A gloomy sky loomed above Holliston High School Saturday. (Aram Boghosian / Globe Photo)

By Sarah Gantz and Ryan Kost, Globe Correspondents

HOLLISTON -- On sheet after sheet of white paper on the walls of the entrance to the high school, students shared memories and expressed shock and a sense of loss. The outpouring came after a popular Holliston football player died suddenly Friday night after being hit in the chest during a scrimmage.

Joseph Larracey (Courtesy Photo)

Family and friends were stunned by the death of Joseph “Joey” Larracey, 16, a junior at the school. Grief counselors met with students and the football team. Cars lined the street where Larracey lived, and people hugged in his parents' driveway, talking quietly amongst themselves.

There Larracey’s uncle, Dean Cerrati, sat on the tailgate of a pickup truck. He said Larracey was a good kid. “He was always laughing, always smiling, respectful,” he said. “Everybody says that, but he really was.”

Larracey collapsed at a football scrimmage at Apponequet Regional High School Friday after he had been hit earlier in the game, according to a statement released by the Holliston schools.

Click HERE to read more on our Local News Updates.

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A Buckingham Browne & Nichols football player had emergency surgery Friday night and is in intensive care at Boston Medical Center after collapsing in his team's huddle during a preseason scrimmage. BB&N was scrimmaging at Wayland High School Friday when the junior player became wobbly and collapsed, according to the school's Director of Communications Joe Clifford. "There was no obvious cause and effect,'' said Clifford. The player was taken via helicopter to Boston Medical Center where surgery was performed into the "early morning hours," according to Clifford.

Natick rolls

Heat, humidity, and the Newton North defense couldn't stop Natick last night at Bentley College in Waltham. Natick rolled to a 36-0 win in the opening game for the Bay State Conference schools. Scott McCummings ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third.

For the rest of today's scores, check out Saturday's scoreboard, which now features links to each game's box score beneath the result.

DANVERS -- St. John's Prep junior Brendon Felder rushed for a pair of touchdowns, caught another, and threw for a 2-point conversion pass as part of a dazzling all-around effort that helped the fourth-ranked Eagles top No. 20 Masconomet, 36-19, in a nonleague battle at Cronin Memorial Stadium.

Check out the live blog below for updates from the game. You can also find all of our video highlights by following the "full entry" link at the end of this post.

(Note: The original live blog was accidentally closed near the end of the first quarter. We've pasted those entries at the top of this live blog to include all details from this game).

BROCKTON -- Dracut senior quarterback Matt Grimard spearheaded a vaunted ground attack that piled up 240 yards rushing and generated four touchdowns (all by Grimard) as the No. 8 Middies topped No. 6 Brockton, 34-32, at Marciano Stadium.

Check out our live blog below to relive the action, watch video highlights, or view photos from the game. You can also click the "extended entry" link at the end of this entry to view our videos.

(Note: We're going to try a little something different with the blog tonight. Instead of the multiple-post format from years past, we're going to stick to this one entry and utilize a product from the folks at Cover It Live that should allow us to provide more timely updates.)

Walpole downed Framingham, 34-13, Friday night thanks to the running of – who else? – Ryan Izzo.

The junior carried 17 times for 254 yards and four touchdowns. If you count his 38-yard completion on a fake punt, the reigning Globe Division 2 Player of the Year totaled 318 yards rushing, receiving, and passing.

Not a bad way to celebrate your 17th birthday. A few more notes from tonight’s game:

• The final score probably isn’t an indicator, but Framingham did a good number on the Rebels in the short passing game. The Flyers ran a plethora of underneath routes, with the biggest beneficiary being Nick Liquori (5 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD). Quarterback Dan Guadagnoli ended up with 142 yards on 15 of 25 passing, with two touchdowns and an interception.

• Guadagnoli will usually grab the attention this season, but another guy to look out for is hard-hitting tailback Abou Toure (13 carries for 62 yards, 3 catches for 44 yards).

• Last year, the Rebels dabbled in plays that snapped the ball directly to Izzo for a rollout, similar to the way Darren McFadden was used last season at Arkansas. They’ve continued with that trend this season. On my count, they did it three times last night for gains of 15, 13 and 10.

• You want to talk about elusiveness? Deceit? Get this: Izzo says he only ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds this summer at Boston College’s camp.

The Globe's Bob Holmes will be updating this space tonight with scores as our reporters call them in from the field. Check back for quarter-by-quarter updates from some of tonight's top matchups.

As final scores are received, you can find the results and boxes on our scoreboard page.

Chelmsford held on to beat Bridgewater-Raynham, 14-6.

After fumbling twice in the first half and leading just 3-0 at the intermission, No. 1-ranked Everett moved out to a 24-8 lead after three quarters and went on to win, 38-8.

St. Clement holds on to beat Burke, 14-6, at White Stadium.

Behind 254 yards rushing and four scores from Ryan Izzo, Walpole beat Framingham, 34-13.

Xaverian has come back from a 14-7 deficit to lead Duxbury, 24-14, after three quarters. Unfazed, the Dragons roared back to earn a thrilling 27-24 triumph over the Catholic Conference entry. Shane DiBona has both Duxbury touchdowns in the first half and rushed for 126 yards before the break.

Saturday's Natick vs. Newton North game at Bentley College has been moved from 6 p.m. to 4:15 because of the approaching storm.

As we get set to kick off a new season of high school football, it seems like the right time to introduce a few members of our enthusiastic Boston Globe / Boston.com team who plan to follow all aspects of the 2008 campaign. We've got a rookie-laden crew this fall, but they're eager to learn:

• Chris Forsberg -- An Auburn native (Go Rockets!) and Northeastern graduate, Forsberg interned at the Globe from 1999-2003 before joining the staff at Boston.com in 2006. He's still fielding angry phone calls from Everett supporters after ranking Acton-Boxboro No. 1 following the 2001 season.

• Bob Holmes -- A Reading resident (Go Rockets!) and Boston College graduate, Holmes is the Boston Globe High School Sports Editor. We remind you now that his weekly picks are often made in jest so everyone just calm down when he picks against Everett for 11 straight weeks.

• Mike Carraggi -- An Everett native (Go Tide!), Mike attends Eastern Nazarene college and is entering his second year with the Globe. He'll focus on Division 1 this fall, which means he'll spend a lot of time in his hometown, which Forsberg thinks is cool because the Tide have that Fried Dough cart.

• Emily Wright -- A Hyannis native (Go Barnstable Red Raiders!), Emily is a senior at Emerson College and has been with the Globe since the end of July. She'll cover Division 1A and will be the first intern we've trusted to navigate her way to Dennis-Yarmouth or any other school on the Cape.

• Mike Grossi -- A Lexington native (Go Minutemen!), Mike attends Northeastern and has been with the Globe for two months. He'll cover Division 2 and 2A and unsuccessfully lobbied to include Lexington in the preseason Top 20.

• Jonathan Raymond -- A native of Benicia, Calif. (a suburb of San Francisco), Jonathan attends Northeastern and has been working at the Globe since the end of June. He will be focusing on Division 3 and is likely woefully underprepared for covering a game in a foot of snow.

• David Carty -- A native of West Bridgewater (Go Wildcats!), David is a senior at Emerson College and has been working at the Globe for a year. He'll cover Divisions 3A and 4 because, "small school ball is in my blood."

• The bench: You'll also catch updates from our regional contributors, including Globe North's Julian Benbow and South's Monique Walker. Correspondent Brendan Hall will have updates from the Globe West coverage area and will often try to sneak in Central Mass. news.

Mike Carraggi will cover Division 1 high school football for the Globe this fall. Here are his opening week notes:

School is starting. The leaves are changing. Red Sox fans around New England are getting ulcers thinking about this year's World Series chances.

Yep, it's high school football season, alright. And we're here to give you a sneak peek of the upcoming week that will kickoff the season. Check back here for regular updates about Division 1 football.

Keep an eye out for....

With most league games on hold for a little bit, some might feel tempted to wait until the "games count" to check in. But make no mistake, it is in the preceding nonleague action where coaches find out the true identities of their teams leading up to the league games.

Game of the week: Waltham at Everett, Friday 7 p.m.

Everett's seemingly never-ending defense of the Division 1 Super Bowl title officially resets when it hosts former Greater Boston League foe Waltham. But Waltham moved to the Dual County League (Large) following a bit of reshuffling over the offseason, so the two teams will meet only for pride this evening.

Others to watch:

(Nonleague) Masconomet at St. John's Prep., Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Masconomet, who has been in the playoffs each of the previous two season, looks to start off a tough schedule with a win against consistently tough team, St. John's Prep. Both teams are dripping with returning players, but the wild card may be Prep's quarterback position, which has four talented signal-callers vying for the spot.

(Nonleague) Xaverian at Duxbury, Friday, 7 p.m.

A rare off year for Xaverian saw the former Catholic Conference power fall below .500. The Hawks will attempt to get back on track against a Duxbury team that finished 9-2, but missed out on the Division 2A playoff picture.

King (and the rest) of the hill

The season's first power rankings will be according to last year's placing and overall records (playoff teams occupying the first four spots.) After the first week, they will change based on performance.

1. Everett (13-0) – No surprise here. Look for the defending champs to occupy the top spot all year until someone can mark up its immaculate record.

2. Dartmouth (11-2) – Another shocker... or not. Dartmouth's epic heavyweight fight with Everett was stretched to overtime in the Super Bowl. Everett may have won, but it's hard to say Dartmouth lost.

3. BC High (11-1) – Winning what some think is the toughest league in Massachusetts (especially two years in a row), is nothing to sneeze at. The stiff defense showcased last year will need to stick around while the team transitions to a new coach.

4. Brockton (9-2) – Brockton was disappointed with last year's early playoff exit and looks to erase it from memory as quickly as possible. That may be easier said than done, however, taking into account the mass exodus of seniors (28).

5. Cambridge (7-4) – Cambridge is seemingly annually missing out on the postseason by thaaaaat much, which usually is a loss to Everett on Thanksgiving. The Falcons would love to make that game mean less, which means winning more before it.

6. Catholic Memorial (6-4) – Catholic Memorial hasn't quite shown that it has what it takes to run to the top of the Catholic Conference, but it also wouldn't be the season's biggest surprise if they did. An interesting team to watch for sure.

7. St. John's Prep (6-5) – If St. John's Prep can survive an early barrage of road games (Everett, Dracut and Brockton to name a few), they will certainly make a case for one of the league's top teams. But hey, the Miami Dolphins could probably say the same. Whether they do remains to be seen.

8. Attleboro (6-5) – Attleboro (and Cambridge) would probably be the favorites for a wild card spot if the league(s) had one. The team seems to have all the physical tools this season, but Mt. Dartmouth is a big one to climb.

9. Bridgewater-Raynham (5-5) – Bridgewater-Raynham has the experience factor going for it this year, with 15 returning seniors. It will unquestionably go as far as the upperclassmen of the team take it.

10. Somerville (5-5) – Without any game breakers on offense and a quarterback position that was in limbo early on, Somerville looks to be destined for another .500 finish, something they haven't strayed far from recently. But I've been wrong before.

11. Xaverian (5-6) – Don't worry, it shocks me as well to see Xaverian this far down the list. The good news is that Xaverian will be hungry and is unquestionably talented enough to satisfy that hunger.

12. Malden Catholic (4-7) – Another ambiguous Catholic Conference squad, Malden Catholic has a new coach who has been successful elsewhere. The defense should keep MC in its fair share of games.

13. Malden (4-7) – Malden might be the dark horse of dark horses. Its first five games are against teams who last year had a combined 15-40 record. After that, a date with Watertown and a GBL-palooza.

14. Taunton (4-7) – Taunton finished up on a high note last season, but whether or not it can maintain that success throughout a full schedule is yet to be seen.

15. Durfee (3-7) – Durfee is another team breaking in a new coach, so the first few weeks are vital. After that, we'll have a clearer picture of the kind of team it is.

16. Barnstable (2-8) – This is a Barnstable squad that would best be served by treating this year as a chance to get better and contend with Old Colony foes in coming years.

17. Medford (2-9) – A couple months from now, I will be crowning Medford my coveted Most Improved Team of the Year award. Very prestigious.

18. New Bedford (1-9) -New Bedford has two reasons for optimism. 1.) There's nowhere to go but up. 2.) Theoretically, it only take two wins to break into the postseason for any Big 3 team.

The Boston Globe preseason Top 20 is out and, while any preseason poll is merely a slightly educated crapshoot, here's some thoughts on how we put together the first batch of rankings:

1. Everett -- Well, duh.

2. Dartmouth -- You could make a case for the Indians as a preseason No. 1 (there's certainly talent here), but the fact remains they lost to Everett in the Division 1 Super Bowl and both teams endured tough graduation losses, so the Indians remain one spot behind the Tide.

3. BC High -- Seemingly the only turnover the Eagles experienced was at head coach. The team could endure some transition pains under first-year coach Jon Bartlett, but we'd be surprised if they didn't win the Catholic Conference again.

4. St. John's Prep -- And despite the fact that we just gushed about BC High, the rest of the Catholic Conference seems to have closed the gap from last season (a down year for both the Prep and Xaverian). The other Eagles have the potential to challenge for that league title.

5. Walpole -- With all due respect to the Bay State Conference, we've got the Rebels penciled in at 9-0 before closing the season with matchups against Natick and Weymouth.

6. Brockton -- From what we saw in the preseason, the alleged "rebuilding process" in Brockton didn't take long. The matchup with Brockton tonight should be phenomenal.

7. Natick -- The only thing not to like about this team is the new nickname.

8. Dracut -- The Middies have a fun offense that will put a lot of points on the board, but we want to see what the defense can do in a rigid Merrimack Valley Conference. Dracut could very well start the season 0-2, but there's no shame in that.

9. Marshfield -- Some tough matchups in the first three weeks (Beverly Hills, Mansfield), but we think the Rams brought back enough to get back to the Division 1A Super Bowl.

10. Mansfield -- The Hornets struggled to move the ball in a preseason scrimmage against BC High, but the Eagles have a way of making any team's offense look bad.

11. Acton-Boxboro -- No silly tie-breakers to hold the Colonials back this fall.

12. Foxboro -- We like what the Warriors brought back this fall and think it'll be another three-way race atop the Hockomock with Mansfield and North Attleboro.

13. Chelmsford -- Don't sleep on the Lions because of graduation losses. Let's remember they are defending Division 1A Super Bowl champs.

14. Lincoln-Sudbury -- If you see one DCL game this year, make it the Nov. 7 matchup between L-S and Acton-Boxboro.

15. Tewksbury -- The Redmen (hey, someone in this state still goes by Redmen!) didn't bring back a lot of returners, but there's talent here -- particularly on the lines -- and they'll be in the mix.

16. Xaverian -- We've got friends who are really high on the Hawks, but we're taking a wait-and-see approach.

17. Duxbury -- The biggest bummer about the Dracut-Brockton game being moved to Friday is that we won't be able to check out the Xaverian-Duxbury game. These Dragons have talent.

18. Weymouth -- Much like Tewksbury, the Wildcats might be short on the number of returning starters, but we like the talent they do bring back.

19. Gloucester -- The Fishermen will be hard-pressed to ever duplicate the success of the 2007 season, but there's plenty left in the tank for 2008.

20. Masconomet -- When you fearlessly schedule St. John's Prep, you've got big plans for the season.

The Boston.com Top 100 will be coming later.

Game of the week? Peter Colombo and the Brockton Boxers host Dracut tonight. (Globe File Photo)

The Forsberg 5 is back for another season of mildly educated prognostications. We're jacked and pumped for the new high school football campaign and hope you enjoy the weekly picks.

We avoided a sophomore slump last fall by cobbling together a respectable season (but it certainly wasn't Pedroia-like). After a stellar freshman efforts in which we posted a .739 winning percentage (102-36 overall), we slipped a bit last year and finished with a .718 winning percentage (117-46).

Our goal last season was a .750 winning percentage and we'll set the bar there again this year. As always, feel free to leave your comments telling us how wrong we're going to be about picking against your favorite school.

• No. 13 Chelmsford over Bridgewater-Raynham -- Chelmsford coach Bruce Rich always does a nice job in challenging his squads with quality nonleague opponents early in the season (see their lone loss last year, to Acton-Boxboro in Week 2) and he's found a solid upper-division matchup here with an always gritty B-R squad. While the Lions - the defending Division 1A Super Bowl champions - graduated 25 seniors, including many of their skill players (including All-Scholastics QB Tim Rich and TE Chris Smart) we think they'll be just fine this year while competing with Dracut and Tewksbury for the Merrimack Valley Conference title. The Trojans bring back a solid nucleus from a team that labored through a 5-5 campaign last fall.

• No. 1 Everett over Waltham -- Some will wonder if the Hawks are simply gluttons for punishment. Having flown from the Greater Boston League to the Dual County League this fall, there's no need for Waltham to meet Everett, but the familiar foes lock horns here in Week 1. Kudos to coach Paul Mayberry for challenging his troops, particularly a group that's rebuilding this fall. "I really think the only thing that's going to help this team is the experience; we have to play," Mayberry said. "The more we play, I think, the better we are going to get."

• No. 16 Xaverian over No. 17 Duxbury -- Forget that this is a Division 1 team meeting a Division 2A squad. Duxbury's Shane DiBona is a Division 1 college talent and he'll lead a Dragons squad looking to take down an upper-division power. Duxbury wasTHISclose to earning a playoff berth last year, falling to Patriot League champ Hingham late in the season. Games like this will serve the Dragons well moving forward and, while we think Xaverian's depth helps the Hawks prevail, we guarantee both teams will gain something from this matchup.

• Beverly Hills over Marshfield -- 90210 is back this fall, and we're not just talking about the TV show (though, after watching the first episode of the new 90210, we're probably more excited for this game than setting our DVR for the CW). We very much enjoyed this matchup in 2006 and it produced a great atmosphere (Check out the photos from that game.) In the end, as talented as this Marshfield team figures to be this fall, cross-country trips never bode well for the pros, let alone first-time high school travelers. And, yes, we're aware the Normans actually play in area code 90212, but that's doesn't sound nearly as cool.

• No. 6 Brockton over No. 8 Dracut -- This is our game of week and we'll preface our pick with a reminder to check out the blog tonight for live updates and video highlights from Brockton.

  Even with a first-year head coach (Jeff Moore takes over for Pat Murphy), Dracut beefed up its schedule this fall by adding both Brockton and Everett -- the two most decorated Division 1 programs in Eastern Mass. That move alone shows the Middies are pretty serious about the 2008 season and they've got the talent to back it up. It starts with the no-huddle, spread offense they utilize and it's one of the more exciting attacks you'll find in high school football. But we believe Brockton -- unlike many of Dracut's opponents -- has the athleticism to counter the Middies. Meanwhile, we're not so certain Dracut can match up with the horses Brockton will trot out up front. Both teams will put points on the board, and while the Middies have to be thrilled the weather is no longer a concern with the game moved to tonight, we'll take the Boxers at home.

And here are five quick-hits for opening weekend:

• Walpole over Framigham -- Framingham is better than its 5-6 record from last fall reveals, but the Rebels bring back too much talent, including Division 2 Player of the Year Ryan Izzo, who should kick off the 2008 season with a bang.

• St. John's Prep over Masconomet -- The Chieftains picked a good time to go up against the Division 1 power (St. John's Prep limps in after a disappointing 6-5 campaign, while Masco comes off an ultra-successful 10-2 season and a visit to the playoffs). Trouble for the Chieftains lies in the fact that they're rebuilding their offensive line, a matter exacerbated by the size and athleticism of the defensive front the Eagles' will trot out. Like Duxbury vs. Xaverian, we think both sides will find positives in a matchup that features Division 1 vs. Division 2A, but the Catholic Conference team with more depth prevails again.

• Methuen over Bishop Fenwick -- Let's remember Methuen nearly topped Dracut last Thanksgiving and showed quality improvement down the stretch. Plus, Bishop Fenwick is Tarr-less now and we see the Rangers emerging with a season-igniting win.

• Manchester Essex over Pope John -- The disappointment from falling to Brighton in the Division 4 Super Bowl lingers for Manchester, but a chance to atone -- and finally play inside Gillette Stadium (as the Division 3A Super Bowl shifts to Stonehill this year) -- is probably reason enough to get back to the big game.

• Weymouth over Wellesley -- "Rolls" Royce Terrell takes a regular-season test drive as Weymouth kicks the tires on the 2008 season.

2008 season overall: 0-0
2007 season overall: 117-46 (.718)
2-year total overall: 219-82 (.728)

The Dracut at Brockton football game originally scheduled for Saturday evening has been moved to Friday at 7 p.m. due to the potential for inclement weather.

We'll be live from the City of Champions capturing video highlights and providing updates from opening night of the 2008 season.

As we approach the start of the high school football season (and fall sports in general), we remind coaches and athletic directors to please alert us should any games be moved in time and/or location due to mosquitoes (and the threat of West Nile and Triple E that the little bloodsuckers have been known to carry).

In Braintree, the Wamps took a proactive approach and didn't schedule a single outdoor evening activity until October.

Braintree school officials have not scheduled any evening outdoor events at the high school field until mid-October in response to the threat of West Nile and Triple E, (headmaster David) Swanton said.

“It’s obviously a proactive move,” he said. “Last year, we had pretty much quarantined all athletic events that were scheduled at night.”

This spring, Swanton decided not to schedule any evening games at the high school until Oct. 17, hoping to strike "a happy medium" from last year, he said.

The high school campus contains a lake and wetlands, he said.

Prior to the first evening game in October, the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will spray the entire campus in the early morning hours, according to Swanton.

Each of the more than 1,500 students will receive a packet with safety information before the spraying, which are scheduled from Oct. 16 until mid-November or the first heavy frost, Swanton said.

“This is all in the name of safety,” he said.

MANSFIELD -- We needed one last dose of preseason football before we launch into the 2008 regular season, so the Forsberg Cruiser swung down to Mansfield Wednesday night to check out the Hornets' scrimmage against BC High.

What do you get when you mix two potential top 10 squads (you'll have to wait until Friday's preseason top 20 to know if that's a true statement) on a beautiful fall evening? A bit of a sloppy battle between two teams that ooze potential, but should thank their schedule makers that they don't open up until the weekend of Sept. 12.

BC High led 14-0 at halftime (on two second-quarter touchdowns) in the game-condition scrimmage and that's the way it ended when the game was called after three 11-minute quarters (the entire scrimmage lasted only an hour).

After a snooze-worthy first quarter that featured more punts (4) than first downs, the Eagles dented the scoreboard by returning a fumble recovery for a short score with 9:22 to play in the second frame.

Taking over later in the quarter, the Eagles went to what made them so successful last season and pounded the ball down the field with some smashmouth running. Quarterback Billy Kiley kept the drive alive by hitting Kyle Ewanouski on a fourth-down pass with under a minute to play, then caught a blitzing Mansfield defense for a 15-yard touchdown pass (one play after a receiver dropped a ball in the end zone on a similar play).

What did we learn today? Check out the video highlights at the end of this entry, which feature each team's first offensive series. Here are a few quick thoughts:

• Both of these teams are going to be very good. We really like the potential we saw from BC High, particularly on defense, and we think the Eagles will (cheesy pun alert) soar once they get comfortable in first-year coach Jon Bartlett's system.

• BC High opened the game in the shotgun formation, but didn't experience much success with it (Its first play went for quality yardage, but an illegal block on a screen pass short-circuited the drive). Again, there's potential to mix it up, but the Eagles really shined when running the ball straight at Mansfield (which seemed to wear down ever-so slightly in that second quarter).

• Both teams have some great athletes. BC High's defense is just a blizzard of size and speed. The defensive line is active and the linebackers cover the entire field. Teams are going to struggle to put points on the board against the Eagles (much like last season). We were equally as impressed with Mansfield's front 7, which was quick to the ball and ran well laterally to limit the Eagles on the edges.

• Both passing attacks struggled. Mansfield will iron out those wrinkles as Jeff Mallett takes over for Mark Gilson. Kiley, who threw five TD passes a year ago, seems capable of spreading the ball around and adding a new dimension to the Eagles' offensive attack.

• The folks in the Catholic Conference won't need to watch the highlights to know BC High has good size. That's a given every fall. It's really only be noteworthy if they didn't have big kids up front.

(From left): Nancy Kelley, Anne Rodenbaugh, Sue Lamont, and Jimmy Brown, a group of Natick residents who collected 1,400-plus signatures to keep the Natick mascot name "Redmen." (Globe File Photo)

So it appears the Natick sports teams will indeed go by the moniker "Red & Blue" starting this fall. Actually, we still haven't gotten official word if it's the word "and" or an ampersand in the middle there, but that's beyond the point.

We don't get the feeling it's going to go over well by those who were in favor of keeping the Redmen nickname. This article seems to suggest Redmen fever will still run rampant when the football team kicks off at home on Sept. 12.

Natick opens it season on Saturday evening against Newton North at Bentley College in Waltham.

Got a better name (or just want to rant about this one). Leave a note in the comments section.

We're dusting off our Player Diaries blog for the fall season and we're looking for athletes who might be interested in chronicling their seasons on Boston.com.

Last fall, Mansfield football standout Mike McPherson and Ursuline volleyball All-Scholastic Caitlin Burchill kept us updated on their exciting seasons. Now we want you to tell us all about your fall season.

Interested? Drop us an email with your name, sport you play, and a brief bio about yourself. Remember, you don't have to be the team superstar. Heck, if you're the stats keeper and you want to tell the world about how your team is doing, we want you, too.

We'll pick a handful of our favorites to handle the Player Diaries this fall. Hey, it doesn't look bad on a college resume, either.

During our preseason travels we've gotten updates on a pair of J.T.s -- Dartmouth's Jordan Todman and Charlestown's Jonathan Turner -- who have taken their games to the next level this fall.

During our trip to Dartmouth, Indians coach Richard White reported that Todman -- a true freshman at the University of Connecticut -- shined during a preseason matchup to determine the depth chart (8 carries, 170 yards, 3 TDs; 2 receptions, 50 yards). Todman, who hoped his speed would help him earn a spot as a returner in his first season, seemed destined to find a way on the field as either a returner or running back this season, but suffered a shoulder injury that has sidelined him since that game.

Todman, the Globe's two-time Division 1 Player of the Year, completed his high school career with 5,779 rushing yards, second all-time in the state history.

Turner, a Division 3A Eastern Mass. All-Star and a Boston North All-Star, is attending Hyde Prep in Bath, Maine. According to those close to Turner, he has earned the starting quarterback job for a school that went 7-1 last season.

Turner led all Division 3A quarterbacks with 18 touchdown passes and also rushed for eight scores last fall. He is attending prep school with eyes towards improving his standardized test scores, which should help his recruiting process.

The folks at PrepNation have released their Week 3 National Prep Poll.

While much of the country doesn't launch into action until this week, a couple of locals check in on the Northeast regional poll. Everett shuffles up to No. 5, while Darmouth slides in at No. 10.

Here's the full Northeast top 10, listed by school hometown followed by school name, with record and last week's position.

1. Monroeville, Pa., Gateway (1-0-0) (1)
2. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep (0-0-0) (2)
3. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's (0-0-0) (3)
4. Philadelphia, Pa., Saint Josephs Prep (1-0-0) (7)
5. Everett, Mass. (0-0-0) (8)
6. Lansdale, Pa., North Penn (1-0-0) --
7. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional (0-0-0) (9)
8. Altoona, Pa. (1-0-0) --
9. Mastic Beach, N.Y., Floyd (0-0-0) (10)
10. South Dartmouth, Mass., Dartmouth (0-0-0) --

Each day we update High School Sports Central with the latest feature story and league-by-league preview capsules, but if you're looking for all of our season preview content in one spot hop over to our Football Preview 2008 homepage.

You'll find our daily feature stories in the center column (with accompanying photo galleries and additional content) and all our league-by-league previews are organized by division in the left-hand rail.

Enjoy.

The fine folks at MWLsports.com have passed along their broadcast schedule for the upcoming season:

Sept. 13 Middleboro at Coyle & Cassidy 1:30pm WVBF (1530am)
Sept. 19 Brockton at Taunton 7pm (www.mwlsports.com)
Sept. 26 Durfee at Taunton 7pm (www.mwlsports.com)
Oct. 4 Taunton at BC High 2:30pm WVBF 1530am
Oct. 10 Dartmouth at Taunton WSAR 1840 am
Oct. 18 Bishop Feehan at Coyle & Cassidy 1:30pm WVBF 1530
Nov. 1 Taunton at Barnstable 3pm WVBF 1530
Nov. 7 New Bedford at Taunton 7pm WSAR 1480am
Nov. 14 Bridgewater-Raynham at Taunton 6pm WSAR 1480am
Nov. 27 Coyle & Cassidy vs. Taunton WVBF 1530am
Nov. 27 Quincy vs North Quincy ESPN 890am

HOLDEN -- One of the most intriguing first-week matchups this fall is the Dracut-Brockton battle on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. at Marciano Stadium.

Last week we caught a glimpse of Brockton when they came out to Central Mass. (this reporter's home base) for a scrimmage against St. John's (Shrewsbury). This week, Dracut did us the favor of trekking back to God's Country to tangle with Wachusett Regional in a game-condition scrimmage on the Mountaineers' sparkling new turf.

So here are a few thoughts as the two team's prepare to take the field following "halftime"...

• Dracut's spread offense is sure to cause some opponents fits again this fall. Building off the foundation laid by former coach Pat Murphy, the Middies lived in the four-receiver set Saturday (often stacking trips to one side) and really took advantage of a young Wachusett secondary.

  Quarterback Matt Grimard (12 TD passes, 8 rushing TDs last fall) stands 6 feet, 5 inches and boasts a rocket of a left arm. He's also got mobility and speed, which he showed in scampering about 80 yards on the second play of the game, which set up a short touchdown pass three plays later.

  Grimard completed another touchdown pass later in the second quarter to help Dracut carry a 12-7 advantage into the intermission.

• Drops did plague Dracut, which probably could have generated at least one extra first-half score had its receivers hauled in catchable balls. That said, the refs also bailed out Wachusett at one point, when a returner muffed a first-quarter punt and the play was blown dead quickly as the teams had agreed to end returns early to preserve player health.

• Grimard and the Middies really love the middle of the field. Outside receivers running streaks really open up the middle for slot receivers running skinny posts or sitting down underneath the coverage.

• The Middies' defense has a lot of athletes, but there's work to be done on this side of the ball. Wachusett had success moving the ball (particularly on traps and screens), but was plagued by turnovers (a fumble on its first series and an interception in the second quarter).

• Wachusett caught Dracut leaning with an inside reverse to score its lone touchdown in the first quarter that put the Mountaineers out front, 7-6, for a bit.

• As we write this, Dracut has simply taken over this scrimmage. With its first offensive unit still on the field, they've added a trio of touchdown passes against an overwhelmed Wachusett squad. The Middies have snared a handful of interceptions on defense as well.

• There's a video at the bottom of this entry featuring Wachusett's first offensive series (which ended with a fumble). We asked both teams if we could film their opening series, but Dracut politely declined our request due to scouting issues. Yes, the Middies are serious about the 2008 season, particularly with Brockton (a rivalry in the making?) and Everett on the schedule this fall.

• For more on Dracut, check out our Merrimack Valley Conference football preview capsules.

• For those curious about Wachusett, coach Mike Dubzinski told me before the scrimmage that his squad is incredibly young, but "they want to learn and get better." We think the Mountaineers have a bright future as they competed strong early on, but they also play in one of the toughest divisions in Central Mass. Regardless, Dubzinski is one of the best coaches inside of 495 (the entire Dubzinski family is a class act and one of the reasons we love CMass. football) and he'll have his team ready to compete when they open up on Sept. 12 against Algonquin.

Space constraints limit the goodness we can jam into our team-by-team preview capsules that began appearing in the Globe this morning. But we've got you covered online as extended capsules will once again appear on Boston.com.

Hop over to High School Sports Central to check out the latest capsules, which debuted today with Division 1 leagues (Big 3, Catholic Conference, Greater Boston League, Old Colony League).

There you'll also find all the 2008 team-by team schedules.

Defending Division 3 Super Bowl champion Swampscott scrimmages Methuen in a couple hours, and considering all the information head coach Steve Dembowski has his players download since preseason opened Aug. 18, it's almost like the Big Blue is testing software.

“I’d definitely say we have one of the most detailed system’s in the area,” said Dembowski, who in his tenth season as Swampscott's head coach brought the Big Blue its first championship in some three decades.

He said new quarterback Chris Cameron, the 6-foot, 180-pound senior stepping in under center for Peter Kinchley, has to be the smartest player on the field. But at yesterday’s practice, Cameron wasn’t the only player on the field wearing a wristband to recall plays.

Backs, receivers and at least one assistant coach also appeared to have bands around their arms just to keep up with the nuances of Dembowski’s system, and Dembowski himself had a full laminated play sheet dangling from his shorts.

The plus side is that the Big Blue have experience coming back, the minus is that most of it’s on defense. The scrimmage will give everyone a chance to see how much of Dembowski’s system the players have learned.

Our team-by-team football schedules for the 2008 season have been posted online.

Schedules were culled from a variety of sources and while we hunted for any noticeable errors, omissions, or changes, there's sure to be a handful that slipped through the cracks. We strive to provide the most accurate data, so if you notice an inaccuracy in your favorite team's schedule, please post it in the comments section of this entry, or email me with the information. We'll make the changes to our online database.

For those interested in printing out the master schedule that appeared in today's Globe, download this PDF file.

Please also note that roster information is beginning to appear below most team's schedules. Players' years have not been updated from last season, but will do so before the start of the new season.

SHREWSBURY -- Brockton coach Peter Colombo assesses his team's performance in Saturday's scrimmage versus St. John's (Shrewsbury) and offers some insight about his team as the 2008 season approaches.

• Click HERE to watch Colombo's interview

SHREWSBURY -- Check out the clip below to see highlights from Brockton's trek west to play St. John's (Shrewsbury) in a preseason scrimmage Saturday at Pioneer Field. The video features the first possession for both teams.

Colleague Brendan Hall checked in on the previous entry with a recap of the scrimmage. While it's hard to put too much stock in the score of scrimmages, it's worth noting that Brockton scored five times (twice defensively on interceptions), while keeping St. John's out of the end zone.

• Click HERE to watch the scrimmage video

The Brockton High Boxers traveled to Shrewsbury this morning for a scrimmage with St. John's High. Brockton scored five times -- including two interception returns -- and did not allow one Pioneers score.

Boxers head coach Peter Colombo was pleased with what he saw today.

"I thought we held our own against a pretty big, good-sized opponent," he said. "Considering this is only our third day in pads, I'm satisfied."

A few notes below:

--After spelling Jarron McNeil and Josh Marsh at tailback the past two seasons, Brockton's Khalil James-Offley will be one of the biggest keys to the offense this year -- and he looks capable. James, one of just two returning starters on offense, scored on a 13-yard run on the Boxers' first offensive series. Like many a Brockton tailback, he is shifty and moves well in open space.

"Khalil's been ready for more than a year. This is his opportunity, and we expect alot out of Khalil James," Colombo said. He later added, "He would have started last year on most teams."

--Based on today's action, I would say the Pioneers' biggest strength is in its front four. All four are 6-foot-3 or taller and average over 250 pounds across. The player to watch in this group is Rob Blanchflower, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end/tight end who is being recruited by several Division 1 schools. This unit should be one of the toughest in Central Mass. against the run.

-Once again, there appears to be a wealth of speed on the Brockton defense. Linebackers Alex White, John Shelby, Marquise Walker and Greg Kelly, and defensive end Jeff Tauron were quick to the ball, and were effective in sealing off the corners. Defensive backs Jamal Johnso and Albert Louis-Jean also had pick-6's.

-Brockton's new ffensive line coach, David Grime, has his unit looking good despite returning just one starter, left tackle Henry Thiven. Grimes, a former Boxer offensive lineman in the late 80's, brings a wealth of knowledge to the program.

"David is doing a nice job so far, and we haven't missed a beat," Colombo said. "Not that we don't miss coach Fouraker, but David is more than capable of doing that. I like what he brings."

DARTMOUTH -- Arthur Lynch-Fontaine may be bound for the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs next fall, but his focus right now is solely on the 2008 high school football season.

Despite the loss of two-time, Boston Globe Division 1 Player of the Year Jordan Todman, Lynch-Fontaine thinks the foundation remains as the Indians hope to build on last year's success and return to the Super Bowl (where they fell to Everett in overtime in December).

Check out the video below to hear Lynch-Fontaine's thoughts on this year's squad. We'll have much, much more with Dartmouth's highly touted senior tight end / defensive end / long-snapper in the coming days.

• Click HERE to hear Lynch-Fontaine's thoughts on the 2008 season

A 25-man roster and a 17-game losing streak doesn't keep Millis coach Dale Olmsted and his team from dreaming big.

MILLIS -- As football teams hop into full pads and begin two-a-day sessions on the gridiron, Boston.com kicks off its 2008 coverage in Millis. We know what you're thinking: Millis!? One of eight teams to go winless during the 2007 campaign? That's right. Check out the video below to see exactly why we're hanging with the Mohawks to start the season.

• Click HERE to watch a larger version.

USA Today unveiled its top 5 high school players by position as part of its preseason coverage in today's edition.

Dartmouth's Arthur Lynch-Fontaine lands at No. 4 in the ranking of tight ends. Only problem is that his college is listed as the University of Southern California.

Don't fret, Bulldogs. Lynch-Fontaine is, last we checked, still headed to Georgia (Scorned Boston College supporters can throw in a jab here about Lynch-Fontaine potentially changing his mind again).

But hey, can we agree that it's pretty cool to have a local product having his name tossed around with two of the top three programs in the nation.

We'll have plenty more on Lynch-Fontaine as the preseason continues.

Bishop Feehan celebrates its Super Bowl victory last year. (Stan Grossfeld / Globe Staff)

It's opening day for football teams across the Bay State as the 2008 season begins in earnest with the first of three individual conditioning sessions. On Thursday, teams can launch into full-pad double sessions (the same day the other fall sports begin practicing) with eyes towards the season-opening kickoff on Friday, Sept. 5.

We'll be hitting the road this week as we start to check in with teams from across the region. We'll check back with reports and postcards from camp later this week.

Dartmouth senior tight end/defensive end Arthur Lynch-Fontaine, who earlier this year reneged on his verbal commitment to Boston College, has instead committed to the University of Georgia.

web exclusive Fontaine reaches new heights

Lynch-Fontaine, who made the commitment after a second visit to Athens last week, told the Globe: "There's nothing wrong with [BC]," he said in a phone interview Tuesday night. "They have a great football program, but I was so familiar with the school... Part of college should be about going off to do your own thing for four or five years and mature as a person -- academically, physically and mentally. Just do your own thing for a couple years.

"With BC, I would have got a great education, a great degree and a great football career if it had played out, but I wouldn't have got the same experience because I was so familiar with it."

Georgia, of course, is the preseason No. 1 in college football. Not a bad choice for a Massachusetts product.

Arthur Lynch-Fontaine (88) gives teammate Jordan Todman a boost following a touchdown. (Stan Grossfeld / Globe Staff)

In May, Lynch-Fontaine verbally committed to BC before deciding to utilize his five official visits before sealing that pact.

Lynch-Fontaine today told the Atlanta Journal Constitution: "I never had any intentions of going to Georgia when they first offered. But I visited and loved it. Then I visited Georgia again last week and loved it more.”

Fontaine added: “My mom loved Coach [Mark] Richt and Georgia, which just confirmed how I felt about everything. I still can’t believe this kid from Massachusetts is going down to Georgia, and that the No. 1 team in the country wanted me so badly. My mom just said everything happens for a reason, and she’s right.”

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior-to-be caught 10 passes for 160 yards last season, but also paved the way for much of Jordan Todman's 1,970 yards and 35 touchdowns (the Globe's two-time Division 1 Player of the Year is now at UConn). The Indians advanced to the Division 1 Super Bowl before falling to Everett.

Despite the change of heart back in May, Fontaine sounds like he's already slept on this latest decision, telling the Journal Constitution: "Recruiting is over for me.”

Dartmouth coach Richard White had told the Globe earlier that a decision would be formally announced today. Fontaine made the commitment last week, but waited until today to alert the media as he informed the other prospective schools of his decision.

For more on Lynch-Fontaine's commitment, check out the Globe's web exclusive story.

With the first official day of football practice now only a week away (Monday, Aug. 18), we're stocking up on postage as we'll roll out season 2 of our "Postcards from camp" series starting next week.

Check out the High School Sports Blog archives from August and September of last year to see how we tackled the series. This year, we'll try to incorporate more video from our visits. Click HERE to check out all of our gridiron video from last season.

A couple other key dates to get you in the football mood:

• Postcards will be a recurring feature throughout the preseason and our concurrent countdown of the top 10 preseason football teams will begin around Aug. 27 and run through opening day on Sept. 5. Keep an eye on the "Countdown to Kickoff" clock on High School Sports Central as opening day approaches.

• Preseason coverage in the Globe begins Aug. 26 with a season-opening feature and the complete Massachusetts football schedule (which will also be available here online). The league-by-league preview capsules will begin with Division 1 the following day.

As always, your input is welcomed. Use the comments section to send us feedback on teams and players to watch, or anything else that's on your mind.

Enjoy the final week of summer, gridders. The 2008 season begins in earnest in seven days.

Everett's Jim Noel makes an interception on a pass intended for Dartmouth's Arthur Fontaine. (Stan Grossfeld / Globe Staff)

Division 1 Super Bowl combatants Everett and Dartmouth were ranked in the PrepNation.com preseason Top 25 football poll for the northeast region.

Everett, which topped Dartmouth 36-28 in overtime in December's title game, checks in at No. 8, while Dartmouth spots at No. 12. Western Mass. power Longmeadow joins the fray at No. 24. Here's the complete Top 25 for the northeast region:

1. Monroeville, Pa., Gateway (11-2-0)
2. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep (12-0-0)
3. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's (11-1-0)
4. Wexford, Pa., North Allegheny (11-1-0)
5. Allentown, Pa., Parkland (15-1-0)
6. Langhorne, Pa., Neshaminy (11-2-0)
7. Philadelphia, Pa., Saint Josephs Prep (10-3-0)
8. Everett, Mass. (13-0-0)
9. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional (9-2-0)
10. Mastic Beach, N.Y., Floyd (11-0-0)
11. Pittsburgh, Pa., Central Catholic (16-0-0)
12. South Dartmouth, Mass., Dartmouth (11-2-0)
13. McKeesport, Pa. (10-2-0)
14. Pittsburgh, Pa., Penn Hills (6-5-0)
15. Oradell, N.J., Bergen Catholic (8-3-0)
16. Rochester, N.Y., Aquinas (13-0-0)
17. Greenwich, Conn. (11-1-0)
18. State College, Pa. (6-5-0)
19. Wayne, N.J., Wayne Hills (12-0-0)
20. Lansdale, Pa., North Penn (9-3-0)
21. New London, Conn. (11-1-0)
22. Bethlehem, Pa., Liberty (10-2-0)
23. Abescon, N.J., Holy Spirit (12-0-0)
24. Longmeadow, Mass. (13-0-0)
25. Melville, N.Y., St. Anthony's (10-1-0)

Check out all the PrepNation polls, including the nationwide Top 101, which does not feature any Bay State squads.

Here's the schedule for the 2008 Agganis All-Star Classics:

• Awards ceremony -- Sun. July 13, 10 a.m. -- Fraser Field, Lynn
• 11th Softball Classic -- Sun. July 13, noon -- Fraser Field
• 14th Baseball Classic -- Sun. July 13, 2 p.m. -- Fraser Field
• 4th Women’s Basketball -- Mon. July 14, 6 p.m. -- Lynn English
• 4th Men’s Basketball -- Mon. July 14, 7:30 p.m. -- Lynn English
• 13th Men’s Soccer -- Tues. July 15, 5:30 p.m. -- Manning Field, Lynn
• 13th Women’s Soccer -- Tue. July 15, 7:30 p.m. -- Manning Field
• 48th Football Classic -- Wed July 16, 7 p.m. -- Manning Field

After the jump you'll find all the rosters that we've been provided for the event.

Durgin (Handout Photo)

Well the St. Mary's football opener on Sept. 11 against Lynn Classical just got a whole lot more interesting.

Less than three months after stepping down as head football coach at Classical, Matt Durgin accepted the head coaching position crosstown at St. Mary's Tuesday.

“I am probably just as surprised as anyone that this happened at this point,” Durgin said. “I was certainly not looking for another job so soon. When (Athletic Director) Jeff (Newhall) spoke to me, my first reaction was I wouldn’t do it, but he convinced me to think it over.”

Durgin, who stepped down to take time away from coaching and spend more time with his daughters, evidently had a change of heart before accepting the position.

“This is a perfect situation for me,” Durgin said. “I have one daughter (Molly) in the eighth grade at St. Mary’s and another (Mattie) who will be in the seventh grade next year. The football coach really needs to spend a lot of time at the school in the offseason. I can do that, and watch my daughters’ games and practices at the same time. I feel extremely fortunate to have that opportunity and I know I would have regretted not taking advantage of it.”

Follow the jump to check out the full press release from St. Mary's, along with a bio on Durgin.

The Central Mass. All-Stars defeated the Western Mass. All-Stars, 15-14, in the eighth annual Shrine Chowder Bowl All-Star Classic, Friday at Springfield College's Amos Alonzo Stagg Field.

For the Central squad, Marlboro quarterback Josh Carter (2 of 6 passing, 30 yards; 8 carries, 60 yards, 1 TD) and Millbury defensive lineman Connor Devlin were named Offensive and Defensive MVPs, respectively. Other significant performances include Shrewsbury quarterback Jawad Yatim (8 of 11, 57 yards, 1 TD), Worcester Burncoat tight end Dan Burke (4 catches, 31 yards, 1 TD) and Fitchburg running back Jonny Gomez (15 carries, 57 yards).

For the West, East Longmeadow running back Chris Setian (8 carries, 27 yards, 1 TD) picked up the Offensive MVP honors, while Springfield Central linebacker George Hargrove was named defensive MVP. Longmeadow quarterback Pat Donnelly was also nine of 13 passing for 86 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The Western All-Stars scored on their first two drives to take a 14-0 lead after seven minutes, but Central stormed back to score 15 unanswered points in a span of less than 90 seconds late in the third quarter.

First, Yatim capped a 12-play, 95-yard, six-minute drive with an 11-yard scoring strike to Burke. The snap on the point-after field goal try was botched, but Carter managed to run it into the near right corner for a successful try. The ensuing kickoff was misfielded, and Oakmont's Cody Brown dove on the ball at the West 14. Three plays later, Carter ran a three-yard naked boot around the right side, and St. John's Pat Lowe kicked the extra point, for the 15-14 score with 1:08 left in the quarter.

Central has now won five straight in the series, and is 6-1-1 all-time.

Can't get enough football? Head to Waltham this Friday. The 30th Shriners Football Classic, the annual North-versus-South all-star clash, will be played at Bentley at 7 p.m.

All proceeds from the game, which usually draws 5,000-6,000 fans, will benefit Shriners hospitals. Players must be graduating seniors nominated by their school. The final rosters are chosen by the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association.

“It's a great honor to be selected by the Shriners organization to coach the team,” said Brockton head coach Peter Columbo, who will coach the South squad. “Every kid is an all-star. It's a great group of kids who are gonna play in the game.”

Tickets are $10 and are available at the gate. For advance tickets, contact Aleppo Shriners at 978-657-4202, ext 20.

The game king is Stephen Cullinane and the game queen is Carrie Holmstrom. To read more about Holmstrom's story, click here or visit her website.

We'll have more in the Globe later this week. For now, here are the updated game rosters.

UPDATE: Now includes full coaching staffs

North

# - Player, school

5 - Nate Adames, Greater Lawrence
7 - Chris Cleary, Winchester
10 - Tim Rich, Chelmsford
11 - Jesse Sparks, Cambridge
12 - Tim Morrison, Billerica
14 - Mike Pierce, Andover
20 - Ernie Mello, Wilmington
21 - Andrew Fulford, Gloucester
22 - Dan McLaughlin, Woburn
24 - Nate Masterson, Hamilton Wenham
25 - Pat Noone, Nobles
30 - Greg Pierce, Beverly
31 - Ian Viera, Thayer
32 - Isaac Johnson, Everett
33 - Kenny Mangie, Billerica
34 - Chris Lane, Lawrence Academy
35 - Mark Hogan, Lincoln-Sudbury
41 - Mike Leavitt, Central Catholic
42 - Brian Alessandro, Pope John
43 - Stephen Aborn, Milton Academy
44 - Nico Papas, BB&N
45 - Nick Desjardins, Arlington Catholic
50 - Joe Cerrone, Wayland
51 - Herman Brito, Wayland
52 - Matt Evans, Thayer
53 - Craig Richardson, Malden Catholic
54 - Pat McGrath, Everett
55 - Sean Morris, Melrose
61 - Robert Hamilton, Winthrop
62 - Mike Mavropoulos, Reading
63 - Jerard Warren, Cambridge
64 - Brian Palangi, Swampscott
65 - Antonio Johnson, Lynn Classical
66 - Walter McCarthy, Milton Academy
70 - Teddy Reed, Masconomet
71 - Dan Fox, Tyngsborough
72 - Tim Lee, Stoneham
73 - John Riley, Wakefield
74 - Pat Lahey, Brooks
75 - Nick Halloran, BB&N
76 - Elike Kumahia, Nobles
80 - Quivari Jackson, Lynn Classical
81 - Brandon Wade, Georgetown
82 - Sean McGahan, Rivers
83 - Anthony Enderle, Gloucester
84 - Mark Dwyer, Woburn
85 - Chris Smart, Chelmsford
86 - Derek Lowe, Tewksbury
87 - Bobby Tarr, Bishop Fenwick

Head coach
Dave Woods, Bishop Fenwick
Assistant coaches
Peter Flynn, Billerica
Matt Bouchard, Georgetown
John Fiore, Reading
Darren Sullivan, Rivers
Joe Gaff, Malden Catholic
Trainers
Nicole Creonte, Katie McFarlane

South

# - Player, school
5 - Paul Asack, Xaverian
7 - Mark Gilson, Mansfield
10 - Tyrone Figueroa, East Boston
11 - Tim Mogan, Foxborough
12 - Tyler Dow, Franklin
14 - Derrick Duquette, Plymouth South
20 - Elijah Harris, North Attleboro
21 - Jo Jo Jamiel, Dennis-Yarmouth
22 - Matt Edwards, Holliston
23 - Joe Jeudy, Stoughton
24 - Nick Montalto, Dennis-Yarmouth
25 - Ed Asaley, Newton North
30 - Keegan Grabhorn, Plymouth North
31 - Darren Thellen, Brockton
32 - Mitch McClune, BC High
33 - Kariym Azeez, Brighton
34 - Nick Schwieger, Bishop Feehan
35 - Matt Bellomo, Holliston
41 - Julian Colarusso, Catholic Memorial
43 - Brad Poirier, Marshfield
44 - Brett Wyman, Bridgewater-Raynham
45 - Peter Bobseine, Duxbury
50 - Tom Duffy, BC High
51 - Paul Freeman, Xaverian
52 - Ryan Andrew, Dartmouth
53 - Mike Abany, Mansfield
54 - Mike Welch, Medfield
55 - Mike Ridge, BC High
61 - Billy Goodale, Mansfield
62 - Rich McCann, Hingham
63 - Kevin Broderick, Plymouth North
65 - David Garfield, Marshfield
66 - Chris Paine, Bishop Feehan
70 - Josh Previte, Brockton
71 - Jake Cuneo, Cohassett
72 - Alex Sharp, Bridgewater-Raynham
73 - Chris Howard, Seekonk
74 - Andrew Jameson, Brockton
75 - Brian Woollard, Foxborough
76 - Kyle Crowley, Norwood
80 - Josh Paulson, Martha's Vineyard
81 - Vaughn Askew, Brockton
82 - Alex Cuomo, Scituate
83 - Jason Dellorco, Franklin
84 - Kameel Lashley, Brighton
85 - Chris Constantine, Hingham
86 - Chris Hanoian, Seekonk

Head coach
Peter Colombo, Brockton
Assistant coaches
Dan Buron, Bridgewater-Raynham
Don Herman, Martha's Vineyard
Dave Maimaron, Duxbury
Timo Philip, Brighton
Brad Sidwell, Franklin
Trainer
Teresa Petty

Dartmouth football standout Arthur Lynch-Fontaine has decided to make his five official college visits before sealing his commitment, according to Indians football coach Richard White.

Lynch-Fontaine, who earlier this month verbally committed to Boston College, seems to be having second thoughts and wants to check out other potential suitors like Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and Penn State, all of which expressed interest in him during the recruiting process.

Lynch-Fontaine, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound junior tight end / defensive end, caught 10 passes for 160 yards last season, but also paved the way for much of UConn-bound Jordan Todman's 1,970 yards and 35 touchdowns as the Indians advanced to the Division 1 Super Bowl before falling to Everett.

A quick snapshot of a handful of former local high school standouts and their fate in this year's NFL Draft:

• OL Gosder Cherilus, Somerville (Boston College) -- Cherlius got tabbed on Day 1 (1st round, 17th overall) by the Detroit Lions. The Globe's Craig Larson has the details.

• OL Breno Giacomini, Malden (Louisville) -- Giacomini got nabbed on Day 2 (5th round, 150th overall) by the Green Bay Packers.

• LB Jonathan Goff, St. John's Prep (Vanderbilt) -- Goff got selected on Day 2 (5th round, 165th overall) by the New York Giants.

• OL Mackenzy Bernadeau, Waltham (Bentley) -- Bernadeau got nabbed on Day 2 (7th round, 250th overall) by the Carolina Panthers. Bernadeau was one of the final selections of the 252 picks overall.

• QB Ricky Santos, Bellingham (Univeristy of New Hampshire) -- Santos was not drafted. Santos will sign a two-year free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to his agent, Brad Blank.

Thoughts: What a weekend for the seemingly soon-to-be defunct Greater Boston League. The conference groomed three of the four local products tabbed in the draft in Somerville's Cherilus, Malden's Giacomini, and Waltham's Bernadeau. And don't forget Jonathan Goff's ties to Peabody (the former St. John's Prep star is listed as residing in the town that, until recently, competed out of the GBL).

It will be interesting to see if any other standouts from the region land free-agent offers in the coming days.

Click HERE to read more on locals picked in Day 2 of the draft.

Since his departure from Cambridge in December, Paul Gonnella said he has been all over the country, around the clock, in search of the right coaching job. Finally, the most prominent virtue he expressed -– patience -– appears to have paid off.

Gonnella said has accepted a job last week at the University of North Carolina to be the football program’s Director of Player Personnel and Assistant Recruiting Coordinator.

The job offer would effectively end a four-month journey that Gonnella said spanned eight states and included a stint as an assistant coach for the U.S. Army All-American Game.

Last month, the Raleigh News & Observer reported that UNC got a commitment from former Cambridge wide receiver Joshua Adams, a top recruit in the class of 2009, who is now at Cheshire (Conn.) Academy.

Word filtered out in January that Adams had left Cambridge to attend the college preparatory school in the Nutmeg State.

Since hiring Butch Davis as its head coach in 2007, the Tar Heels have been considered a program on the rebound. They pulled in a top defensive line recruit, Marvin Austin, a year ago, and this year have signed six recruits labeled as four-star recruits on Rivals.com.

“It’s an unbelievable situation. I’m real excited,” Gonnella said. “I’m just going to work my butt off, and do the best I can for this school and this football program.”

After graduating from Salem State in 1999, Gonnella served as an assistant coach at Lovejoy (Ga.) High School from 2001-02, then jumped to Mississippi State for two years as a graduate assistant.

Most recently, Gonnella served as head coach at Cambridge Rindge & Latin starting in 2005, where he spearheaded the program's recent turnaround. The Falcons went 4-7 in his first season, before posting a 7-3 mark (but finishing third in the GBL behind both Everett and Waltham).

Last season, the Falcons went 7-4, but the season was marred by Gonnella's sudden and unexplained departure from the program late in the season. Gonnella stepped down as head coach after Everett hammered the Falcons, 42-6, on Thanksgiving Day.

Boston.com's Chris Forsberg contributed to this report

BC High today named Jon Bartlett as its new football coach.

Bartlett, the school's Athletic Director, replaces Ron St. George, who recently departed for Cardinal Spellman after a three-year stint that included an undefeated regular season and a Catholic Conference championship this past fall.

"I am very excited by this opportunity," said Bartlett. "BC High football has a long tradition of excellence in this state, and I look forward to taking on a job that will help continue that tradition."

After the jump, we've included the full press release from BC High and more on Bartlett.