Grafton Blows Out Auburn for Top Seed in D3 Central

By Connor Evans (@RonnocEvans)

GRAFTON, Mass. -Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, undefeated Grafton hosting fellow unbeaten Auburn looked, at least on paper, like a game that would go down to the wire. The paperwork lied though, and Grafton won 34-0 as Auburn came out flat.

Dominant Defense

Headlining this game was Grafton’s defense. Holy cow, they came to play.

Massachusetts Football Recruit Profile: Mark Wright

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Throughout January our SuitePreps section will be rolling out profiles on some of the top football recruits in Massachusetts, all leading up to National Signing Day on February 4th. We continue our rundown today with one of the state's most prolific running backs ever, Auburn's Mark Wright.


Mark Wright

Auburn High School
Running Back
5'8'', 170 lbs.
College Choice: Undecided (Leaning toward a Post Grad year at Maine's Bridgton Academy. Hearing from UMass, New Hampshire, Sacred Heart, Marist & Wagner)
Senior Highlights

Central Mass HS Football Preview: Week 7

Doherty has dominated Inter-High in recent years, but will face a talented and motivated North squad Friday night.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We've already looked back on Week 6 of Central Mass high school football in my latest Power Rankings, so let's move right onto previewing this weekend's games.

Central Mass HS Football Preview: Week 4

Auburn quarterback Steve Saucier may have to make some big throws for the Rockets to get past Northbridge Friday night.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We've already looked back on Week 3 of the CMass high school football season in my latest Power Rankings, so let's move onward with everything you need to know about this weekend's slate of games.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/22/14

It was a big week for Shepherd Hill quarterback Drew Jean-Guillaume, who led the Rams on the ground and received another Division 1 scholarship offer.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

With last week's No. 1 St. John's (Shrewsbury) dropping a tough one to an EMass power, and Northbridge continuing to put up video game numbers, could there be some shakeup in our Top-5?

Find out below.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/16/14

Davon Jones has made a name for himself hauling in passes for St. John's, both as a receiver and ball-hawking safety.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The first two weeks of Central Mass football have brought some shake up since our first Power Rankings.
North Middlesex scored a shocking upset over Doherty, St. John's proved it was the team to beat in Division 2 with a convincing victory over Leominster, and local stars like Davon Jones from St. John's, Chris Lindstrom from Shepherd Hill and Mark Wright from Auburn have all lived up to their preseason hype.

While much is sure to change with a ton of football left to be played, here are our latest Power Rankings heading into Week Three.

Central Mass HS Football Preview: Week 2

Auburn and star running back Mark Wright will be looking for payback against Hudson.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The high school football season in Central Massachusetts began for a handful of squads last week, but things really get going tonight and tomorrow for most of the teams around the region.

While I will be in Brockton tonight for ESPN Boston covering the Boxers' game against St. John's Prep, here are some things to watch out for in the Heart of the Commonwealth.

Central Mass HS Football Preview & Preseason Power Rankings

Doherty (white) is the reigning D4 state champion, but many are expecting Shepherd Hill (maroon) to contend for a state crown in 2014.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

High school football season is upon us, and Central Massachusetts boasts several teams with state championship aspirations. Check out our preseason Power Rankings, along with a division-by-division preview of what to expect from CMass football in 2014.

Power Rankings

1. St. John's
Last Season: 9-4, Division 2 State Runner-Up

The Pioneers will need to replace two-time All-State quarterback Drew Smiley, but with Boston College commit Davon Jones making plays at receiver and safety, plus the return of stars Sean Ragan (Jr, G) and Shane Combs (Sr, QB/RB), St. John's is once again a favorite to make it to Gillette Stadium.

To read more about the 2014 Pioneers, click here.

Central Mass Well Represented on ESPN Football Recruiting Rankings

St. John's S/WR Davon Jones turned heads around the Commonwealth with his performance in the 2013 MIAA playoffs.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

After a banner season in 2013 that saw the region go 4-2 against Western and Eastern Mass come playoff time, including two state title wins, Central Mass is once again demanding respect statewide.

Six players from the region have found their way onto ESPN's Scouts Inc. rankings for Massachusetts football recruiting, two more than last year's group headlined by current Boston College defensive back Isaac Yiadom.

So, let's take a look at each of the CMass players on the Scouts Inc. list, plus a few others that merit attention in 2014. (Click all photos to enlarge)

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: Season Preview

Auburn is expecting big things from junior RB Mark Wright (#24).

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The high school football season will begin this week for one Central Mass power, as Auburn will host Western Mass contender Chicopee Comprehensive Friday at 7 pm. The Rockets are faced with one of the largest rebuilding jobs in the state, as only ESPN Boston Preseason All State lineman Will Greelish returns as a starter from last season's Super Bowl squad.

Still, Auburn hasn't rebuilt under coach Jeff Cormier, it has reloaded. A running streak of five consecutive Super Bowl championships and a 41-game winning streak that stretched from 2008-2011 are evidence of that, but where will the Rockets rank among the Central Mass elite in 2013? We take a stab at that below.

CMass Video Preview: Auburn Football 2013

The Rockets will rebuild around ESPN Boston Pre-season all state lineman Will Greelish.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The first season in which the MIAA will crown football state champions may have come a year too late for Auburn.

Last season, the Rockets were one of the most dominant teams in the history of Central Mass, defeating opponents by over 20 points per game, rolling to yet another undefeated campaign and capturing a fifth straight Super Bowl win.

That team would have been a state title favorite.