Who was the most effective highschool soccer crew in Massachusetts in 1970?
If you lived in Lowell, there was little question that the Red Raiders earned that title. Under legendary coach Ray Riddick, Lowell went 9-0 and outscored their opponents by a formidable 227-40. Quincy had comparable credentials, successful all 9 of its video games and amassed a 248-75 benefit.
Picking between these two would have been powerful sufficient, however there was a 3rd college who lay declare to being the highest crew. Brockton cruised to a 9-0 season and allowed simply 53 factors, whereas scoring 276. Current Boxer coach Peter Colombo was an eighth-grader on the time and the son of legendary coach Armond Colombo, however he fondly remembers the discussions.
“Back in those days there were no Super Bowls so the newspapers picked champions,” Colombo stated. “The Globe picked Quincy and Lowell and the Herald picked Brockton. We were invited to play a team from Florida at the Gator Bowl, but the Mass. Secondary Schools Principals Association denied Brockton’s request and threatened to sanction them if they went, so we had to say no.”
That bought the wheels in movement with the Boston Herald’s Bill Abramson and the Globe’s Marvin Pave placing collectively a proposal in September 1971 to create a playoff system. While the request was initially shot down, there was sufficient promise {that a} committee consisting of principals, athletic administrators and coaches had been shaped to create a system which might decide a champion on the sphere.
The finish end result was the inaugural Super Bowl in 1972. There can be two Super Bowls in Eastern Mass and two extra in Central/Western Mass. This 12 months marks the fiftieth anniversary of Super Bowl competitors (though the format is in its 51st season, there have been no Super Bowls in 2020 attributable to COVID).
Even although there was a factors system in place to ship the highest two groups in every division to the Super Bowl, there was some drama in Div. 1. Brockton was the top-ranked crew with Newton and Everett intently behind. That 12 months, Newton was upset by Brookline on Thanksgiving, leaving Everett with the idea that they might transfer as much as No. 2.
“In those days before computers and the internet, the only way you got results was by radio,” stated John DiBiaso, a junior on that 1972 Everett crew who would go on to win 14 Super Bowls as a coach at three totally different faculties, the latest being Catholic Memorial. “Once we got back to the school and heard the score, we were excited because we thought we were going, but Newton still finished ahead of us.”
Due to the timing of the 2 video games at Boston University’s Nickerson Field, Swampscott earned the excellence of being the primary ever Eastern Mass. Super Bowl champion, defeating Catholic Memorial, 28-21.
“It was an honor to play in that game,” Swampscott quarterback Mike Jauron stated. “We were in the middle of a nice run (the Big Blue went 54-1 over a six-year stretch), we had a talented team and unusual depth considering we were from a small community. The game itself was very competitive and there are memories that we still share among teammates to this day.”
The depth Jauron referred to was by no means extra obvious than within the backfield. Star Jeff Hegan was sidelined with an damage and Don Page stepped up and ran for 269 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.
“We were just so excited to play in that game,” stated halfback/defensive again Ray DiPietro. “There was all the time an enormous debate in these days as to who was the most effective, so it was fairly thrilling to drive into the massive metropolis and play on the AstroTurf.
“It turned out to be a great game, Catholic Memorial was very good. Don was so fast that they couldn’t stop him, he was awesome that day. We had a lot of kids step up in that game and make plays.”
Fran York was an assistant coach underneath the legendary Stan Bondelevitch. He knew the Big Blue was particular, one thing which hasn’t diminished over time.
“It started with Stan Bondelevitch,” York stated. “He was a great coach, he was the boss, he was a believer in one-for-all, all-for-one. Those teams had such great camaraderie, they were a special group and it was such an exciting time to play in the very first bowl game.”
Ronnie Perry Jr. was a kicker and punter on the 1972 crew. A multi-sport celebrity on the college (Perry would go on to play basketball and baseball at Holy Cross), Perry remembered that it was a terrific recreation between two gifted groups.
“We were a really good team, our quarterback Joe O’Brien was a tremendous athlete who went on to play at BC,” stated Perry, whose crew gained a Super Bowl title a 12 months later. “Dave Singleton was an excellent running back who went to Harvard and Paul Ragucci was a tough north and south runner.”
There was some discuss that Brockton didn’t wish to play Newton, having already overwhelmed them 35-0 throughout the common season. Colombo stated that was not true and so they knew the Newton crew they might face within the Div. 1 Super Bowl was a lot improved as evidenced by the slender 16-14 win.
“I remember Newton had Cal Moffie at quarterback and Jerry Kelliher at running back and he could scoot,” stated Colombo, who threw for a landing and booted a 27-yard subject aim. “It was a grueling season and I still remember hugging my dad after we picked off a pass to ice the game. It was a phenomenal feeling and still is to this day.”
As for the Central Mass./Western Mass. Super Bowls at Springfield College, Mike LaSorsa ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns as Fitchburg defeated Greenfield 22-6 within the Div. 1 championship recreation. Rand Willard’s 30-yard subject aim with eight seconds left, coming after he picked off a cross moments earlier, gave East Longmeadow a 10-7 win over Shrewsbury within the Div. 2 title recreation.
DIV. 1 EMASS SUPER BOWL
BROCKTON 16, NEWTON 14
Dec. 2, 1972 – At Nickerson Field, Boston University
Brockton (10-0) 7 3 0 6 – 16
Newton (8-3) 0 0 7 7 – 14
BR – John Ingram 47 cross from Peter Colombo (Colombo kick)
BR – Colombo 27 subject aim
NE – Jerry Kelliher 45 run (Bill Steinberg kick)
BR – Ingram 1 run (kick failed)
NE – Ron Wilson 50 cross from Cal Moffie (Steinberg kick)
DIV. 2 EMASS SUPER BOWL
SWAMPSCOTT 28, CATHOLIC MEMORIAL 21
Dec. 2, 1972 – At Nickerson Field, Boston University
Swampscott (10-0) 7 7 7 7 – 28
Catholic Memorial (9-1) 6 8 0 7 – 21
SW – Don Page 42 run (Mike Jauron kick)
CM – Dave Singleton 13 run (kick failed)
CM – Singleton 23 cross from Joe O’Brien (O’Brien run)
SW – Page 42 run (Jauron kick)
SW – Pete Cassidy 2 run (Jauron kick)
SW – Scotty MacCallum 29 cross from Jauron (Jauron kick)
CM – O’Brien 6 run (Ron Perry kick)
DIV. 1 CMASS/WMASS SUPER BOWL
FITCHBURG 22, GREENFIELD 6
Dec. 2, 1972 – At Benedum Field, Springfield College
Fitchburg (9-1-0) 8 8 0 6 – 22
Greenfield (7-2-1) 0 6 0 0 – 6
FI – Mike LaSorsa 2 run (LaSorsa run)
GR – Dave Dauvadjian 26 run (cross failed)
FI – Jim Katon 26 cross from Bob Wotton (LaSorsa run)
FI – LaSorsa 12 run (kick failed)
DIV. 2 CMASS/WMASS SUPER BOWL
EAST LONGMEADOW 10, SHREWSBURY 7
Dec. 2, 1972 – At Benedum Field, Springfield College
East Longmeadow (10-0) 0 7 0 3 – 10
Shrewsbury (8-2) 0 7 0 0 – 7
EL – Gary Kane 5 run (Rand Willard kick)
SH – Jim Catanzaro 74 run (Bob Campbell kick)
EL – Willard 30 subject aim
Source: www.bostonherald.com”