Posted by: MARC THALER, UnionLeader.com
Spent some time last night (Thursday, July 30) working on a special “First & 10″ notebook column previewing tomorrow’s 56th annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl.
The column will appear in tomorrow’s New Hampshire Union Leader print edition, and on UnionLeader.com.
Caught up with New Hampshire head coach Greg Husband after the Granite Staters traded helmet decals Thursday night. Also chatted with a couple of his players. One common thread from each conversation: the Granite State’s eight-game win streak.
New Hampshire needs one win to tie the Shrine record for longest win streak (nine), a mark set from 1989-1997.
And catch this …
New Hampshire, earlier in the series, also rattled off win streaks of seven and six. The Granite State won seven in a row from 1981-87. The six-gamer was from 1965-70.
Kick-off for tomorrow’s game is 2:30 p.m. at Windsor (Vt.) High’s Macleay-Royce Field.
Posted by: MARC THALER, UnionLeader.com
New Hampshire has certainly controlled play in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl for the vast majority of this decade. Vermont’s last win in the annual all-star contest was a 47-40 decision in 2000.
Yes, the Granite State owns an eight-game win streak and 40-13-2 overall record in the series.
Last year’s 42-0 decision was a definite beatdown. Consider this:
– The 42 points last summer matched New Hampshire’s highest single-game total. The Granite State won the 1966 game, 42-12.
– New Hampshire’s 42-point margin of victory also set a Shrine Game record.
Posted by: MARC THALER, UnionLeader.com
Four players on this year’s New Hampshire Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl football team were named captains Sunday (July 26). All four players were New Hampshire Union Leader 2008 All-State Team selections, two apiece from Division II powers Bishop Guertin of Nashua and Exeter.
New Hampshire head coach Greg Husband said the captains, as voted by the team, are quarterback Andy Vailas and right guard Kyle Endyke from BG, and safety Andrew Kukesh and middle linebacker Eric Rajkowski from Exeter.
Some other “quick hits” regarding this year’s Shrine team …
– After multiple practice sessions per day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and having an intra-squad scrimmage Saturday, the team took the day off Sunday for its visit to the Shriners Hospital in Springfield, Mass. The team’s visit lasted about three hours, Husband said.
– Asked which players have been most consistent thus far in camp, Husband named Rajkowski, Kukesh and defensive back Tyler Long of Dover on defense. The head coach named Vailas, running back Ray Boulay of Keene and running back Austyn Turner of Franklin on offense.
– Which player has been the biggest surprise to Husband thus far? Long, once again, earned the nod.
“(Long is) an incredible athlete. Always around the ball,” Husband said.
– It’s back to practice on Monday and Tuesday. Husband said triple sessions are scheduled for each day.
– The 56th annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl takes place Saturday (Aug. 1) at Windsor High in Vermont. Kick-off is 2:30 p.m.
Posted by: MARC THALER, UnionLeader.com
Concord High’s Dan Herrick, a lineman for this year’s Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl football game, accepted a walk-on spot with Division I-AA University of Maine.
The 6-foot 6-inch, 290-pound football and wrestling standout will report to Maine’s training camp on Aug. 7, according to Scott Herrick, the lineman’s father. Maine has an early mini camp that coincides with Shrine Week, but the Black Bears were fine with Herrick participating in the 56th annual high school all-star game, Scott Herrick said in an e-mail.
Herrick, the 2009 New England heavyweight champion (285 pounds) in wrestling, entertained an offer from Division II American International to wrestle and play football. Division II Assumption wanted him to play football. The recent Concord graduate was also offered a walk-on spot at the University of Massachusetts and the University of New Hampshire, Scott Herrick said.
Posted by: MARC THALER, UnionLeader.com
It’s about time to refocus on high school football. We’re inside one month until the 56th annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl game between all-stars/recent high school graduates from New Hampshire and Vermont kicks off. Game day is Saturday, Aug. 1, at Windsor (Vt.) High.
And the first real indicator that high school football is on the horizon comes with Team New Hampshire’s first official Shrine practice. It’s set for Wednesday, July 22, at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden.
To review …
– Franklin head coach Greg Husband is at the helm for this year’s contest, just the second Shrine game that will be played in Vermont. And, Husband is a 1982 graduate of Windsor High.
– New Hampshire owns a 40-13-2 record in the all-time series. Laconia head coach Craig Kozens guided last year’s group to a 42-0 win.
– Three players have been replaced since the team was first announced on Feb. 5. University of New Hampshire football recruit Seamus O’Neill of Manchester Central, and Brian Nicoll of Plaistow’s Timberlane Regional cited personal reasons, Husband said. University of Massachusetts football recruit Christian Birt of Laconia cited a commitment to the Minutemen, Husband added.
– O’Neill’s roster spot was filled by Justin Colvin (Central). Nicoll’s roster spot was filled by Brett Sanchez (Winnacunnet of Hampton). Birt’s roster spot was filled by Nick Barnes (Plymouth).
Given these changes, here’s the updated 36-player roster:
Jake Tremblay – Manchester Central
Kile Stetson – Merrimack
Colin Brown – Concord
Jeff Agnew – Milford
Nick Barnes – Plymouth
Andy Vailas – Bishop Guertin of Nashua
Andrew Kukesh – Exeter
Ray Boulay – Keene
Jake Gingras – Newport
Hogan Gallagher – Portsmouth
Jermaine McDay – Keene
Tyler Long – Dover
Cody Anderson – Kearsarge of North Sutton
Rick Fosher – Trinity of Manchester
Austyn Turner – Franklin
Bruce Vieira – Pelham
Chris George – Pinkerton of Derry
Abe Muniz – Franklin
Alex Thurston – Merrimack Valley of Penacook
Matt Janetos – St. Thomas Aquinas of Dover
Mark McCartney – Campbell of Litchfield
Alex Deyeso – Londonderry
Ryan Raymond – Pinkerton of Derry
Ian Ginnard – Souhegan of Amherst
Eric Rajkowski – Exeter
Tom Foote – Goffstown
Justin Colvin – Manchester Central
Kyle Endyke – Bishop Guertin of Nashua
Bill Helliwell – Pelham
Peter LaBreck – Plymouth
Joshua Nitso – Londonderry
Jameson Luks – Souhegan of Amherst
Dan Herrick – Concord
Phil Laflamme – Plymouth
Peter Evans – Laconia
Brett Sanchez — Winnacunnet of Hampton
This from New Hampshire’s head coach:
“Coaches will report to camp Tuesday afternoon, July 21. The players will be arriving the morning of the 22nd,” Husband wrote in an e-mail. “We will be coordinating activity with Kimball Union Academy when we arrive on the 21st. We are planning triple sessions for the first few days.”
Here we go, folks. Ready for some football?
Posted by: MARC THALER, UnionLeader.com
The Manchester Central football program will host a Freshman Parents Orientation Meeting on Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. Location of the meeting is at the school’s weight room on Amherst Street, between Maple Street and Beech Street.
Central head coach Ryan Ray and his staff will be on hand to give paperwork to parents of prospective student-athletes, and answer any questions.
