2018 Mid-Mass Lacrosse League All-Stars

Senior goalie Dan Hollis is just one of many Hopedale stars selected to this season's Mid-Mass All-Star team.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The 2018 regular season is nearly in the books, and the Mid-Mass Lacrosse League has released its All-Star team following a banner year for the league.

League champion Grafton will look to get back to the Division 3 state championship game for a fourth consecutive year, and the Indians will be joined by fellow Mid-Mass squads Nipmuc, Hopedale and Tantasqua in the postseason.



If your league has released its All-Star team, feel free to pass that along to me at my Twitter handle above, or email it over to jparello86@gmail.com.

Continue below for the complete Mid-Mass All-Star team!

Postgame Blog: Grafton Wins Defensive Slugfest Against Northbridge

By Connor Evans (@RonnocEvans)

This week’s SuiteSports game of the week was a real nail-biter. The Indians and Rams battled down to the final play. In the end, Grafton would end up the victor of this 7-0 defensive contest.

Defense

Talk about a fun one. Many people love to see shootouts, but let me tell you, there’s something really special about seeing a game where teams have to work their butts off for points. After last year’s 40-point blowout in favor of Northbridge, a game ending 7-0 was a refreshing shift.

SuiteSports Game of the Week: Northbridge at Grafton

Northbridge capture a state title last year, and this year's young Ram squad is coming together nicely.

By Connor Evans (@RonnocEvans)

This week’s SuiteSports Game of the Week features unbeaten Grafton playing host to 3-1 Northbridge.

History

These teams know each other pretty well. It was just 4 years ago that Grafton topped the Rams in the Central Mass Super Bowl, before all the subsequent realignments, and switch to a state-wide playoff system.

Since then, Northbridge has had the Indians' number. Last time these teams met, the Indians would allow 40 points and fail to tally even once on the scoreboard themselves. A lot has changed since last season’s landslide however, and I expect to see a fun one come Friday.

Central Mass Football Week 1 Wrap: Action On and Off the Field

Doherty junior Mike Oppong is facing a one-game suspension after kneeling during the national anthem on Friday night.
UPDATE: The suspension has been overturned.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Ed. Note- Doherty's Mike Oppong has announced on Twitter that he is no longer suspended. We have left the full, original text of our blog post below.

I don't think I can remember a more eventful opening week, on and off the field, for Central Mass high school football.

Not only did we get thrilling shootouts, upsets and statement wins, the region also saw controversy emerge at a pair of schools over issues bigger than football.

Let's take a look back at the weekend that was.

Algonquin, Shrewsbury and Wachusett Shake Up D2 Central

We knew that Leominster, St. John's and Shepherd Hill would contend in D2 Central, but how deep would the division be?

Turns out, pretty darn deep.

With Algonquin gutting out a win over reigning Division 2 state champion Nashoba, Shrewsbury edging Shepherd Hill and Wachusett blowing out a good Tantasqua team, there isn't an easy win to be found in Central MA's largest division.

Postgame Blog: Luccini's Game-Winner Pushes Hopedale Past Northbridge

Hopedale's Noah Luccini (19) looks for room against Northbridge

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Fueled by a 3-0 fourth quarter run, Hopedale defeated league foe Northbridge 8-7 after attackman Noah Luccini fought through three Ram defenders to score the go-ahead goal with 1:20 to play.

The Blue Raiders (9-9) then won the ensuing face-off, and killed off the final 80 seconds with a combination of precise passing, and hard running around their offensive zone. The win puts Hopedale within a single victory of the first playoff berth in the program's three-year history, and pushes Northbridge (5-8) to the brink of elimination.

CMass Lax Scrimmage Report: Northbridge Hosts Groton-Dunstable

Groton-Dunstable running the break against Northbridge Wednesday.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Groton-Dunstable made the long trip south to Northbridge for a scrimmage Wednesday, and came away with a 5-4 victory over the Rams.

Northbridge actually started the day's scoring, however, as Chandler Brooks drove in for a quick goal just moments into the scrimmage. The Crusaders answered with a 3-0 run, before Brendan Morganelli answered for Northbridge.

G-D scored at the buzzer of the first half, and took a 4-2 lead into the brief intermission.

Central Mass HS Football All-Stars and Award Winners 2015

West Boylston's Cole McCubrey rushed for over 2,000 yards on offense and starred as a linebacker on defense for the Lions.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Better late than never, I always say. I've been out of the country for a few weeks, then we had the holidays, so this football All-Star team comes, unfortunately, just as Winter sports are getting going.

My apologies for that, but congratulations to all the kids that earned All-Star status, and one of our postseason awards.

Quarterback

1. Koby Schofer, Sr. Northbridge
2. Tim Cassidy, Sr. St. John's
3. Max White-Cohen, Jr. Uxbridge

Honorable Mention (HM): Noah Gray, Jr. Leominster; John Hogan, Sr. Quaboag

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: End of 2015

Senior running back/defensive back Jake Benjamin did a little bit of everything for Nashoba during the Chieftains' run to a Division 2 state championship.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

It was a wild season of high school football here in Central Massachusetts, as three CMass teams advanced to Gillette Stadium, with a pair of them taking home state titles.

It was a competitive year across all divisions in the region, and several programs re-emerged as powers on the state level.

We haven't done our Power Rankings since the regular season ended, so these final rankings will include the entire playoffs, and even give credit to non-playoff teams that took advantage of some big games in their consolation schedule.

Who's in and who's out? Find out below.

Northbridge and Nashoba Capture State Championships at Gillette

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

It was an unseasonably beautiful day (and night) at Gillette Stadium in Foxoboro Saturday, and a pair of Central Mass teams were able to achieve their ultimate goals on the Patriots' home turf.

In the day's early game, beginning at 9 am, the Northbridge Rams found redemption after back-to-back disappointing trips to Foxoboro, topping East Bridgewater in an instant classic to win the Division 5 state championship.

Then, after the sun went down, Nashoba physically dominated heavily favored Reading in the Division 2 title game. The Chieftains completed an undefeated season, and will no doubt be in line for some postseason accolades, while Northbridge's historic group of seniors got the poetic end it seemed they deserved.

Here is your reminder that this is not a complete recap of any of the games at Gillette Stadium. You should head to ESPN Boston High Schools for extensive coverage of all six games, including my highlights from Nashoba and Northbridge's historic victories.

Northbridge Looks to Finish the Job in D5 State Championship Game

Northbridge seniors Jake Wood (32) and Koby Schofer (12) will look to capture a state championship after coming up just short the past two seasons.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Ed. Note- This is the second article in our series previewing the Central Mass football teams playing for state championships and their opponents this Saturday. You can click here for our preview of Nashoba's battle with Reading in the D2 title game.

Northbridge's senior will have unfinished business this Saturday at Gillette Stadium.

For the last two seasons, this class of Rams, which will undoubtedly go down as one of the best in the storied program's history, has seen its season end with a thud on the turf in Foxboro.

In 2013, it was Bishop Fenwick and one-man wrecking crew Rufus Rushins who defeated the Rams 28-0. Then, last year, Abington smothered Northbridge's offense with a barrage of blitzes, besting the Rams 36-6.

After back-to-back disappointments in the Division 5 state championship, Northbridge and its accomplished senior class will look to cement a legacy against East Bridgewater Saturday.

Central Mass Super Bowl Wrap

St. Bernard's corner Cooper Bigelow flips West Boylston running back Cole McCubrey when the big man attempts to hurdle him Saturday in the Division 6 Central final.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Saturday was a fantastic day for high school football in Central Massachusetts, as four Super Bowl champs were crowned in Worcester and Leominster. Those four CMass champs will now move onto the state semifinals next week, and are each just one step away from Gillette Stadium.

But it wasn't just about the winners, as several teams and players acquitted themselves very well in defeat.

Let's take a look back at the weekend that was.

Central Mass HS Football Week in Review: Playoff Surprises

St. John's quarterback Tim Cassidy celebrates one of his three touchdown runs against Leominster Friday.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Ed. Note- Since we won't be updating our Power Rankings until after the state championship games on December 5th, we will instead bring you a weekly review of Central Mass high school football.

The first weekend of the Central Mass high school football playoffs has come and gone, and we were treated to some shocking upsets, thrilling finishes, and break-out stars across the region.

Throw your expectations out the window, because top seeds and lower seeds went 4-4 against each other in the eight playoff games, including upsets in both Division 4 semifinals.

These past few days also brought us some intriguing non-playoff match ups that pitted up-and-coming programs against established powers, with bragging rights and momentum on the line.

Let's take a quick look back at the weekend that was.

Your 2015 Central Mass HS Football Playoff Preview

Leominster QB Noah Gray (19) and Nashoba OL/DL Mike Curtin will be two players to watch in the Division 2 playoffs.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We've already given you our final Central Mass Power Rankings of the regular season, so today we'll take a look at all four playoff divisions in Central Mass.

With 16 CMass teams still alive in the hunt for a state championship, here's what to watch for these next few weeks.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 9

Koby Schofer and Northbridge wrapped up a regular season for the ages, and head into the playoffs as the D5 Central favorite.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The regular season is over, so we bring you our final Central Mass Power Rankings until after the state championships. Be on the lookout for our playoff preview in the next couple days, but for now check out where the best teams in CMass stand at the end of regular season play.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 8

Leominster quarterback Noah Gray and coach Dave Palazzi will lead the Blue Devils against rival St. John's (Shrewsbury) Friday.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

There's only one week left in the regular season here in the Heart of the Commonwealth, and much is still to be decided. With playoff spots up for grabs in Divisions 2, 4, 5 and 6, this final week could bring some drama.

Check out our Week 8 Power Rankings below, followed by games to watch this week for teams on the playoff bubble.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 7

Nashoba's offensive line powered the Chieftains to an upset win in Leominster Friday.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

There was some shakeup in our Power Rankings as a pair of Top-3 teams faced off last Friday, and two "small school" powers continue to win in dominant fashion. Also, for the first time all year, we have a new No. 1, so check out the complete rankings below.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 6

St. John's senior quarterback Tim Cassidy has been a threat with his arm and his legs this year.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We're entering the home stretch of the regular season, as contenders are emerging, and some teams are beginning to fall by the wayside. With huge matchups looming, check out our latest Power Rankings below.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 5

Senior quarterback Robby Atwood and the Nashoba Chieftains have re-asserted themselves as one of Central MA's top teams.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Another week, and another slate of fantastic games in Central Massachusetts. While some teams were winning overtime games against out-of-state foes, others were flexing their muscles against teams within their own leagues and divisions.

Check out our complete Power Rankings below.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 4

Northbridge seniors Jake Wood (32) and Koby Schofer (12) look primed for a return to Gillette Stadium this year.

 By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

There may not have been much movement at the top, as our Top-3 ranked teams each took care of business in impressive fashion, but the middle of our Power Rankings were thrown for a loop by a pair of surprising results in the Mid-Wach.

Check out our latest rankings below.

Central Mass HS Football Power Rankings: Week 3

Doherty RB/DL Tavian Vassar packs a punch for the Highlanders.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Teams around Central Mass had little time to catch their breath in the season's second week, as league play started across the Mid-Wach and SWCL, including a showdown between regional powers Leominster and Shepherd Hill.

One Mid-Wach squad shot itself way up in our rankings, while another has fallen out completely. See our complete Top-10 below.