The pathway to Gillette is unforgettable for individuals who can navigate it. Nonetheless, it’s typically affected by bruising obstacles.
Few know this truth higher than Al Fornaro and his employees at Xaverian, as they’ve captured two consecutive Div. 1 Tremendous Bowl crowns in unbelievable style. The most recent title for this system got here simply final December, when the Hawks defeated Needham in a 14-7 rock combat to assert {hardware}.
Right here we stand at present, and Xaverian seems poised for a three-peat, with a lot of its roster slated to return this September.
“Yearly is completely different,” Fornaro stated. “I do know folks suppose that’s ‘coach communicate’, however we’re not the NFL. I can’t exit and draft guys or choose folks up off the waiver wire. I do know now we have expertise, and expertise is a extremely good factor too. It’s good to have good gamers, however I feel if something was confirmed, it was that in our new playoff system, even a workforce with some losses can get into the event, and as Invoice Parcells used to say – then go. We have been in a position to try this, however that’s the previous.”
Xaverian misplaced operating again and linebacker Vincent Busa to commencement, however the Hawks welcome again most of their different expert place stars. The record contains junior quarterback Will Wooden, in addition to senior wideouts Dave Chiavegato and Christian McIntyre. Senior operating again Bryce Todd can be anticipated to tackle an expanded function.
Is it a fait accompli that Xaverian will roll to a different title? Hardly. Particularly taking part in within the vaunted Catholic Convention. Their largest problem will probably come within the type of their bitter rival from the North Shore, St. John’s Prep. The Eagles noticed loads of turnover on the sector this offseason, parting methods with a whopping 18 starters.
Will there be a precipitous dropoff for Brian St. Pierre’s group? Unlikely. Particularly when you’ve gotten among the best gamers within the state beneath heart. Sophomore Christian Vargas might be again on the Danvers-based college and has already garnered worthy consideration as one of many top-ranked quarterback recruits within the nation for his class. It’s very simple to see St. John’s Prep returning to prominence together with his management.
May we witness one of many different Div. 1 Catholic Convention groups rise? It is going to be attention-grabbing to observe how St. John’s (Shrewsbury) responds to new head coach Gary Senecal, who joins this system after a stint at St. Paul’s. BC Excessive will at all times be a faculty to observe as effectively. In his first season on the helm, former NFL guard-turned Eagles coach Paul Zukauskas guided the varsity to one in all its finest campaigns in just a few years, that includes a journey to the state semifinals. Broad receiver and defensive again Adam Ayyub might be one of many workforce’s prime threats, and senior linemen Sam Bushley, Kyle Hotarek and Matt Valentine will star as captains. Junior Liam Polis steps in for former standout Carter Carroll at quarterback.
Will we see one of many publics, equivalent to Needham, go on one other miraculous run? The Rockets might be trying to exchange Aidan Williams, a dynamic linebacker and operating again who lately took his skills to Lehigh College. Some key names returning embrace star lineman James Alperstein and huge receiver Caden McNamee.
Leominster has shortly emerged as a stylish choose to make noise with Coastal Carolina commit Osiris Lopez at quarterback. Out west, Springfield Central stays the workforce to beat. Different colleges that can start the season on the Div. 1 radar embrace Andover, Central Catholic, Methuen, Brockton and Franklin.
In the event you have been to put Catholic Memorial in any divisional subject, chances are high the varsity would compete for a Tremendous Bowl title. For the reason that introduction of the statewide format, the Knights have captured three Div. 2 state championships in 4 seasons, trying nearly unbeatable in doing so. This 12 months, the panorama has been altered of their favor as their prime nemesis, King Philip, lately dropped to Div. 3 as a part of the MIAA’s newest realignment.
In the meantime, Catholic Memorial has both received or tied for the Catholic Convention title six straight occasions.
The Knights misplaced star operating again Mekhi Dodd (now at Boston School) and a number of offensive linemen to commencement. Nonetheless, they returned many key items offensively, with Harvard commit Kise Flannery operating level at quarterback. He could have weapons to work with, as Seamus Henry, a Brown commit, stays at tight finish. In the meantime, Boston School commit Jackson Tucker will serve a twin function at wideout whereas locking issues down at security. Marc Antunes Jr., additionally a Boston School commit, stays one of many prime offensive linemen within the state.
Catholic Memorial coach John DiBiaso is strongly assured in his squad’s defensive prowess, with one other Boston School commit in Mac Fitzgerald controlling issues throughout the road at a number of spots, and some extra rising stars coming again to the fold.
“They labored extraordinarily exhausting within the offseason to once more compete within the Catholic Convention, and to win the Catholic Convention,” DiBiaso stated. “Sufficient items are again, the place if the younger youngsters come by, they’ll fill in for among the gaps. The large factor is changing Mekhi Dodd. We’ve obtained 4 operating backs, all working exhausting to step in and exchange him and (Lasean) ‘TD’ Sharp. We had two nice backs final 12 months, and that’s in all probability going to be an important issue.”
Along with King Philip, Marshfield additionally dropped from the Div. 2 ranks to Div. 3, opening the door for just a few new contenders. One that ought to soar off the web page is Bishop Feehan, propelled by Catholic Central League All-Star quarterback and Bates commit Owen Mordas (1,333 passing yards, 520 dashing yards, 17 complete touchdowns in 2024), in addition to lineman Kane Mankins (son of former New England Patriots star Logan Mankins), who amassed 75 tackles (12 for a loss) and eight sacks final fall.
Another groups to maintain a eager eye on to start out embrace Billerica, Wellesley, Winchester and Bridgewater-Raynham.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
James Alperstein (Needham), Marc Antunes Jr. (Catholic Memorial), Adam Ayyub (BC Excessive), Sam Bushley (BC Excessive), Tenney Charney (Wellesley), Dave Chiavegato (Xaverian), Kyle Coffin (Barnstable), Jayson Dyer (Barnstable), Orion Fernandes (Catholic Memorial), Mac Fitzgerald (Catholic Memorial), Kise Flannery (Catholic Memorial), Caleb Garrity (Catholic Memorial), Brayden Goodwin (Bishop Feehan), Matt Halloran (BC Excessive), Seamus Henry (Catholic Memorial), Brandon Hollingsworth (Wellesley), Kyle Hotarek (BC Excessive), Jaiden Johnson (Catholic Memorial), Liam Lee (BC Excessive), Matthew Leibman (Wellesley), Osiris Lopez (Leominster), Kane Mankins (Bishop Feehan), Christian McIntyre (Xaverian), Caden McNamee (Needham), Jarred Mighty (Brockton), Momo Mills (Bishop Feehan), Owen Mordas (Bishop Feehan), Liam Polis (BC Excessive), David Ramsdell (Catholic Memorial), Marcio Semedo (Brockton), Bobby Shanahan (Wellesley), Isaiah Simmons (Catholic Memorial), Bryce Todd (Xaverian), Jackson Tucker (Catholic Memorial), Matt Valentine (BC Excessive), Christian Vargas (St. John’s Prep), Lasford Wilson (Barnstable), Will Wooden (Xaverian)
