Boyle, Wildcats ready for UMass

TIM MURPHYRespect, confidence

Mike Boyle wasn't highly recruited. "Mr. Football" in New Hampshire doesn't exactly carry the weight of, say, Texas. And he was a 5-foot-8-inch wide receiver from Plymouth Regional, not Pinkerton Academy.

So he can truly appreciate what it means to pull on the blue and white jersey at the University of New Hampshire.

"There's a great sense of pride playing for your state university," said Boyle, a senior tricaptain who has done so quite well over four seasons, supplying his nifty skills as a receiver, runner, blocker, and returner for coach Sean McDonnell.

"Kids from New Hampshire do not always get the opportunity [to play Division 1 football]," said Boyle. "I'm grateful for this coaching staff to get this opportunity."

He also appreciates the magnitude of the traditional battle against the University of Massachusetts.

"Every time we play UMass, it's a fight," said Boyle.

Today's Colonial Athletic Association matchup in Durham will be no different, with both the 22d-ranked Minutemen (6-4, 3-3) and 13th-ranked Wildcats (7-2, 4-2) determined to bounce back from setbacks a week ago, and keep their postseason hopes alive.

"We're looking for some redemption [after losing three straight to UMass]," said Boyle. "Last week, we lost to a very good team [Villanova, 24-13]. We put ourselves in a hole and we didn't convert in the red zone. But we haven't lost any confidence."

Sophomore quarterback R.J. Toman guides the Wildcats' high-scoring attack (35.6 points per game) with no shortage of talent at the skill positions, but the 185-pound Boyle, according to McDonnell, has been "our best offensive player, all around." One who leads the Wildcats in catches (49) and touchdowns (9).

"He has had a successful career here because he's a hell of a football player and he's a winner," said McDonnell.

Boyle is just happy to "fit in anywhere I can on the offense . . . we do a good job of spreading the ball around."

That will be vital against an aggressive UMass defense that has allowed an average of just 14.8 points in its last six games.

"The reports of their demise are greatly exaggerated," said McDonnell of the Minutemen. "They've lost to four very tough teams [James Madison, Texas Tech, Richmond, and Maine]. All of our players are very aware of how good UMass is."

Locked in a three-way logjam at the top of the Ivy League with two games remaining, Harvard (7-1, 4-1) heads to Penn (5-3, 4-1) today seeking just its second win at Franklin Field since 1980.

"Over the last 20 years, Penn has been a dominant team . . . but 2004 [a 31-10 win] was a breakthrough for us," said Harvard coach Tim Murphy. "We will go down there with a certain amount of respect, but also a certain amount of confidence."

With three offensive linemen sidelined, the Crimson struggled mightily to run the ball in last week's win over Columbia (37 carries, 4 yards), riding the right arm of Chris Pizzotti (25 of 40, 376 yards, 4 TDs). Senior right tackle Ryan Pilconis (torn anterior cruciate ligament) is out for the year, but Harvard will be bolstered by the return of senior right guard Zach Copple and sophomore tackle Brent Osborne, which will allow versatile senior Tom Rodger to shift back to left guard.

"We've got to be balanced in our offense to reach our goal," said Murphy. "Now I feel like we're more back to normal [on the line]."

Seeking its first Patriot League title since 1990, Holy Cross (6-3, 4-0) has a showdown looming with Colgate (also unbeaten in the league) next week. But first the Crusaders must take care of business this afternoon in Easton, Pa., against Lafayette (7-2, 3-1). With 77 career touchdown passes, Crusaders quarterback Dominic Randolph is one away from the Patriot mark set by Lehigh's Phil Stambaugh (1996-99).

Making its first NCAA playoff appearance, Northeast-10 champion American International (9-1) will host Seton Hill (9-2) of Greensburg, Pa., in a Division 2 first-round matchup, while NE-10 runner-up Southern Conn. (8-2) hits the road to play West Chester (8-3). AIC's Travis Poole (NE-10-leading 1,119 receiving yards and 14 TDs) hauled in conference MVP honors earlier this week, while Southern Conn. features the NE-10's Offensive (sophomore running back John Wiechman) and Defensive (junior linebacker Jerome Pinckney) Players of the Year.

With a ticket to the NCAA Division 3 playoffs at stake, Plymouth State (9-1, 7-0 Boyd Division) and Maine Maritime (7-3, 6-1 Bogan Division) square off in the New England Football Conference championship game in Castine, Maine. The Mariners can score (a conference-leading 40.3 points per game). The Panthers can defend (a conference-low 15 points per game). In a season in which seven NEFC players rushed for 1,000-plus yards, Maritime fullback Jim Bower (1,652 yards, 24 TDs) and Plymouth running back Jeff Mack (1,540 yards, 18 TDs) have been special.

One of six programs that will form the North Atlantic Conference next fall, Mount Ida (4-5) travels to Morrisville State seeking its third straight win to close the season. Junior Kyle Watkins (52 catches, 13 TDs) enters the game 67 yards shy of a 1,000-yard receiving season.