WATERTOWN – There’s still two weeks left in the regular season and bowl games to come, but St. Sebastian’s and Buckingham Browne & Nichols probably played the game of the year in the ISL on Friday night. With either solo or a share of first place on the line, it appeared as if the Knights were going to get a comfortable home win up 28-13 with 4:30 remaining. Even when……
Danvers 17, Peabody 14 – Falcons defense holds on against Tanners
By Mukala Kabongo NEFJ Correspondent PEABODY – Danvers captured its first Northeastern Conference title, leaning on an impressive defensive and special teams performance during a 17-14 victory over Peabody. The Falcons (7-0), as they have all season, used their defense to contain a high-powered Tanners (6-2) offense. The clinching moment came when senior Nick Xerras recorded a sack on Dominik Mercier, which forced 3rd-&-long; the Falcons defense then forced a…
Melrose 30, Stoneham 0 – Red Hawks leave no doubt against Spartans
By Mike Sidhly NEFJ Correspondent STONEHAM – There was one key theme in Melrose’ win on Friday night: Special teams. The Red Hawks (6-2) recorded 18 special teams points in their regular season finale, defeating Stoneham 30-0 on the road. Junior returner Parker Siebel shined, finishing the game with two touchdowns, a kick return and a punt return. He was aided in his efforts by junior kicker Zachary Zaino, who…
Cranston East 34, East Greenwich 7 – Thunderbolts hammer Avengers to clinch top postseason spot
By Charlie Adams NEFJ Correspondent EAST GREENWICH – Armand Reed finished his freshman year with Cranston East’s first win since 2018; three years later, his performance helped seal an undefeated regular season. The Thunderbolts used a dominant second half to take down East Greenwich 34-7, ending the Avengers’ hopes of their own undefeated season and securing the top spot in the postseason. “This past week in practice, they really buckled…
St. John’s Prep 42, Catholic Memorial 35 – Eagles outlast Knights in marquee matchup
By Michael Najarian NEFJ Correspondent WEST ROXBURY — Asked to describe the partnership between himself and Maxwell Parent in the St. John’s Prep backfield, Michael Salemi kept it short: “You can’t stop it.” Behind two rushing touchdowns from Salemi and two rushing TDs from Parent, including the game-winner, St. John’s Prep outlasted Catholic Memorial with a 42-35 win on the road Friday night. St. John’s (8-0) secured the Catholic Conference…
Walpole 31, Natick 28 – Timberwolves get first win over Redhawks since 2021
By Dante Iafrate NEFJ Correspondent WALPOLE – As Mason Falcone kept getting the ball, Walpole continued to get the answers it needed. The senior co-captain ran for three touchdowns, including a five-yard score up the middle with 5:28 to play. Fellow co-captain Dylan Katz then stuffed Natick quarterback Matt Caissie on 4th-&-1 in the closing minutes, as Walpole held on for a wild 31-28 win Friday night at Walpole High…
New England Big Game Predictions for Week 9
Great list of games this weekend at all three levels. Here are this week’s big game predictions. High School Massachusetts St. John’s Prep at Catholic Memorial: The Knights are coming off a blowout loss to St. John’s (Shrewsbury) and things don’t get any easier this week. St. John’s Prep is in the driver’s seat for the top seed in Division 1. The Knights have had the upper hand in this rivalry…
Cook turning Cranston East into a contender once again
Courtesy of Cranston East Athletics The transformation of the Cranston East football program under Head Coach Jimmy Cook is a story rooted in culture, accountability, and a deep respect for tradition. Turning around a program that had struggled to find its footing takes time, but in his third year at the helm, Coach Cook has established a clear vision that is now paying off on the field. The Thunderbolts are…
Senecal lays a foundation for success at St. John’s Shrewsbury
Image courtesy of Cole Hardy When Head Coach Gary Senecal took the reins at St. John’s Shrewsbury, the program was embarking on a journey centered around patience, culture, and high standards. Transforming a football program within the hyper-competitive landscape of Massachusetts high school athletics does not happen overnight. It requires building a foundation rooted in daily discipline, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to the process. For Senecal and the Pioneers,…
Patriots’ offensive staff has plenty of respect for Hafley-Duggan defense
Image courtesy of BC Athletics FOXBOROUGH – Record aside and stats be damned, Miami’s defense can pose some problems if the Patriots aren’t careful on Sunday. Sean Duggan – who played for BC and was Jeff Hafley’s defensive coordinator – is serving in the same role in Miami. On Thursday afternoon during his usual weekly media availability, Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had high praise for what he’s seeing on…