The Boston Globe - 30.08.2019

C6 Sports The Boston Globe FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019

By Jenna Ciccotelli
GLOBE CORRESPONDENT
Loyal followers of New England
college football might find that the
landscape looks a bit different this
season.
The Northeast-10 Conference re-
tains its official name, but it will field
only nine teams after the departures
of LIU Post and Merrimack, which are
beginning the transition to Division 1.
Filling one of the empty slots will be
Franklin Pierce, in its inaugural sea-
son after six years as a sprint football
team.
Merrimack floats easily into the
Northeast Conference, joining Sacred
Heart and Bryant.
It’s easy to rally behind a big-name
Division 1 program such as Boston
College, Massachusetts, and Harvard,
but don’t write off the lower divisions.
New Haven reached the second round
of the Division 2 NCAA Tournament
last year, and MIT, Western New Eng-
land, Husson, and Framingham State
represented the region in the first
round of the Division 3 bracket.
With 58 college football teams
across the six New England states,
there’s no shortage of entertainment
for fall Saturdays.
Here is what to expect from every
college football team in New England
in 2019:

Massachusetts

American International:Fourre-
turning NE-10 all-conference selec-
tions could help the Yellow Jackets re-
bound from a 1-8 season (though they
had five in 2017, after a 2-8 year).
Amherst: All-NESCAC first-teamer
Avery Saffold anchors a defense that
will try to stay tight after the gradua-
tion of All-American Andrew Yamin.
Anna Maria: As sophomore quar-
terback Alex Cohen settles in, the Am-
cats might win more than one game
for the first time since 2013.
Assumption: A high-speed offense
that led the NE-10 in points per game
(37.2), yards per game (415.9), and
touchdowns (51) last season will at-
tempt to forge a winning record for
the seventh straight season.
Becker: The kids are all grown up:
The roster boasted just 12 seniors

across two one-win seasons, but the

experience could pay off in 2019.

Bentley: There are 75 returnees on

the 100-man roster, including Xaveri-

an graduate and Norwell native Pete

Thorbahn, a senior cornerback who

has earned All-Conference nods every

season.

Bridgewater State: Filling the void

of 12 graduates (including MASCAC

Offensive Player of the Year Jack La-

vanchy), are five 2018 All-MASCAC se-

lections: Steven Silvia, Nick Santavic-

ca, Mark Wilson, Austin White, and

Michael Rosa — for a team coming off

an 8-3 year and New England Bowl

win.

Curry: Senior captain Nick Villan-

ueva is a lock to produce at wide re-

ceiver after a career-high 50 catches

for 655 yards and 6 touchdowns as a

Commonwealth Coast Conference sec-

ond-team selection. But a three-way

quarterback battle leaves a question

mark.

Dean: All 13 of the Bulldogs’ all-

conference players — led by Rookie of

the Year quarterback Terrell Watts —

are returning, setting the stage for

Dean to improve on a 5-5 season.

Endicott: All-America kicker Nick

DiCairano returns for his senior year

after the Gulls’ first winning season

since 2013.

Fitchburg State: MASCAC Defen-

sive Rookie of the Year Samuel Kenny

will be called upon after a strong de-

but as a defensive lineman: 44 tackles,

7.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, a fumble

recovery, and a blocked kick.

Framingham State:TightendJa-

cob Maher transferred to Framing-

ham after three seasons at Worcester

State. The D3football.com Preseason

All-American, coupled with senior

quarterback Adam Wojenski, will help

fill holes left by 16 graduates from an

NCAA tournament team.

Harvard: Just 10 starters return as

the Crimson look to contend for their

first Ivy League title since 2015. There

are shoes to fill after the departures of

quarterback Tom Stewart and top re-

ceivers Adam Scott, Henry Taylor, and

Justice Shelton-Mosley.

Holy Cross: Captain Domenic Cozi-

er should lead the offense after piling

up 130 carries for 643 yards and 8

touchdowns as a junior. The Crusad-

ers must scramble to find a replace-

ment for graduated quarterback Geoff

Wade.

UMass: The Minutemen are aim-

ing for a turnaround under new coach

Walt Bell.

UMass-Dartmouth: Junior defen-

sive back Jacob Burkhead, who earned

an All-MASCAC nod as a sophomore

after being named Defensive Rookie

of the Year, will captain the Corsairs

after a 5-5 season.

MassachusettsMaritime:All-

MASCACfirst-teamselectionssenior

KyleJohnstonandsophomoreColin

McCabereturnonthedefensiveline

foraBuccaneerssquadthatwent 2 -8

in 2018.

Merrimack: Ineligible for postsea-

son competition until 2023, the War-

riors will play their first slate of Divi-

sion 1 games, including contests

against future Northeast Conference

opponents Central Connecticut, Bry-

ant, Saint Francis, and Long Island.

MIT: Seven of 15 All-NEWMAC

honorees return as the Engineers

build off a 9-2 season that ended in an

NCAA first-round finish.

Nichols: Hunter Ferreira, who fin-

ished 2018 as the top receiver for the

5-5 Bison (28 receptions, 516 yards, 8

touchdowns), returns for his sopho-

more season.

Springfield: Senior Nick Bainter

has received national attention al-

ready, earning preseason recognition

from D3football.com and College

Football America.

Stonehill: After a 2-8 campaign,

the Skyhawks return 12 starters, in-

cluding three-time All-NE-10 selection

and program record-holder in recep-

tions Andrew Jamiel. Classmates Matt

Haite and Brian Kearns Jr. could set

program records of their own this

year.

Tufts: The Jumbos have a big hole

to fill at quarterback after the gradua-

tion of Ryan McDonald, who was the

NESCAC Co-Offensive Player of the

Year.

Western New England:Senior

quarterback Alec Coleman returns af-

ter a breakout junior campaign (1,964

passing yards, 21 TD passes, in addi-

tion to 867 rushing yards and 19

touchdowns) in which the Golden

Bears captured their fifth straight con-

ference championship.

Westfield State: After a 5-5 season,

the Owls return just one of three All-

MASCAC honorees — Chris Saba, a se-

nior offensive guard who helped West-

field run the league’s top rushing of-

fense in 2018.

Williams: Five of Williams’s six All-

NESCAC selections from 2018 are

back to build off a 5-4 season, includ-

ing Frank Stola, who led the confer-

ence in receptions with 53, and line-

backer T.J. Rothmann (58 tackles).

Worcester State: After a 2-8 sea-

son, the Lancers have a hole to fill

with the transfer of their top receiver,

tight end Jacob Maher, to Framing-

ham State.

WPI: Seniors Sam Casey, Nick

McGoff, and Nick Ostrowski anchor

the defense as three of seven return-

ing All-NEWMAC selections.

New Hampshire

Dartmouth: Junior quarterback

Derek Kyler was named to the watch

list for the FCS National Performer of

the Year after a 9-1 sophomore cam-

paign that saw him set a school record

for competition percentage (68.9, sec-

ond in FCS).

Franklin Pierce: In the Ravens’ first

year at the Division 2 level, 17 New

Englanders have secured roster slots,

including Dighton-Rehoboth defen-

sive lineman Mason Cadorette.

New Hampshire: With coach Sean

McDonnell taking an indefinite leave

of absence, the program turns to UNH

legend Ricky Santos for guidance

through a four-man quarterback bat-

tle.

Plymouth State: Six returning All-

MASCAC honorees should make up

the difference this season for the Pan-

thers, whose three league losses last

year were by less than a touchdown.

Saint Anselm: While the Hawks

are searching for a new quarterback,

NE-10 All-Rookie running back Chris-

tian Matthews-Byrd (359 total yards,

90 rushing) will hold down the of-

fense.

Vermont

Castleton: Despite a 2-8 record last

year, the Spartans were picked third in

the Eastern Collegiate Football Con-

ference preseason poll, thanks to 13

returning starters, including sopho-

more quarterback Jacob McCarthy

and junior defensive lineman Chris

Rice.

Middlebury: Chances look good for

the Panthers to complete an eighth

consecutive winning season, with

quarterback Will Jernigan, rushing

leader Peter Scibilia, and receiving

leader Frank Cosolito all returning.

Norwich: Nine returning All-NEW-

MAC honorees, highlighted by Co-

Rookie of the Year wide receiver

Lavontae Decius, should allow the Ca-

dets to improve upon last season’s 3-7

finish.

Rhode Island

Brown: There’s nowhere to go but

up after a winless Ivy League slate in a

1-9 season, and with a new head

coach — Andover native James Perry

— and his nephew, BC transfer E.J.

Perry, in the mix at quarterback, it

might be possible.

Bryant: After their second straight

6-5 season, the Bulldogs return six

starters on both sides of the ball but

bring in a new head coach in Chris

Merritt, who is getting his first stint in

collegiate coaching.

Rhode Island: The Rams posted

their first winning season since 2001

despite having their starting QB go

down after five games. Backup Vito

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2019

FromAICtoYale,NewEnglandhasdifferen

FILE/JOHN BLANDING/GLOBE STAFF

Harvard coach Tim Murphy will

try to lead the Crimson to their

first Ivy League title since 2015.

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