MIAA Football: SuiteSports Player of the Year Finalists

Everett's Mike Sainristil has been a leading contender for the award since the preseason.

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612), Featuring Joe Parello (@HereWeGoJoe)

Throughout the MIAA High School Football season, SuiteSports released its MIAA Football Player of the Year candidates, adding to the list on a weekly basis.

Midway through the regular season we began with five candidates, before eventually finishing during the week of the state semifinals with 14 total candidates.

Now, SuiteSports and its panel of writers, correspondents, and editors, is ready to release its five finalists for its 2018 MIAA Football Player of the Year Award. Back in 2016, Duxbury quarterback Bobby Maimaron took home the honor in helping to lead Duxbury to a Super Bowl. Then, last year, King Philip two-way star Shane Frommer earned the award after propelling King Philip to 25 consecutive victories and a second straight state championship.

Now, these five players are hoping to join Maimaron and Frommer among those who have won the award. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 5th along with our offensive, defensive, breakout, underclassmen, and coach of the year awards.

To hear more about how we will go about choosing the winner, tune in to our MIAA High School Football podcast from last night.

Here are the five finalists for the 2018 MIAA Football SuiteSports Player of the Year.

MIAA Football: An Updated Look At Our Player of the Year Candidates

St. John's wide receiver Jay Brunelle has become one of the top threats in Massachusetts in 2018.

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

As the weeks have gone on, SuiteSports' list of MIAA Football Player of the Year candidates has grown as players have entered their names into contention. 

Two seasons ago, Duxbury's Bobby Maimaron took home the honor, while last season King Philip's Shane Frommer won the award in a runaway.

We began with five candidates, but players have had the opportunity to add their name to the list on a weekly basis.

This week, we have added two more players bringing our total number of candidates to 11. One is arguably the top pure wide receiver in the state despite being only a junior in St. John's' Jay Brunelle. The second, meanwhile, is a standout defensive back in Springfield Central's Keshaun Dancy. 

We will release our final candidates for the award on the Monday of Super Bowl week.

Here is SuiteSports' updated list of MIAA Football Player of the Year Candidates as selected by our panel of writers, correspondents, and editors.

Schofield, St. John's Keep Repeat Hopes Alive with Thumping of Wachusett

By John McGuirk (@Patsfan1313)

Holden, Mass. _ Defense? What defense? That will be ongoing question hanging over the heads of the No. 2 Wachusett Mountaineers following Friday night's 51-26 loss at the hands of No. 3 St. John's Shrewsbury in the Division 3 Central Mass. Semifinal inside Hal Lane Field.

Prided all season long by its defense, it was nowhere to be found against the Pioneers in the most important game of the year. Wachusett surrendered 554 yards, including 425 in the first half, and turned the ball over four times. Those four turnovers led to three St. John's touchdowns as the Pioneers pulled away early and never looked back.

The defending Division 3 Super Bowl Champion Pioneers 6-3) now await the winner of Saturday night's other semifinal between No. 4 Shrewsbury and No. 1 Doherty.