Hopedale’s co-op football partnership with Millis has ended after an eight-year run that reached its pinnacle last December when the Mohawks defeated Maynard and captured the Division 4A Super Bowl championship.
The gridiron partnership may be history with Millis but there’s still some talented Blue Raiders competing now in a co-op with Blackstone-Millville. Of the 45 candidates who reported for BMR’s pre-season practice in August, nine were from Hopedale. More importantly, last year’s squad, which was in only its fourth season as a varsity program, had a decided Hopedale flavor at some key positions.
Josh Euglow, now in his fourth year as the Chargers head coach, leaned heavily on the Blue Raiders’ talent pool. He slotted Robbie Siefring at quarterback, Brian Cerow and Sam Parker in the offensive backfield, Jake Wollensak at wide receiver, and Matt Crepeau and Brian McMahon on the offensive line.
All six also will be ticketed for duty on defense. Siefring, Crepeau, Parker, and Cerow will get time at linebacker, Wollensak will battle in the secondary and McMahon will play on the line.
Siefring, a 5-foot-10 junior who’s been BMR’s starting signal-caller since he was a freshman, should be familiar with his personnel because only two starters from last year’s team have graduated and there are 24 returnees on the roster. “Robbie begins his third year with more confidence,’’ Euglow said. “He’s got good arm strength, he’s an accurate passer and he’s also an effective runner. His football IQ is high, too.’’
Siefring’s passing and rushing statistics were impressive last year. He passed for 1,193 yards, connected for 13 TD passes and he rushed for 467 yards and seven TDs.
Cerow and Parker are experienced seniors who give the Chargers a solid one-two punch in the backfield. Cerow rushed for 430 yards and two touchdowns last year. “Brian is small but he’s tough,’’ Euglow said. “He’s able to lower his shoulder and gain yardage. He’s also got speed to the outside and does what’s needed. Sam will be utilized at fullback. He’s got size and speed and he’s a good up-the-middle runner.
Wollensak is a veteran receiver who was BMR’s key wideout last year as a junior. He had 680 yards receiving and scored on 11 touchdowns. “Jake has speed, strong hands, is tough and runs good routes,’’ Euglow said. “He’s also very adept at gaining yards after making catches.
Two key competitors on the offensive line are Crepeau and McMahon. Crepeau is a junior center and McMahon, a senior, can play either guard or tackle.
“Matt is athletic, aggressive and vocal,’’ Euglow noted. “He’s effective both as a run and pass blocker. Brian is solid. He did a lot of work in the off-season. He’s not big but he’s got a lot of ability.’’
Still assessing his talent on both sides of the ball, Euglow seems pleased with his linebackers from Hopedale — Siefring, Crepeau, Parker, and Cerow (100 tackles, two interceptions). “They’re quick, see the field well, pursue effectively and move well laterally,’’ he said. “They’re also aggressive and their football IQ is high.’’
Wollensak will be a key component of the Chargers’ defensive secondary. Euglow is bullish on the Hopedale senior. “Jake has speed and athletic ability,’’ he said. “He covers his territory well and his work ethic is solid.’’
Other players from Hopedale include seniors Matt Lombardi (OL/DL) and Nick Fayad (receiver/running back) and sophomore Griffin Butler (running back/linebacker).
“The co-op between BMR and Hopedale has been great,’’ Euglow said. “Without the Hopedale players, it would be very difficult to maintain a competitive team. Although we only get about 10 players from Hopedale, they make up about a third of the team. We love having the co-op, and we hope it will continue for years to come.”
The Chargers’ grid program is entering its sixth year and there’s hope that the 2017 season could be a turning point.
BMR’s first year was played at the junior-varsity level and each of the four varsity campaigns that followed has produced a sub-.500 record. Three straight 2-9 seasons didn’t show much improvement but last year’s 4-7 record not only displayed some upside, but it also came very close to generating the program’s first plus-.500 season.
Two of BMR’s losses were by a total of three points. The Chargers bowed to Millbury by two points and lost on Thanksgiving Day to Sutton by a point. What ended at 4-7 could very easily have been 6-5.
Euglow believes there are positive signs ahead for the Chargers, who open their season on Sept. 8 at Bellingham.
“We were so close to being a winning team last year,’’ said Euglow. “Losing two games at the wire by such close margins indicates we’re maturing, gaining experience and building team chemistry.’’
Euglow’s goals this year reflect the positive vibes that surround the squad. His first objective is to finish with a winning record and the second is to qualify for the playoffs.
“Getting into the playoffs is the expectation this year,’’ he said. “We thought about it last year but down deep I don’t think the players believed it was realistic. This year, those thoughts are realistic.’’
The numbers are indeed a plus for BMR in 2017. Only two starters from last year’s team have graduated and there are 24 returnees.
The strengths of this year’s contingent outweigh the concerns and Euglow likes some of the intangibles. “We’ve got experience,’’ he said. “Many of our players got lots of minutes last year and most of our kids will compete with players they’re familiar with. I like our team unity, our football IQ, our athleticism, our work ethic and our speed. My prime concerns are a lack of depth overall and a lack of size in our lines.’’
Hopedale football fans will find the Chargers an exciting team to watch. Euglow is stressing an aggressive style on defense, a balanced running and passing attack and more creativity on offense. “We’ve got everyone back on offense, so we may add a few wrinkles,’’ he said.
Those wrinkles likely will involve more than just a few players from Hopedale.
Issue Date:
September, 2017
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