played the following weekend at Rentschler Field (UConn) or Arute Stadium (CCSU). Below are previews for the state’s two medium-sized divisions. Class MM (507-604 boys): Newington (10-1) at Windsor (11-0), Windsor High School Newington rolls into the semifinals after a…
CIAC playoff preview – Class L & Class LL
By Craig Boland NEFJ Staff On Sunday, December 8, at 12:30 PM, 24 teams across six divisions will play across the state to determine the state championship matchups to be played the following weekend at Rentschler Field (UConn) or Arute Stadium (CCSU). Below are previews for the two large school divisions in the state. Class LL (765+ boys): West Haven (9-2) at Fairfield Prep (10-1), Rafferty Stadium This will be…
MIAA Division 3 Super Bowl: (4) North Attleborough 35, (3) Mansfield 0 – Red Rocketeers win first title since 2002
By Tyler Amaral NEFJ Staff FOXBOROUGH – Fourth-seeded North Attleborough completed a dominant run through the Division 3 playoffs with a 35-0 rout of Hockomock league rival Mansfield on Friday night to claim the program’s first Super Bowl title since 2002. North Attleborough was the more physical team throughout the night, dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Red Rocketeers outgained Mansfield 317-155 in total…
MIAA Division 5 Super Bowl: (1) Shawsheen Valley 14, (3) Foxboro 0 – Rams finish perfect & win first title since 2010
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,……