National Recruit Lewis Cine leaves Everett Football for Texas; Talks former Coach John DiBiaso & College Decision

Lewis Cine, the most highly regarded Massachusetts recruit in the Class of 2019, led a dominant Everett defense last season, but will move to Texas to finish out his high school career.    Photo by Joe Parello.

By Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

Everett High School has become synonymous with excellence as far as Massachusetts high school football is concerned.

The Crimson Tide have won the last two MIAA Division 1 state championships, and have been one of the state's premier programs for the last quarter century, capturing 11 Super Bowl titles and over 250 wins under coach John DiBiaso the past 26 seasons.

However, after DiBiaso announced his retirement, then his decision to take the head coaching position at Catholic Memorial, many questions surround the program going into the 2018 season.

Now, one player the Tide were undoubtedly counting on to help bridge the gap in the coming year has decided to take his talents south to the Lone Star State, as four-star defensive back Lewis Cine made his intentions to transfer known this past weekend.

Unsigned Hype: Massachusetts Football Recruits Still Looking for a Home

SuiteSports All-State receiver Cole Drugotch from St. John's (Shrewsbury) is still looking for a place to play college ball

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

National Signing Day has come and gone, but that doesn't mean football recruiting is done for the Class of 2018. Even with the new early signing period that took place in December, last week's National Signing Day is just the beginning for many of the state's top players, who are still looking to take their games to the next level.

There are literally dozens of Massachusetts football prospects still available, but here are some of the best ones still looking for a college team.

Your 2018 Massachusetts Football Recruiting Database

Compiled by Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

It's National Signing Day, and that means high school athletes across the country will be making their intentions to play in college official today.

Yes, we already had an early signing period for football, which saw many of the Commonwealth's best players sign their National Letters of Intent to play college ball, but we're still posting all college commitments here, today.

So, whether your favorite player is going D1, D2 or D3, or if they signed in December, or just faxed that NLI in today, look for them below. And heck, if we don't have them listed, let me know by Tweeting me at @HerewegoJoe, or via email at jparello86@gmail.com. I'll be updating the list throughout the day.

Also note that, for Massachusetts natives who played at out of state prep schools, you can find them under their most recent school, with their home town or former team in parentheses.

Massachusetts Football Stars Ink National Letters of Intent During New Early Signing Day

Bridgewater-Raynham's Bryce Shaw signing with Navy Wednesday.  Photo from @BR_Athletics_MA

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

The first week in February has become synonymous with college football signings, as the traditional National Signing Day was when high school athletes could finally officially commit to where they will spend their next four years.

Today, December 20th, however, gave athletes the first “early” opportunity to solidify what has been, for a long period of time now, a simple verbal guarantee.

Across Massachusetts a number of the most notable high school recruits today signed their National Letters of Intent, officially fulfilling their obligation.

The Next Big Thing: Millis' Kevin Pyne Could be Massachusetts' Biggest Football Recruit in a Generation

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

MILLIS - Since the dawn of the "recruiting website" era in college football, Massachusetts has seen its fair share of highly-regarded prospects. Catholic Memorial teammates Armani Reeves and Camren Williams in 2012 come to mind, as do Everett's John Montelus and Xaverian's Maurice Hurst in 2013.

There are numerous others but, dating back to when Rivals.com took recruiting coverage from a niche to national news in the early 2000s, the Commonwealth has never produced a 5-star prospect. None. Not one, according to any of the major ranking services.

That could soon change, however, thanks to Millis offensive tackle Kevin Pyne. The 6-foot-8, 275 lb. sophomore is currently rated as the No. 2 prospect in the entire country for the class of 2020. That is according to 247 Sports' composite ranking, which also lists Pyne as a 5-star recruit.

Whether you're favorite team is a power program in the Sunshine State, a Big Ten Blue Blood, a glitzy California mainstay, or anyone in between, chances are they have, or will, offer this small-town phenom.

Heck, the coaches over in Chestnut Hill would probably give anything to see Pyne in a Boston College uniform.

Get in line.

Massachusetts National Signing Day Central 2017

Grafton's Ifeatu Melifonwu, joined by his mother and teammates shortly after signing his National Letter of Intent to play at Syracuse.

Miss any of our National Signing Day coverage? No worries, we've got you covered with links to our recruiting database and all of our NSD stories, along with links to some fantastic recruiting coverage by Inside the Huddle Massachusetts.

Onward!

2017 Massachusetts Football Recruiting Database

It should be a very busy National Signing Day for Dartmouth OL commit Jake Guidone and the rest of his Xaverian teammates.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

SuiteSports is proud to unveil its 2017 Massachusetts Football Recruiting Database, and we aim to cover every player in the Commonwealth who is going on to play college football at every level.

As you might imagine, that's quite a task, which is why our list will be constantly updated, even beyond National Signing Day on Wednesday, to reflect any new commitments brought to our attention, or any changes of heart.

As always, if we missed anybody, got anything wrong, or don't have the most up to date info on a recruit, Tweet me, or shoot me an email to jparello86@gmail.com.

Here we go!

Ryan Reagan Not Done at Duxbury, But Prepared for Harvard

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

A terrific athletic year for Duxbury wide receiver Ryan Reagan just keeps on getting better.

On Wednesday with his family and head coach Dave Maimaron in attendance, Reagan officially committed to continue his football career at Harvard University.

It has been quite the past couple months for Reagan, who back in December helped propel the Dragons to the Division 2 state championship, catching eight passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns at Gillette Stadium. Most recently, while a member of the Duxbury varsity basketball team, Reagan scored 30 points and grabbed 24 rebounds to spearhead a 73-64 upset of Brighton.

Reagan, who announced a verbal commitment to play for the Crimson Tide in October, said Harvard made a big impression on him from the get-go.

Cole McCubrey Fulfills D1 Dream, Signs With UMass

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Winter weather tore through Central Massachusetts Tuesday night, canceling and postponing a number of sporting events across the Heart of the Commonwealth, but there was a silver lining.

Thanks to the West Boylston at Tahanto basketball game getting pushed back to Wednesday, Cole McCubrey, the star of the West Boylston/Tahanto co-op football team, was able to celebrate his commitment to play football at UMass in front of students from both schools he's represented the last four years.

Everett's Football Stars Sign Letters of Intent on National Signing Day

From Left: Jordan McAfee (UConn), Duval Paul (Georgetown), Theo Zidor (Central Connecticut) and Carlins Platel (Assumption) prepare to sign Letters of Intent to their respective colleges

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

EVERETT, Mass. – Sitting behind the MIAA Division 1 State Championship that they fought so hard to earn this past fall, four of Everett’s most distinguished scholar-athletes signed official letters of intent to their respective colleges on National Signing Day.

Quarterback Jordan McAfee (University of Connecticut), defensive lineman Duval Paul (Georgetown), wide receiver Theo Zidor (Central Connecticut) and cornerback Carlins Platel (Assumption College) beamed as they fulfilled their lifelong dreams by accepting offers to play football at the collegiate level.

Still a Blue Devil: Leominster's Noah Gray Signs With Duke

Leominster's Noah Gray surrounded by family, coaches and educators.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

At a ceremony in the Leominster High School library, Noah Gray celebrated making his long-standing commitment to Duke University official. The Gray family sent in Noah's National Letter of Intent earlier Wednesday morning, but the emotions were still flowing when Noah addressed the Leominster community around noon.

"My parents have been an inspiration to me, I look up to them every single day," Gray said, while choking up a bit. "I'm grateful for them, and my brother and my sister, they've been a blessing to me. I've just been blessed with amazing people around me."

Melifonwu Sticks With Syracuse, Despite Late Michigan Offer

With his mother at his side, Grafton star Ifeatu Melifonwu made it official, signing with Syracuse Wednesday.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Even late interest from one of football's most recognizable coaches, and an offer to play for one of the NCAA's most prestigious programs didn't sway Grafton's Ifeatu Melifonwu.

The star athlete, who helped lead Grafton to the MIAA Division 3 state championship game at Gillette Stadium in December, officially signed with Syracuse, the school he committed to last summer, during a ceremony in the school library Wednesday.

Melifonwu's destination was one of the state's biggest questions heading into National Signing Day, as Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh personally attended one of Melifonwu's basketball games earlier this month, and the Wolverines formally extended a scholarship offer last Friday, just as Melifonwu was leaving Ann Arbor for a final trip to Syracuse.

Xaverian’s A.J. Ryan Picks Yale After Last-Minute Campus Visit

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

A decision that had been weighing on A.J. Ryan’s shoulders for weeks came down to a matter of minutes but, when it was all said and done, Ryan committed to the school that was always at the top of his list.

On Tuesday afternoon Ryan announced his commitment to Yale University after choosing between the Bulldogs, Princeton, and Colgate.

For months Ryan, who was named the Suite Sports Defensive Player of the Year following the 2016 season, was committed to Brown University, but de-committed and reopened his recruitment in the fall.

Discussions with Navy, Colgate, Yale, and Princeton occurred for weeks, and finally this last weekend the two-time state champion visited Colgate and came away impressed.

Blog: It's Time for the MIAA (Not Holy Name) to Let Kevin Mensah Play

Photo courtesy of ESPN Boston

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

If you follow football in Central Mass at all, you know that All-State running back Kevin Mensah is in a bit of a bind.

After deciding to return to Massachusetts, after briefly trying out Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, Mensah opted to school choice into Shepherd Hill in Dudley, rather than return to Holy Name, the private school in Worcester where he had rushed for over 2,500 yards the last two seasons.

That's when things got complicated.

You see, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) has rules about these sorts of things, and by MIAA rules, any student that transfers from one MIAA member school to another cannot participate in the sports they played at the previous school for at least a year.

For Mensah, a senior, that would mean his high school football career would be over. But, luckily, the MIAA allows players to avoid this one-year suspension, if they can get their previous school (in this case, Holy Name) to sign a transfer waver.

And that's where we're stuck because, heading into Week 2 of the season, Holy Name has still not signed that transfer waver, making Mensah ineligible, and prompting Shepherd Hill coach Chris Lindstrom to refrain from coaching on game nights, in solidarity with his new running back.

On the outside, Holy Name looks like it is displaying some grotesquely sour grapes. After all, Mensah did plenty for the Nap program while he was there, helping them come within a single play of a Division 4 Central championship last season. Furthermore, plenty of these transfer wavers go through every year in the state of Massachusetts (and pretty much every other state), and it is usually a formality for the former school to give its blessing, and allow the player to move on and play elsewhere.

But not so fast, because Holy Name's hands are kind of tied here.

Recruiting Update: Star Athlete Kevin Mensah Back in Central Mass

Holy Name running back Kevin Mensah looks for room against Grafton's defense in last season's D4 Central championship.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Ed. Note- Since the writing of this piece, Mensah has transferred to Shepherd Hill. You can find the complete story of his transfer over at ESPN Boston.

Central Mass already has four Division 1 football commitments in this year's senior class, and it will likely be getting one more as star running back and defensive back Kevin Mensah has decided to return to Holy Name for his final year of high school football.

Though it looked like the star back, who gained over 1,500 yards on the ground last year, would transfer to Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, the Naps will get back the centerpiece of their offense for another season.

That's very good news for first-year head coach Jim Romeo, who will have the services of a runner that averaged over 10 yards per carry and helped the Naps shock Central Mass and reach the Division 4 Central title game.

While Mensah's return to Holy Name is highly anticipated by his teammates, college coaches and scout will be watching the Nap athlete with equal interest. After a scintillating junior campaign, Mensah took home our "Show Time" award for the most "must-see" player in Central Mass of 2015, and now he's hoping to catch the eye of some big-name college football programs.

From Leominster to Duke: Noah Gray Remains a Blue Devil

Leominster quarterback Noah Gray and coach Dave Palazzi talk strategy against Nashoba last season.

By Jason Siegel

Leominster starting quarterback Noah Gray will be taking his talents to Durham, North Carolina and Duke University in the fall of 2017.

The rising high school senior chose the Blue Devils over offers from Temple, Toledo, University of Delaware, University of New Hampshire, and Appalachian State.

VIDEO: Best Friends Ragan and Cassidy Sign Letters of Intent at St. John's (Shrewsbury)

Sean Ragan (left) signed with Boston College Wednesday, alongside best friend Tim Cassidy (right), who signed with Bentley University.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Long-time teammates and best friends Sean Ragan and Tim Cassidy each capped National Signing Day Wednesday by signing their National Letters of Intent together.

Ragan will head to Boston College, while Cassidy is off to Bentley University in Waltham. For a complete story of signing day at St. John's (Shrewsbury), head over to ESPN Boston, and check out video of the two signees below.

Massachusetts 2016 Football National Signing Day Database

Marshfield's Danny Dalton is already on campus at Penn State, but he's still one of the headliners of the 2016 Massachusetts football recruiting class.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

It's National Signing Day, and that means that all across the country high school players are making their college sports plans final.

Here in Massachusetts, there are plenty of high school football players set to take their games to the next level. Here is our list of those players, by school, and as always, feel free to Tweet me @HerewegoJoe if I have left somebody out. Or, simply email me at jparello86@gmail.com if you're not a Tweeter.

Finally, I have to give a big shootout to all the coaches that helped me compile this list, and several players in Central Mass that were instrumental in making this list as comprehensive as it is. Ryan Morgera of Shrewsbury may have a career in recruiting coverage ahead of him, and Mike Curtin of Nashoba, along with Sean Ragan of St. John's (Shrewsbury) were also massively helpful.

Thanks guys!

Now, without further ado, here are your 2016 college football signees from the state of Massachusetts.

Two Central Mass Seans Prepare for Major College Football

Shepherd Hill's Sean McKeon (86) and St. John's (Shrewsbury)'s Sean Ragan (77) will each take their games to college football's highest level next season.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

On the eve of National Signing Day, a pair of Seans from the Heart of the Commonwealth each have plans to play college football at the major-conference level next season.

Sean McKeon, an athletic tight end and defensive end, has already begun his journey. The former Shepherd Hill star enrolled mid-year at the University of Michigan, and is currently getting settled academically and athletically in Ann Arbor.

"So far it's been a great experience," McKeon said of his time on campus so far. "It was a little rough getting used to my class schedule and workouts, but once I got settled in everything was fine. Class is a lot of work, but there is a lot of academic support here for me. The workouts are hard but, obviously, that's expected at one of the best football schools in the country."

Sean Ragan, a versatile and bruising offensive lineman, will officially end his recruitment tomorrow when he signs his National Letter of Intent to play football for Boston College.

Massachusetts Football Recruit Profile: Joe Gaziano

 By Mike Uva (@mike_uva)

Ed. Note- We continue our month-long look at the top football recruits in Massachusetts with a profile of Northwestern bound defensive end Joe Gaziano. Mike Uva takes a look at ESPN Boston's 2014 Mr. Football from Division 1 state champion Xaverian.
-Joe

Joe Gaziano

Defensive End
Xaverian Brothers High School
6'4'', 245 lbs.
College Choice: Northwestern
Senior Highlights