In the end, the Friday night time lights are heating up. Yearly, hundreds of athletes across the commonwealth lace up their cleats, all with desires of taking part in at Gillette in December.
Final fall, chalk held true in Divisions 1 and a pair of, with Xaverian (9-4) and Catholic Memorial (12-1) persevering with their reigns of dominance with Tremendous Bowl titles. The Catholic Convention is a minefield, with titans comparable to BC Excessive and St. John’s Prep able to knock them off. However how may you guess towards both program?
MIAA realignment has rearranged the panorama. In 2024, North Attleboro (11-2) bulldozed its approach to a championship, solely to see juggernauts like King Philip and Marshfield be a part of them amongst its Div. 3 ranks months later. Might we see a shakeup come the autumn? You’d need to say it’s potential, if not possible.
As we enter the 2025 season within the Bay State, we’re proud to unveil our preseason Candy 16, persevering with a proud custom that longtime editor Danny Ventura began in 1993.
2025 PRESEASON SWEET 16
- Xaverian: When your group competes within the daunting Catholic Convention, or Div. 1 for that matter, there isn’t any such factor as a simple recreation. The Hawks have gained two consecutive state titles regardless of each and are your top-ranked crew getting into the 2025 marketing campaign.
- Catholic Memorial: It doesn’t matter which division the Knights play in – they might all the time be one of many favorites. Having gained three Div. 2 titles previously 4 seasons in dominant trend, you might make a case that John DiBiaso’s group has earned the highest spot total, even with the current lack of Mekhi Dodd.
- St. John’s Prep: Shedding 18 starters may doom most applications. The Eagles are minimize from a distinct material, with one of many state’s high recruits in sophomore Christian Vargas returning below heart.
- BC Excessive: Following a number of precarious years, former NFL guard Paul Zukauskas took over as coach of the Eagles in 2024, and instantly led them again to the Div. 1 semifinals. With a stacked roster, it might not be shocking to see an analogous end for the Catholic Convention heavyweight.
- King Philip: After the MIAA’s current realignment, the Warriors dropped to Div. 3 this previous summer season. This improvement got here regardless of the very fact the varsity had made journeys to the Div. 2 Tremendous Bowl each single 12 months since 2021 (successful one within the course of). Is it a fait accompli that the crew will win all of it this 12 months? Not essentially, however fairly darn shut.
- Needham: Changing current graduate Aidan Williams will likely be a serious problem. Nevertheless, the Rockets stay one of many high public faculties to look at this 12 months in a really robust Bay State Convention.
- Leominster: Presumably the highest college from the Central Massachusetts ranks, the Blue Devils are poised for achievement. That is partially because of the truth they’re bringing again highly-touted quarterback Osiris Lopez – who has already dedicated to Coastal Carolina for subsequent 12 months.
- Bishop Feehan: All the time a menace in Div. 2, the Shamrocks have excessive hopes. Owen Mordas is again at quarterback, main a program full of up-and-coming stars.
- Central Catholic: Since John Sexton took over this system in 2023, the Raiders have continued to search out new methods to compete in a loaded Div. 1 subject. Following a visit to the Spherical of 8 in 2024, it might not be shocking to see this group take issues a step additional this fall.
- Springfield Central: A perennial powerhouse from Western Massachusetts, the Golden Hawks look to proceed their current success. The college’s nonleague slate contains star-studded foes, together with St. John’s Prep, Mansfield and Xaverian. Invoice Watson’s crew continues to be anticipated to be a menace.
- North Attleboro: The Div. 3 Tremendous Bowl champion seemed nearly unbeatable as soon as the postseason started, outscoring opponents at a whopping 154-35 clip. This included a 35-0 shutout of Mansfield within the state championship. Corey Rufino and Frank Strachan stay as heavy-hitters for this system, however the street again to Gillette may very well be rocky.
- Marshfield: The Rams might need one of many hardest schedules in Massachusetts this 12 months, going through Methuen, St. John’s Prep, Bridgewater-Raynham and Mansfield to begin. It would simply be a long-term play for Chris Arouca’s squad forward of a aggressive Patriot League slate. Ought to they climate the storm, they may simply be one of many extra harmful groups come the playoffs.
- Wellesley: How do you substitute stars comparable to Lukas Prock and Jake Broggi (each of whom transferred to the Hun College in New Jersey)? You place your destiny within the arms of the opposite gamers who helped your group attain the Div. 1 semifinals. This 12 months, anticipate the athletic Bobby Shanahan to play an important position for the Raiders. Tenney Charney (446 yards receiving, seven touchdowns) and Matthew Leibman (546 yards, seven touchdowns receiving) will be a part of him.
- Scituate: It’s troublesome to construct upon an ideal season, particularly the one the Sailors simply skilled the place they averaged 37.92 factors per recreation. The college misplaced many key items, together with wideout Lawson Foley. Search for the crew to lean on Pomona-Pitzer commit Jonny Donovan with hopes of a repeat.
- Mansfield: Some thought the Hornets would take a step again in 2024. Not so quick. Even with a youthful group, they nonetheless made a powerful journey to Gillette for the Div. 3 Tremendous Bowl. With some seasoning, we will truly anticipate greater issues this upcoming fall.
- Duxbury: For nearly twenty years now, the Dragons have been a mannequin of consistency. The college has been to 4 consecutive Tremendous Bowls since 2021, successful two. Matt Landolfi’s squad has a number of new items, on the lookout for an analogous end.
On The Sideline: Shawsheen, Methuen, Winchester, Brockton, Franklin, Hudson, Uxbridge, West Boylston, Barnstable
