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Pingree moves up

After just one season as an independent, the Pingree School football team will join the Evergreen League next season. The South Hamilton-based independent day school fielded a football team for the first time in its 44-year history last fall. The Highlanders went 5-1 under head coach Chris Powers.

That success led Pingree to speed up its timetable for joining a league. Originally, school officials had planned to play two seasons as an indepedent before seeking membership in a league. Pingree will play in the Northeast Division of the 14-team prep school league, alongside schools like Hebron Academy and the Tilton School.

Powers said moving to a league will give his players something to shoot for each season. "That's another big driving force," said Powers. "Now, it's like let's try to win this league. Will we? Who knows, but now we have a goal to shoot for at the end of this year."

Powers said Pingree will play an eight-game schedule in the Evergreen League, but the Highlanders are also looking to set up a non-league game next year with public school opponent. Georgetown, which scrimmaged Pingree this past season, is a likely fit.