Are you ready for some football? – Boston Herald

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In the end, the Friday evening lights are heating up. Yearly, hundreds of athletes across the commonwealth lace up their cleats, all with desires of taking part in at Gillette in December.

Final fall, chalk held true in Divisions 1 and a pair of, with Xaverian (9-4) and Catholic Memorial (12-1) persevering with their reigns of dominance with Tremendous Bowl titles. The Catholic Convention is a minefield, with titans equivalent to BC Excessive and St. John’s Prep able to knock them off. However how might you guess in opposition to both program?

MIAA realignment has rearranged the panorama. In 2024, North Attleboro (11-2) bulldozed its solution to a championship, solely to see juggernauts like King Philip and Marshfield be a part of them amongst its Div. 3 ranks months later. Might we see a shakeup come the autumn? You’d must say it’s attainable, if not possible.

As we enter the 2025 season within the Bay State, we’re proud to unveil our preseason Candy 16, persevering with a proud custom that longtime editor Danny Ventura began in 1993.

2025 PRESEASON SWEET 16

Xaverian: When your group competes within the daunting Catholic Convention, or Div. 1 for that matter, there isn’t a such factor as a simple recreation. The Hawks have gained two consecutive state titles despite each and are your top-ranked group coming into the 2025 marketing campaign.
Catholic Memorial: It doesn’t matter which division the Knights play in – they might at all times be one of many favorites. Having gained three Div. 2 titles prior to now 4 seasons in dominant vogue, you possibly can make a case that John DiBiaso’s group has earned the highest spot total, even with the latest lack of Mekhi Dodd.
St. John’s Prep: Dropping 18 starters would possibly doom most packages. The Eagles are minimize from a distinct material, with one of many state’s high recruits in sophomore Christian Vargas returning beneath middle.
BC Excessive: Following just a few precarious years, former NFL guard Paul Zukauskas took over as coach of the Eagles in 2024, and instantly led them again to the Div. 1 semifinals. With a stacked roster, it might not be shocking to see the same end for the Catholic Convention heavyweight.
King Philip: After the MIAA’s latest realignment, the Warriors dropped to Div. 3 this previous summer season. This improvement got here despite the very fact the college had made journeys to the Div. 2 Tremendous Bowl each single yr since 2021 (successful one within the course of). Is it a fait accompli that the group will win all of it this yr? Not essentially, however fairly darn shut.
Needham: Changing latest graduate Aidan Williams will likely be a significant problem. Nevertheless, the Rockets stay one of many high public colleges to observe this yr in a really robust Bay State Convention.
Leominster: Probably the highest college from the Central Massachusetts ranks, the Blue Devils are poised for achievement. That is partially as a result of truth they’re bringing again highly-touted quarterback Osiris Lopez – who has already dedicated to Coastal Carolina for subsequent yr.
Bishop Feehan: All the time a menace in Div. 2, the Shamrocks have excessive hopes. Owen Mordas is again at quarterback, main a program crammed with up-and-coming stars.
Central Catholic: Since John Sexton took over this system in 2023, the Raiders have continued to search out new methods to compete in a loaded Div. 1 discipline. Following a visit to the Spherical of 8 in 2024, it might not be shocking to see this group take issues a step additional this fall.
Springfield Central: A perennial powerhouse from Western Massachusetts, the Golden Hawks look to proceed their latest success. The varsity’s nonleague slate consists of star-studded foes, together with St. John’s Prep, Mansfield and Xaverian. Invoice Watson’s group continues to be anticipated to be a menace.
North Attleboro: The Div. 3 Tremendous Bowl champion regarded nearly unbeatable as soon as the postseason started, outscoring opponents at a whopping 154-35 clip. This included a 35-0 shutout of Mansfield within the state championship. Corey Rufino and Frank Strachan stay as heavy-hitters for this system, however the highway again to Gillette might be rocky.
Marshfield: The Rams may need one of many hardest schedules in Massachusetts this yr, dealing with Methuen, St. John’s Prep, Bridgewater-Raynham and Mansfield to start out. It’d simply be a long-term play for Chris Arouca’s squad forward of a aggressive Patriot League slate. Ought to they climate the storm, they could simply be one of many extra harmful groups come the playoffs.
Wellesley: How do you substitute stars equivalent to Lukas Prock and Jake Broggi (each of whom transferred to the Hun College in New Jersey)? You place your destiny within the arms of the opposite gamers who helped your group attain the Div. 1 semifinals. This yr, anticipate the athletic Bobby Shanahan to play an important position for the Raiders. Tenney Charney (446 yards receiving, seven touchdowns) and Matthew Leibman (546 yards, seven touchdowns receiving) will be a part of him.
Scituate: It’s troublesome to construct upon an ideal season, particularly the one the Sailors simply skilled the place they averaged 37.92 factors per recreation. The varsity misplaced many key items, together with wideout Lawson Foley. Search for the group to lean on Pomona-Pitzer commit Jonny Donovan with hopes of a repeat.
Mansfield: Some thought the Hornets would take a step again in 2024. Not so quick. Even with a youthful group, they nonetheless made a formidable journey to Gillette for the Div. 3 Tremendous Bowl. With some seasoning, we are able to really anticipate greater issues this upcoming fall.
Duxbury: For nearly 20 years now, the Dragons have been a mannequin of consistency. The varsity has been to 4 consecutive Tremendous Bowls since 2021, successful two. Matt Landolfi’s squad has just a few new items, in search of the same end.