Category Archives: New England Football Conference

Nov 21 2012

Mass. College Football: NEFW Div. II/III All-New England Team

By NoontimeSports.com 

Courtesy of our friend Steve Miller Jr., who is the sports information director at Worcester State University, here is today’s release pertaining toward the 2012 New England Football Writers Div. II/III All-New England Team.

The squad, which features 28 players from 18 different institutions, will be honored on Thursday, Dec. 6 at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet.

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – Twenty-eight players representing 18 different teams have been named to the 2012 New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England team.

New England Small College Athletic Conference champions Trinity College, Northeast-10 Conference champion University of New Haven, and NESCAC runner-up Middlebury College lead the team with three selections each. New England Football Conference members Framingham State University and Salve Regina University have two picks, as do Merrimack College and Springfield College. Also named to the squad were players from American International College, Amherst College, Bentley University, Castleton State College, Endicott College, Husson College, MIT, Mount Ida College, Stonehill College, and Worcester State University

The Division II Northeast-10 Conference had eight players selected, while from Division III the New England Football Conference and the New England Small College Athletic Conference had seven picks. The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference had three selections. Three players came from teams not affiliated with New England Conferences.

The team will be honored at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 6, at the Montvale Plaza, in Stoneham, Mass. People interested in attending should contact Dick Lipe at Bentley University at 781-891-2334.

And here is a list of the players that were named to this team:

Tom Herd (University of New Haven)

James Muirhead (Framingham State University)

Max Nacewicz (Springfield College)

Ernest Wiggins (Husson College)

Brett Cde Baca (Trinity College)

Jake Laux (MIT)

Blaine Hopwood (Bentley University) 

Jaquawane Simpkins (American International College)

Jareed Gaines (Stonehill College)

Rae Haynes (Trinity College)  

Artis Holt (Merrimack College)

Phil Terio (Salve Regina University)   

McCallum Foote (Middlebury College)

 Evan Bunker (Trinity College)

Melikke Van Alstyne  (Framingham State University)

Brandon Boyle (Castleton State University)

 Zach Driscoll (Middlebury College)

Isaiah Voegeli (Merrimack College)

Billy Chapman (Middlebury College)  

Matt Bonomolo (Mount Ida College)

John Ceccio (Amherst College)

Mike D’Attillo (Bridgewater State University)

Duke Ekblom (Springfield College)

Adam Iskra (Salve Regina University)

Dave Stedman (University of New Haven)

Chris Scifo (University of New Haven)

Dylan Rushe (Endicott College)

Graham Asum (Worcester State University

Nov 15 2012

Mass. College Football: Framingham State Prepares For SUNY Cortland

The Rams will look to earn their 11th straight win on Saturday when they travel to Cortland, New York to face SUNY Cortland! (Photo Credit: Matt Noonan for NoontimeSports.com)

By Matt Noonan 

CAMBRIDGE, MA – It took 40 years, but Framingham State’s football team finally accomplished their ultimate goal of winning a New England Football Conference Championship.

“It was tremendous,” exclaimed head coach Tom Kelley, who was a four-year defensive starter for the Rams during the 1970’s. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I keep telling people it will.”

The Rams overcame a week one defeat to the Endicott College Gulls by rattling off 10 consecutive wins, which included last weekend’s championship victory against Salve Regina.

“We knew we had the talent, and we knew we had the players, and sometimes chemistry is a big part of that and we knew that and the coaches jumped in and picked everything up by the bootstraps,” Kelley said. “We challenged [our players] every week and they met the challenge.”

Framingham State will be faced with an enormous challenge this weekend when they venture into the NCAA Div. III Football tournament for the first time in school history and travel to Cortland, New York to face SUNY Cortland.

The Red Dragons, unlike the Rams, have been to the tournament eight times. Saturday’s tilt marks their third appearance in five seasons.

“They’ve been there, they’re the big dog and they certainly are the big dog and they’ve got the experience, they’ve got the players and I think they don’t respect us a whole lot and that’s OK,” stated Kelley.

“We’re a small state school [heading into the tournament] for the first time, and if I was probably sitting in their seat I’d feel the same way.”

Kelley knows that in order for his team to be successful, especially against a Red Dragons offense that averaged 37.4 points per game, they’re going to have to rely on their defense.

“Our defense has just been outstanding. I just love our defense and we’re going to go as far as our defense takes us at this point,” stated the head coach.

SUNY Cortland senior quarterback Chris Rose finished his team’s nine-game slate with 19 touchdowns, while the halfbacks combined for 1,753 net yards and 18 touchdowns. The Red Dragons offense ranked number one in the conference in scoring offense, too.

Framingham State junior defensive end Alex Torti, who was this week’s Div. II/III Golden Helmet Award recipient, believes the Rams defense can stop this offensive juggernaut if they play flawless football.

“They’ve got a fantastic offense. Their offensive line is big, strong, fast. Their running back [Dorian Myles] is fantastic, the quarterback is great and all around they’re a very solid team, they’re good at whatever they want to do,” explained Torti, who finished the NEFC championship game with two fumble recoveries and a touchdown.

“We’re going to have to be really on our game and have everything straight, and eliminate mistakes. I’m hoping that we can pullout another ‘W’ this week and keep it going.”

NEFC teams haven’t enjoyed a great deal of success in the postseason and have bowed out in the first round the last four years. Curry College advanced to the second round in 2007, but saw their season conclude with a 38-7 loss to St. John Fisher College.

No matter the outcome of Saturday’s game, Kelley is just thankful for the support he received over the past few months from former coaches and players that have returned to the Framingham campus to assist the squad in their quest for NCAA glory.

“Probably the best thing about this whole ride is the amount of former coaches [and players] that have embraced the program again and have come back and really supported us along the way, and that’s been probably the most emotional [aspect],” explained Kelley.

“Once things settle down, I will really enjoy what happened this past year.”

For more information on this clash, check out the SUNY Cortland pregame notes, which were provided the Red Dragons athletic department by CLICKING HERE.

Nov 13 2012

Mass. College Football: Week 11 Honor Roll

By NoontimeSports.com 

For the final time this season, here is our Week 11 Noontime Sports Weekly Honor Roll.

Alex Amidon (Boston College) – Against Notre Dame on Saturday evening, the junior wide receiver set the single-season record for receiving yards with 84 yards against the Fighting Irish. Amidon’s total receiving yards is now 1,156 yards, which surpasses Brian Brennan’s record of 1,149 yards (original record was set in 1983).

Erik Wachter (Holy Cross) – Despite being apart of a heartbreaking loss to Wagner, the senior linebacker led the Crusaders with 20 tackles (18 solo). He finished the game with one tackle for a loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Ryan Delaire (Massachusetts) – The sophomore defensive lineman secured the Minutemen’s first win of the season by sacking Akron’s quarterback Dalton Williams with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. The sack was his only tackle in the contest, but he also registered a forced a fumble, too.

Jaquawne Simpkins (American International) – In the inaugural Northeast-10 Conference Football Championship against New Haven, the sophomore linebacker led the Yellow Jackets with 15 tackles (nine solo). After the game concluded, Simpkins was named to the All-Championship team.

Rudolph Lewis (Mount Ida College) – Before his team claimed the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference crown, the freshman from Roslindale recorded three tackles (two solo), 1.5 sacks, and 2.5 tackles for a loss. He also hurried his opponent’s quarterback twice.

Sean Wilson (Amherst College) – The freshman running back played an enormous role in his team’s 23-20 victory against Williams College last Saturday. And even though he didn’t reach the end zone, he recorded 127 yards on 21 carries.

John Dodds (Tufts University) – In his final collegiate football game against Middlebury College, the senior quarterback completed 23-of-41 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown.

Alex Scyocurka (Williams College) – Similar to Wilson, Scyocurka didn’t reach the end zone, but managed to tally 135 yards on 25 carries in his team’s final game of the season.

Alex Torti (Framingham State) – In the final New England Football Conference Championship against Salve Regina, the junior defensive end from Hopkinton recorded three solo tackles and two fumble recoveries. Torti’s second fumble recovery was returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, which sealed the victory for the Rams.

James Muirhead (Framingham State) – The senior from Middleboro led the Rams defense with eight tackles (six solo). He also recorded one sack, three tackles for a loss and one forced fumble. Muirhead was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, too.

Nov 12 2012

Mass. College Football: NCAA Tournament Pairings

By Matt Noonan 

On Sunday, the NCAA announced the following pairings for the upcoming Div. II and III football tournaments.

Div. II: 

* The only squad from the Northeast-10 Conference that earned a spot in the tournament was New Haven. The Chargers defeated American International this past weekend and will receive an opening round bye. They’ll play their first game on Saturday, Nov. 24.

Div. III: 

* Bridgewater State will face Widener in the first round on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 12PM. The Bears didn’t earn a spot in Saturday’s New England Football Conference Championship, but finished their season with a 9-1 overall record.

* Mount Ida College will travel to Delaware on Saturday, Nov. 17 for a 12PM matchup against Wesley. The Mustangs earned their first Eastern Collegiate Football Conference crown this past weekend with a win against Castelton State.

* Framingham State’s first game will be against SUNY Cortland on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 12PM. The Rams earned a spot in the tournament following an enormous win the NEFC Championship game against Salve Regina.

Nov 12 2012

Mass. College Football: Honor Roll Submissions

By Matt Noonan 

Saturday technically marked the end of our college football coverage for the 2012 season. So, we’re asking you the fans, coaches and players one last time to assist us with our weekly Noontime Sports Honor Roll. Let us know the players that deserve a spot on our finaly weekly list. And you can submit names via email (NoontimeSports@gmail.com), Facebook (Facebook.com/NoonSports) or Twitter (@NoontimeSports or @NoonSportsBlog).

Submissions are due today by 6PM.

Nov 10 2012

Mass. College Football: Saturday Afternoon Scoreboard

By NoontimeSports.com 

Here are the results from Saturday’s afternoon affairs.

* Framingham State 28, Salve Regina 16 (NEFC Championship)

* Mount Ida 52, Castleton State 28 (ECFC Championship)

* New Haven 37, American International 12 (NE-10 Conference Championship)

* Norwich 47, Becker College 14

* Anna Maria 44, Husson 42 (3OT)

* So. Connecticut 13, Stonehill College 10

* Bentley University 20, Assumption College 13

* Merrimack College 62, Saint Anselm 26

* Penn 30, Harvard 21

* UMass 22, Akron 14

* Wagner 31, Holy Cross 30

* Springfield College 62, WPI 23

* Amherst College 23, Williams College 20

* Middlebury College 35, Tufts University 13

Nov 10 2012

NEFC Championship: Framingham State 28, Salve Regina 16 (VIDEO)

By Matt Noonan 

On Saturday, Framingham State claimed their first New England Football Conference Championship by defeating Salve Regina, 28-16.

Below, we’ve provided video highlights and post game interviews.

The Rams celebrate their victory by hoisting the trophy: 

Rams linebacker James Muirhead hoists his MVP trophy: 

Rams head coach Tom Kelley talks about his team’s win: 

Rams linebacker James Muirhead talks about the win, as well as his defensive performance: 

Rams running back Melikke Van Alstyne talks about the win and his offensive performance: 

Nov 9 2012

Mass. College Football: Week 11 Schedule

By NoontimeSports.com 

The 11th week of the college football season is officially here. And below is this week’s slate of games.

Saturday, Nov. 10: 

* Harvard at Penn, 12PM

* Williams College at Amherst College, 12PM

* Norwich at Becker College, 12PM

* Springfield College at WPI, 12PM

* American International at New Haven, 12PM (Northeast-10 Conference Championship)

* Tufts University at Middlebury College, 12:30PM

* Holy Cross at Wagner, 1PM

* Mount Ida College at Castleton State, 1PM (Eastern Collegiate Football Conference Championship)

* Assumption College at Bentley University, 1PM

* So. Conn. at Stonehill College, 1PM

* Saint Anselm at Merrimack College, 1PM

* Husson at Anna Maria, 1PM

* Salve Regina at Framingham State (New England Football Conference Championship)

* UMass at Akron, 2PM

* Notre Dame at Boston College, 8PM

Nov 9 2012

NEFC Championship: Salve Regina HC Bob Chesney On Championship, Season (VIDEO)

By NoontimeSports.com 

On Friday, Salve Regina’s athletic department produced their weekly football chat with head coach Bob Chesney. This week, the head coach discussed his team’s enormous win against Nichols College and provided his outlook on Saturday’s New England Football Conference Championship game against Framingham State.

Chesney’s squad claimed their first Boyd Division crown since 2000, and the head coach commented about the achievement by saying, “That’s a long stretch to not have an opportunity to play in a championship game like this, so it feels great to be in this position. It’s definitely something we had our sights set on for years and something that we’re just ecstatic about that opportunity.

“We were one of the first teams to ever play in the New England Football Conference Championship and as our conference kind of parts its ways at the end of this year, we’ll be here at the last game as well, so that’s kind of a pretty neat situation to be in as well.”

Below we’ve provided the video courtesy of the Seahawks YouTube page. For more information on the Salve Regina football team — CLICK HERE.

Nov 9 2012

Mass. College Football: Championship Saturday Predictions

By NoontimeSports.com 

Saturday will be a special day for some local Massachusetts college football teams, as some units will be competing for their conference championships, while others will attempt to earn one more victory for their seniors.

Below, we’ve provided overviews and predictions on three marquee matchups.

American International at New Haven (NE-10 Championship): You couldn’t have picked a better matchup for the inaugural Northeast-10 Conference championship game. It’s No. 1 vs. No. 2. It’s David vs. Goliath. It’s the “Greatest Show on Turf” vs. “Tom Brady’s 2001 New England Patriots.” And finally, it’s a chance for AIC to redeem themselves following last week’s 37-6 thrashing.

The Yellow Jackets won seven of their eight conference tilts this season, while the Chargers extended its streak from last year to 16-0.

AIC is 2-0 in championship games, according to the NE-10 Football Report (1999 and 2000 Eastern Football Conference Champions).

New Haven’s perfect record marks their fifth undefeated season in program history. The last time the Chargers concluded a season with no losses was in 1995.

Prediction: New Haven 33, AIC 21

Salve Regina at Framingham State (NEFC Championship): Both squads finished the regular season with nine wins. Their defenses were fantastic. However, one thing that separates the two squads is the running game.

Framingham State’s Melikke Van Alstyne led all rushers in the New England Football Conference (NEFC) in yards (1,467 yards) and touchdowns (14). Also, he eclipsed the 4,000 rushing yard mark for his career in a game against Coast Guard three weeks ago.

Expect FSU head coach Tom Kelley to utilize the running game against a defense that’s surrendered 1,828 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.

Prediction: Framingham State 20, Salve Regina 14

Williams College at Amherst College: This is not a championship game, but instead the 127th meeting between these two prestigious institutions.

Trinity College will most likely wrap up the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) on Saturday; so don’t expect either squad to be doing some scoreboard watching. Although, you can expect Amherst senior quarterback Max Lippe to throw the ball a lot against a defensive unit that’s allowed 1,637 yards through the air.

The Lord Jeffs rank second in scoring and total defense, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Ephs offense will fare.

Williams head coach Aaron Kelton, who is in his third season, is 1-1 against Amherst.

The Lord Jeffs beat the Ephs last year and will attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time since 1985 and 1986.

Prediction: Amherst 31, Williams 17