CMass National Signing Day Report

Leicester's Tom Rodrick officially signed with UConn today.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Football season officially ended Sunday night (sigh), but today thousands of kids made their dreams of playing college football a reality, sending in their National Letters of Intent to the programs they will represent on Saturdays over the next 3-5 seasons.

A few of those lucky dudes reside in Central Massachusetts, so here's a quick look at each CMass player set to play college football next season.

Also note that these are only the players that have sent in their paperwork and made it official. More players could be added as the day progresses, so check back later.

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: 10/21/13

Many are sleeping on the Rockets, but Auburn RB Mark Wright is one of the region's premier players.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

As I said last week, my wedding was this past weekend, so I obviously didn't get to make the CMass rounds. That being said, here are my final absentee Power Rankings, a Game of the Week and an updated Player of the Year Watch List for before I get back out onto the trail this weekend.

Leicester's Rodrick Still Committed to UConn

Leicester Fullback/Linebacker Tom Rodrick

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Shortly after his team's 15-6 victory over rival Auburn, Leicester fullback/linebacker Tom Rodrick took some time to talk about his commitment to Connecticut, in the wake of the program firing coach Paul Pasqualoni.

Rodrick, who rushed for a touchdown, recorded 11 tackles and blocked an extra point in the Wolverines' statement win, emphasized that he remains committed to the Huskies, but that he will be paying close attention to the UConn coaching search.

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/30/13

All State QB Andrew Smiley and the St. John's offense will have its hands full with Nashoba's defense this week.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The top two teams in Central Mass passed their tests with flying colors this past weekend, as Leominster outgunned Shepherd Hill and Doherty ran past Tantasqua. For the Blue Devils, it was just another day at the office against the Rams, but the Highlanders needed a big win to prove they belong among the region's elite.

They got that against a tough Tantasqua squad, and more, dominating all three phases of the game and solidifying their place as the favorite in Division 4.

For the rest of our Power Rankings and an update on the Player of the Year race, along with a preview of next week's Game of the Week, keep reading below.

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/23/13

Leominster's Jarell Addo delivered several big hits from his safety spot in the Blue Devils' win over Lowell.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

While Leominster and St. John's both made trips to test their mettle in Eastern Mass, plenty was being decided back in the heart of the Commonwealth. Nashoba kept its winning streak alive with an impressive performance, while Shepherd Hill, Tantasqua, St. Peter-Marian and Quabbin all made their case to be ranked among the best in CMass.

Oh yeah, and Hudson proved that it's no fluke. Check out the rankings, along with our Player of the Year watch list, and Game of the Week, below.

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/16/13

Leominster senior Neil O'Connor does it all for the Blue Devils, but is he the top player in CMass?

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

While a few teams across the region got started two weeks ago, high school football really kicked off in Central Mass this past weekend. Leominster defeated St. John's in the region's most anticipated game, and Hudson turned heads across the state, blasting 5-time defending Super Bowl champion Auburn 33-0, ending a 22-game Rocket winning streak.

Doherty and Nashoba held serve, but our preseason power rankings were certainly shaken up by action across Central Mass. Check out our Power Rankings, upcoming Game of the Week, and CMass Player of the Year Watch List below.

CMass HS Football Game of the Week Preview: St. John's at Leominster

St. John's senior QB Andrew Smiley (left) and Leominster senior QB/S Neil O'Connor (right).

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

This week's Central Mass Game of the Week is a bit of a no-brainer, as ESPN Boston has named Leominster's home date with St. John's its game of the week for the entire state.

So, while I'd love to go against the grain and give you all the details on Auburn visiting Hudson, I'm not going to over think this one. I mean, I did rank these two teams No. 1 and 2 in my first CMass Power Rankings, so not picking this game would be silly and a bit of a contradiction.

Anyway, neither of these teams have played a game yet, but each has challenged itself in the preseason, scrimmaging against some of the best teams in Central Mass and beyond. While this game represents a rematch of the last two Central Mass Division 1 Super Bowls, both teams still have questions to answer: Leominster in the trenches and St. John's throughout its defense.

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: St. John's Football 2013

Preseason All State safety Davon Jones is also a threat with the ball in his hands.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

St. John's coach John Andreoli learned a lot about his team during the Pioneers' annual scrimmage with state power Brockton.

While his banged up and inexperienced offensive line struggled early, leading to some poor decisions from ESPN Boston preseason All State quarterback Drew Smiley, he came away pleased with his team's resiliency and versatility on offense. Perhaps more importantly, the coach was happy with the performance of his defense, coming off a 2012 that saw the Pioneers allow nearly 30 points per game.

Check out the video below for a preview of the Pioneers, including an exciting transfer at running back, a potentially stout defensive front, and the all-around game of star junior Davone Jones. For more on St. John's, be sure to read my written preview of the Pioneers for ESPN Boston here.

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.

Full Highlights: Longmeadow's Championship Win

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

It's been over two months since Longmeadow took home the Massachusetts division 2 boys lacrosse championship.

The Lancers completed a perfect season in coach Ryan Liebel's first year at the helm, and defeated Eastern Mass power Medfield for the title at Worcester's Foley Stadium. If you want to see the highlights I put together for BostonLaxNet, along with an excellent game story from Bruce Lerch, you can find those here. But, for every goal, and some dope music if I do say so myself, you can check out the full highlights below.

Central Mass Finishes Strong in Final ESPN Boston Poll

There were plenty of goals to celebrate this season for St. John's

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

As I mentioned before, it was a banner year for Central Mass lacrosse, and my buds over at ESPN Boston took notice, ranking three CMass squads in their postseason Top-25.

CMass Lax All-Stars and Award Winners 2013

Jake Foster (left) and Mike Gallo (right) were integral parts of Westboro's outstanding midfield. Also, those Wounded Warrior fundraiser jerseys get my vote for uniforms of the year.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

A spectacular year of Central Mass high school lacrosse came to an end when St. John's fell to eventual D2 state champion Longmeadow in the state semifinals, but many players had seasons to remember.

Whether it was a multi-year starter finishing a fine career, or someone stepping into a new role and excelling, players across the region made their presences known to not only Central Mass, but the entire state.

Please keep in mind that, unfortunately, I only began covering games for ESPN Boston and BostoLaxNet midway through the season, so I didn't get to see every team and player. So, while I made every attempt to research the teams I didn't see, some deserving players may not be honored here. I apologize in advance.

Now, let's take a look at the CMass Lax Suite Stars and my award winners for 2013.

A Banner Year for Central Mass Lacrosse

St. John's and Grafton had two memorable matchups this year, with the Pioneers barely winning both. Here, Grafton All-American Tyler Reilly looks for room against St. John's star defenseman Aidan Fox.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

While Central Mass champion St. John's bowed out in the D2 state semifinals, the Pioneers and region as a whole accomplished a ton in 2013.

Early next week I will release my Central Mass All Stars, but first, here are some of the highlights from what was a memorable 2013 for the CMass lacrosse community.

Big Wins Out of Region

Postgame Blog: Longmeadow Captures D2 State Championship

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Here is your weekly reminder that this blog is only a few of my wandering thoughts from the game. If you would like a full recap, head to BostonLaxNet for a game story, highlights, and a sidebar on coach Ryan Liebel's perfect first season. That last story features video postgame interviews with Liebel, along with players Keegan Dudeck and Drew Kelleher.

Postgame Blog: Longmeadow Defeats St. John's in D2 Semifinal

The officials scolded Josh Freilich for this Superman pose, but I thought it was pretty awesome.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Here is your weekly reminder that this blog is only my wandering thoughts on the game. If you would like a full recap head to BostonLaxNet or ESPN Boston. The LaxNet story also includes video.

Anyways, here we go.

D2 Lax Semifinal Preview: St. John's vs Longmeadow

St. John's junior middie Kevin Butler recorded a hat trick the first time the Pioneers faced Longmeadow.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

If Central Mass is to send a team to the state finals for a third straight year, St. John's will need to avenge a previous loss and hand Longmeadow its first loss of what has been a spectacular 2013 season for the Lancers.

Last Time Out

Central Mass Lax Championship Preview

St. John's senior captain Aidan Fox has been one of the best defensemen in the region this year.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The top two seeds in the region remain alive in their hunt for a CMass title and beyond.

Saturday's game at Foley Stadium will feature the Pioneers of St. John's and the Indians of Grafton, two teams with a combined three All-Americans and many other players at the top of their positions in the region. The Pioneers won the only meeting between the two squads, an 11-8 home victory in late May.

The game is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm, but storms entering the area may force a delay or rescheduling. Either way, here is what to watch for when these two teams meet up again.

Postgame Blog: St. John's and Grafton Advance to CMass Final

Grafton celebrates a return trip to the CMass title game.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Here is yet another reminder that this blog is simply my wandering thought on the CMass semifinals. If you would like a full recap of both games and highlights, head to BostonLax.Net. If you would like more on Grafton's 7-3 win over Shrewsbury, head to ESPN Boston.

The Big Five

After his team's win over rival Algonquin, St. John's coach Terry Leary spoke of the depth of competition in Central Mass. When asked if he felt his team had to play two CMass finals in a row, since they had to face fellow "Big Three" members Algonquin and Grafton back-to-back, Leary pointed out that Central Mass is more than that.

CMass Lax Semifinal Preview

Shrewsbury's top-ranked defense will have its hands full with Grafton's top-ranked offense.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

After beginning the postseason with 17 teams, only four squads remain in the Central Mass boys lacrosse tournament.

Two teams from Shrewsbury are still alive, as top seeded St. John's looks to win its first Central Mass crown since 2010, while Shrewsbury is looking for its first CMass title ever.

Also looking to take home its first title is Grafton, led by its pair of high-scoring senior All-Americans. Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Algonquin isn't ready to relinquish the region quite yet. The T-Hawks lead all teams with five Central Mass titles, one more than the four St. John's has won.

Both semifinals will take place at Worcester's Foley Stadium Tuesday, and here is what to watch for.