At long last, the Friday night lights are heating up. Every year, thousands of athletes around the commonwealth lace up their cleats, all with dreams of playing at Gillette in December.
Last fall, chalk held true in Divisions 1 and 2, with Xaverian (9-4) and Catholic Memorial (12-1) continuing their reigns of dominance with Super Bowl titles. The Catholic Conference is a minefield, with titans such as BC High and St. John’s Prep ready to knock them off. But how could you bet against either program?
MIAA realignment has rearranged the landscape. In 2024, North Attleboro (11-2) bulldozed its way to a championship, only to see juggernauts like King Philip and Marshfield join them among its Div. 3 ranks months later. Could we see a shakeup come the fall? You’d have to say it’s possible, if not probable.
As we enter the 2025 season in the Bay State, we are proud to unveil our preseason Sweet 16, continuing a proud tradition that longtime editor Danny Ventura started in 1993.
2025 PRESEASON SWEET 16
- Xaverian: When your group competes in the daunting Catholic Conference, or Div. 1 for that matter, there is no such thing as an easy game. The Hawks have won two consecutive state titles in spite of both and are your top-ranked team entering the 2025 campaign.
- Catholic Memorial: It does not matter which division the Knights play in – they would always be one of the favorites. Having won three Div. 2 titles in the past four seasons in dominant fashion, you could make a case that John DiBiaso’s group has earned the top spot overall, even with the recent loss of Mekhi Dodd.
- St. John’s Prep: Losing 18 starters might doom most programs. The Eagles are cut from a different cloth, with one of the state’s top recruits in sophomore Christian Vargas returning under center.
- BC High: Following a few precarious years, former NFL guard Paul Zukauskas took over as coach of the Eagles in 2024, and immediately led them back to the Div. 1 semifinals. With a stacked roster, it would not be surprising to see a similar finish for the Catholic Conference heavyweight.
- King Philip: After the MIAA’s recent realignment, the Warriors dropped to Div. 3 this past summer. This development came in spite of the fact the school had made trips to the Div. 2 Super Bowl every single year since 2021 (winning one in the process). Is it a fait accompli that the team will win it all this year? Not necessarily, but pretty darn close.
- Needham: Replacing recent graduate Aidan Williams will be a major challenge. However, the Rockets remain one of the top public schools to watch this year in a very strong Bay State Conference.
- Leominster: Possibly the top school from the Central Massachusetts ranks, the Blue Devils are poised for success. This is partially due to the fact they’re bringing back highly-touted quarterback Osiris Lopez – who has already committed to Coastal Carolina for next year.
- Bishop Feehan: Always a threat in Div. 2, the Shamrocks have high hopes. Owen Mordas is back at quarterback, leading a program filled with up-and-coming stars.
- Central Catholic: Since John Sexton took over the program in 2023, the Raiders have continued to find new ways to compete in a loaded Div. 1 field. Following a trip to the Round of 8 in 2024, it would not be surprising to see this group take things a step further this fall.
- Springfield Central: A perennial powerhouse from Western Massachusetts, the Golden Hawks look to continue their recent success. The school’s nonleague slate includes star-studded foes, including St. John’s Prep, Mansfield and Xaverian. Bill Watson’s team is still expected to be a threat.
- North Attleboro: The Div. 3 Super Bowl champion looked just about unbeatable once the postseason began, outscoring opponents at a whopping 154-35 clip. This included a 35-0 shutout of Mansfield in the state championship. Corey Rufino and Frank Strachan remain as heavy-hitters for the program, but the road back to Gillette could be rocky.
- Marshfield: The Rams might have one of the toughest schedules in Massachusetts this year, facing Methuen, St. John’s Prep, Bridgewater-Raynham and Mansfield to start. It might just be a long-term play for Chris Arouca’s squad ahead of a competitive Patriot League slate. Should they weather the storm, they might just be one of the more dangerous teams come the playoffs.
- Wellesley: How do you replace stars such as Lukas Prock and Jake Broggi (both of whom transferred to the Hun School in New Jersey)? You put your fate in the hands of the other players who helped your group reach the Div. 1 semifinals. This year, expect the athletic Bobby Shanahan to play a vital role for the Raiders. Tenney Charney (446 yards receiving, seven touchdowns) and Matthew Leibman (546 yards, seven touchdowns receiving) will join him.
- Scituate: It’s difficult to build upon a perfect season, especially the one the Sailors just experienced where they averaged 37.92 points per game. The school lost many key pieces, including wideout Lawson Foley. Look for the team to lean on Pomona-Pitzer commit Jonny Donovan with hopes of a repeat.
- Mansfield: Some thought the Hornets would take a step back in 2024. Not so fast. Even with a younger group, they still made an impressive journey to Gillette for the Div. 3 Super Bowl. With some seasoning, we can actually expect bigger things this upcoming fall.
- Duxbury: For almost two decades now, the Dragons have been a model of consistency. The school has been to four consecutive Super Bowls since 2021, winning two. Matt Landolfi’s squad has a few new pieces, looking for a similar finish.
On The Sideline: Shawsheen, Methuen, Winchester, Brockton, Franklin, Hudson, Uxbridge, West Boylston, Barnstable
