DOMINIC PAPA
Andover High Senior
Quarterback
Two-year starter. Twice a first-team All-Merrimack Valley Conference selection. Finished with 4,180 career passing yards, fourth in AHS history. Put together back-to-back 2,000-yard passing seasons, finishing this year with 2,481 yards of offense. Connected on 172 of 325 passes with 19 TDs this year. Also ran for four touchdowns. Threw for 328 yards and 4 TDs in 38-35 win over Chelmsford. Tossed 4 TD passes vs. Shrewsbury. Punted 11 times with a 32.4 yard per punt average.
JULIUS MARTINEZ
Andover High Senior
Wide Receiver
Explosive, game-breaking pass-catcher. First-team All-Merrimack Valley Conference choice. Finished with 54 catches for 838 yards, 15.5 yards per catch, in an injury-shortened campaign. Caught nine TD passes, including a long of 62 yards. Has 10 catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns vs. Chelmsford. Torched Brockton with eight grabs for 152 yards. Had two TD catches vs. Haverhill and carved up Central with five grabs for 110 yards. Has offers to play at Husson and Franklin Pierce.
CADEN SMITH
Central Catholic Sophomore
Quarterback
All-Scholastic. The Merrimack Valley Conference Division 1 Offensive Player of the Year. Led the Raiders to MVC1 title and a trip to the D1 state quarterfinals. Dynamic dual-threat. Pile up over 2,000 yards of offense. Connected on 70 of 122 passes for 996 yards with 10 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions. Ran for 1,041 yards on 115 carries with 15 touchdowns. Two-year starter in wrestling. State placer in 2024.
BRIAN WALLER-REITANO
Central Catholic Sophomore
Tackle
Big, brawny two-year starter at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds. Two-year first-team All-Merrimack Valley Conference selection. A stalwart in the run game and in pass protection for a Raider offense that scored 29 points a game on the way to the MVC1 title and the Division 1 state quarters. “Plays with great intensity,” said coach John Sexton. One of the top heavyweight wrestlers in New England. State placer as a freshman.
JAMES FARRELL
Haverhill High Senior
Quarterback
Lethal Weapon. Three-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star. All-Scholastic. The Merrimack Valley Division 1 Most Valuable Player. Goes out as one of the most prolific passers in state history. Threw for 3,017 yards and ran for 1,013 more. Threw for 18 TDs and ran for 20 more. Had 405 yards of offense on opening-night win over Beverly. Threw for 461 and 4 TDs against L-S. Combined to put up 498 yards of offense and 6 TDs vs. Billerica.
GUSTAVO VARELA
Greater Lawrence Tech Junior
Running Back
Repeat selection for our team. Three-year starter. Two-time first-team Commonwealth Conference All-Star. The Reggies’ Team MVP. Bell-cow back. Ran 251 times for 1,948 yards and 26 TDs, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Ran back kicks for 90 and 85 yard touchdowns. Completed both passes he threw for 88 yards. “Not only a great athlete, but an incredible young man,” said coach Tony Sarkis. Dynamite state-qualifying sprinter in track.
BRIAN TEJEDA
Haverhill High Senior
Offensive Line
First-team All-Merrimack Valley Conference choice. The top lineman on a team that ran for over 2,000 yards and passed for over 3,000 yards. Athletic and physical. Dominates opposing defenders at the point of attack. “Hard-working, tough, and the consummate team player,” said coach Rob Pike.
AIDAN MARINO
Methuen High Senior
Offensive Line
Back to back years voted Lineman of the Year by his teammates. Road-grading blocker. Paved way for Rangers to roll up 2,972 yards on the ground, 33 points a game and their first conference title since 1992. Excelled in the Division 1 playoff victory against Franklin. “A coach’s dream. Leads by example but was a vocal leader when it was called for,” said coach Tom Ryan.
ADRIAN BLAKE
Methuen High Senior
Wide Receiver
First-team All-Merrimack Valley Conference choice for the MVC2 champ and Division 1 state quarterfinalist Rangers. Finished with 22 catches for 407 yards and four TDs. Scorched Tewksbury with four catches for 82 yards and two scores in the showdown. Defensively, had 28 tackles and a pair of picks. “His ability to go up and get balls that most kids cannot is uncanny,” said coach Tom Ryan. Played volleyball for the first time last spring. Will captain the squad this spring.
BEN IGLESIAS
North Andover High Senior
Running Back
All-Merrimack Valley Conference choice in his first year as a starter. The Knights’ Offensive Most Valuable Player. Physical back with 4.5 speed in the 40. Racked up over 1,400 yards rushing and 300 receiving yards with eight touchdowns. Torched Andover with 247 yards and 2 TDs on 24 carries. Also had 241 and four TDs against Dracut. “The backbone of our offense. Made guys miss and was able to make huge runs,” said coach John Dubzinski.
JUNIOR MacKINNON
Pelham High Senior
Running Back
First-team Division II All-State selection. Powered Pythons offense in an unexpected run to state championship game. Scored seven TDs as a junior and followed that up with 21 touchdowns this fall. Had three-TD games vs. Bow, John Stark, state champion Souhegan and Milford. Finished with 1,300 yards rushing. “Played every meaningful snap of the season on both sides of the ball, carried the team from start to finish,” said coach Justin Hufft.
PAT MUISE
Pelham High Junior
Offensive Line
Three-year varsity player, two-year starter up front for a program that has gone 33-2 with three straight title game appearances and two championships in that span. Beast of a run blocker on offense. Run-stuffer on defense. “Dominant lineman on both sides of the ball,” said coach Justin Hufft.
AIDEN McDONALD
Pinkerton Academy Junior
Quarterback
Second generation Astro. First-team Central Conference All-Star. Changed Astros attack with his passing. Hit 72 of 120 throws for 1,333 yards and 17 TDs with just six interceptions. Also ran for five scores. Threw for 276 yards and five TDs in two wins over rival Londonderry, including the D-I state title game. “His accuracy gave our Wing-T offense a dimension it has lacked for many years,” said coach Brian O’Reilly.
KEVIN TODISCO
Salem High Senior
Running Back
Repeat selection to our team. Two-time Blue Devils’ Offensive MVP. All-Central Conference first-teamer each of the last two years. One of only three finalists for the Yukica State Player of the Year award. Sparkling two-way force. Ran for 1,785 yards and added 250 yards receiving. Scored 22 TDs. Added 80 tackles from his linebacker spot. “Punishing runner. Teams didn’t want to tackle him in the second half,” said coach Steve Abraham.
CODY ANNALORO
Whittier Tech Senior
Offensive Line
Hulking 6-4, 250-pound wrecking machine on both sides of the ball. Amazing work ethic. Constantly training to improve. Three-year starter. The Commonwealth Conference Lineman of the Year. Dominated Greater Lowell in the state vocational semis. “We ran behind Cody all the time. Defensively, he was double-teamed the whole season,” said coach Kevin Bradley. Still averaged four tackles a game.