As CMass colleges kick off soon, here's a starting 11 of local football players to watch
The college football season is set to kick off for local schools, and there are several area talents dotting their rosters. Here's a look at some players to watch this season:
Kwasi Boakye, Fitchburg State
Freshman, Slot back
Worcester/Burncoat
Last season, Boakye was Burncoat’s leading receiver and tackler, and his talents were evident to Fitchburg State coach Scott Sperone.
“You can see he has some ability,” Sperone said. “We think he can emerge into being a good leader.”
As a senior at Burncoat, Boakye had 30 receptions for 415 yards and four touchdowns. He made a team-high 65 tackles and had one interception.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Boakye is quick, and he will line up as a slot back for the Falcons and also play special teams.
“He’s been doing a good job in camp picking up the plays and making plays,” Sperone said.
Boakye, who was a 2021 Joseph R. Mewhiney Central Mass. Division 7 all-star, is one of five incoming Fitchburg State players from Worcester.
“In recruiting,” Sperone said, “I really wanted to try to win Worcester.”
Mason Broyles, Worcester State
Senior, Defensive back
Millbury
At 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, Broyles isn’t one of Worcester State’s biggest players, but he makes his presence felt in the back of the Lancers’ defense.
“He’s a great athlete,” Worcester State coach Adam Peloquin said, “and he isn’t afraid to throw his body around. We’re excited to have him back there again.”
Broyles and his former high school teammate, Noah Peterson, are the Lancers’ starting safeties.
In 2021, Broyles ranked second, behind Peterson, with 65 total tackles. He forced two fumbles and broke up four passes. He had a team-high 10 tackles in Worcester State’s win over Mass. Maritime.
“Mason is a tremendous athlete and one of the fastest guys on the team,” Peloquin said. “He is a very smart player, and having him and Noah playing safety gives us a veteran presence back there, and they know what we expect.”
Douglas Cain, WPI
Junior, Tight end
Jefferson/Wachusett Regional
Cain played in nine game for the Engineers last season, had six receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns, and emerged as WPI’s top tight end. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder will have an expanded role in WPI’s offense this fall.
“He’s done a great job in terms of off-season preparation,” WPI coach Chris Robertson said. “He’s bigger and faster. He’s great in the run game and has one of the best hands on the team. He’s overall an outstanding player in our program.”
After five straight winning seasons, the Engineers dipped to 3-7 last year and averaged 20.7 points per game. Cain scored a pair of TDs in WPI’s 38-6 victory over Coast Guard.
Cain, a Mid-Wach A all-star his senior season at Wachusett, provides WPI’s quarterbacks a big and reliable target.
“He doesn’t have the speed of the receivers,” Robertson said, “but in terms of route running and strong hands and going up and attacking the football, he’s one of the best in our offense. We’ll split him out a little bit, he’ll be in the backfield, he’ll line up as a tight end. He’ll do a lot of things. He will definitely have a much expanded role.”
Zach Khallady, Assumption
Senior, Defensive lineman
Leominster
The 5-foot-9, 270-pound Khallady played in just three games for the Greyhounds last year, but after a tremendous offseason, he is an expected starter at nose guard this fall.
“He’s one of the strongest players on the team and one of the most hard-working players on the team,” Assumption coach Andy McKenzie said. “He has a blue-collar mentality and he is a prototypical throwback nose guard — tough, stout, and he can pick up and plug his gaps well and make two guys have to block him so the linebackers can run to the ball. He has really improved his ability to contribute significantly this season.”
At Leominster, Khallady was a three-time defensive line MVP and his team MVP as a senior.
Assumption, which was picked second in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, ranked fifth in the conference in scoring and total defense last year.
“Our defense is multiple and seven or eight guys will play through the D-line,” McKenzie said. “We play with a very aggressive mentality and put a lot of pressure on the offenses.”
Jakob Lufkin, Fitchburg State
Junior, Offensive lineman
Worcester/Worcester Tech
Lufkin played in nine games last season and made five starts, and again he is in the mix for a starting guard position.
“He is doing a good job,” Fitchburg State coach Scott Sperone said.
The Falcons averaged just 7.4 points per game during an 0-10 campaign in 2021, so Lufkin will be looking to help lead a much better offensive output.
The 5-foot-9 Lufkin was a three-year starter on Worcester Tech’s offensive line.
Lufkin, who makes his way around FSU on his longboard and plays the didgeridoo, a wind instrument associated with Indigenous Australian music, is well-known on campus.
“He is a character,” Sperone said. “Everyone on the team loves him.”
A former Worcester Tech teammate of Lufkin, Jan Valls, is one of five incoming players from Worcester on the Fitchburg State roster.
“Hopefully these Worcester guys will continue to develop and be key players on the team,” Sperone said.
Mike Mahoney, Worcester State
Graduate student, Offensive lineman
Worcester/Doherty High
Mahoney, the Lancers’ starting right guard and veteran of the O-line, is back for his graduate season.
“We’re very fortunate to have him,” Worcester State coach Adam Peloquin said. “He is the true leader, the captain of the captains, so to speak. He is a great presence in the locker room and the meeting room, and you definitely see a lot of people look up to him. He’s also one of our hardest workers on and off the field.”
The Lancers finished 3-7 last season, Peloquin’s first as Worcester State coach. Each of their wins came in come-from-behind fashion, and the Lancers gained confidence as the season progressed. Ke’Vaughn Davis, a junior this year, emerged as a star and led the MASCAC in receiving yards per game (113) and touchdowns (13).
The 6-foot-2, 285-pound Mahoney will continue to be a key part of Worcester State’s offense.
“He’s a dominating force,” Peloquin said. “He can physically dominate for us up front. He did that at times for us last year. We’re hoping we can get a little more consistency because he has the tools for it. We’re hoping he can put it all together this year.”
Patrick May, Assumption
Senior, Kicker
Boylston/Tahanto Regional
May earned his nickname, “Patty Ice,” his freshman season at Assumption when he nailed the winning field goals in overtime to beat Northeast-10 Conference foes Bentley and Stonehill.
“He doesn’t seem to get flustered very easily,” Assumption coach Andy McKenzie said, “and that’s a good quality for a kicker for sure.”
May, who starred for the West Boylston High football team and was a 2019 NE-10 All-Rookie Team selection, made 7 of 12 field goal attempts and 29 of 31 PATs last season. His longest field goal was from 38 yards.
During training camp, May has been consistently connecting from 42-45 yards.
“He has made some really important kicks in past seasons,” McKenzie said, “and I really think this offseason was incredible for Pat. He improved his strength level significantly and improved his technique significantly. He’s kicking the ball with a lot of power and a lot of accuracy right now. He made the most of the offseason, and we’re expecting him to again be a really reliable kicker.”
Nick Mercuri, Nichols
Senior, Offensive lineman
Shrewsbury
By Week 3 last season, Mercuri emerged as a starting guard for the Bison and helped pave the way for running back Josh Pierre-Charles rank as one of the top rushers in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
The 6-foot-1, 285-pound Mercuri has solidified his starting spot for 2022, and will be looking to help the Bison improve upon last year’s 2-8 record.
“He’s a tough kid and he comes from a great high school program,” Nichols coach Dale Olmstead said. “We like his leadership and his relentlessness. He doesn’t give up easy.”
A two-way lineman at Shrewsbury, Mercuri helped the Colonials to a 7-4 record his senior year.
“We focus on guys who come from great high school programs just to pick up where they left off,” Olmstead said.
Michael Peloza, Nichols
Sophomore, Wide receiver
Brimfield/Tantasqua Regional
As a freshman, Peloza was behind a number of senior wide receivers on Nichols’ depth chart and didn’t play in 2021, but this fall, he will be in the Bison’s rotation.
“He had a great spring,” Nichols coach Dale Olmstead said. “His role is going to increase.”
Olmstead noted Peloza’s hard work, perseverance and commitment to the Bison program. It was the same at Tantasqua.
Peloza didn’t see much varsity action as a junior, but his senior season (the COVID Fall 2 season), he emerged as a key contributor in Tantasqua’s offense and defense. He caught 14 passes for 175 yards (12.5 average) and was one of the Warriors’ top receivers.
Peloza will look to help the Bison improve upon last year’s 2-8 record.
“He came into his own his senior year at Tantasqua,” Olmstead said. “He’s quick. He’s smart. In order for us to be successful this year, we need him to make some plays for us.”
Noah Peterson, Worcester State
Senior, Defensive back
Millbury
Peterson was Worcester State’s leading tackler in 2021, and a playmaker and excellent communicator in the back of the Lancers’ defense.
“He had a lot of success last year,” Worcester State coach Adam Peloquin said. “We expect him to be right in the mix statistically and be part of the heart of the defense again.”
The 6-foot, 195-pound Peterson and his former high school teammate, Mason Broyles, are Worcester State’s starting safeties.
In 2021, Peterson totaled 81 tackles. He had an interception and nine pass breakups. Peloquin said he is one of the Lancers' smartest defensive players.
Last year’s young Lancers squad allowed an average of 42.8 points per game, a number they obviously want to improve on this season.
“Noah has shown great leadership and communication skills,” Peloquin said. “We’re hoping he can help us have some better results on that side of the ball. I think we will.”
Billy Tyrrell, WPI
Sophomore, Offensive lineman
Oxford/Shepherd Hill Regional
Tyrrell played seven games at guard last year as a freshman, but following the graduation of Alex Gladu, Tyrrell has moved into the starting left tackle position for the Engineers in 2022.
“We threw him in there this spring,” WPI coach Chris Robertson said, “and he embraced it.”
At 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, Tyrrell certainly stands out.
“He’s a monster,” Robertson said. “For being 300 pounds, he’s pretty good in open space and pretty good in the pass game protecting the quarterback. In the run game, he’s an absolute animal. He’s very strong. He’s not a typical sophomore. He’s built better than some of our seniors.”
The Engineers will be looking to improve upon last season’s 3-7 record.
Tyrrell was a terrific leader at Shepherd Hill and leader on the Rams’ offensive line. He came into WPI with good size, Robertson said, and over the last year had improved his strength and mobility.
“He’s taken it to the next level,” Robertson said. “At Shepherd Hill, which has a very run heavy offense, he did all down blocking, angle blocking. For him to transition to the college game, it took a little while, but he’s thriving.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Here are 11 local football players to watch at Central Mass. colleges
