Local Spinners
The resurrected Lowell Spinners have announced a preliminary roster for the 2026 season, and four local players are set to suit up for the college all-star team.
Joining the Spinners will be Haverhill’s Henry Hebert (Merrimack College), Andover’s Chris Jaillet (Amherst College), North Andover’s Dylan Lawrence (Bentley University) and Methuen’s Matt Pappalardo (Endicott College).
Babaian to Bedford
One of the most successful football coaches in area history is taking over New Hampshire’s reigning superpower.
Tom Babaian, who led Pelham to six football state titles, has been hire as head coach for reigning Division I state champion Bedford, it was announced this week.
Babaian compiled a 141-97 record as Pythons coach before stepping down following the 2023 season. Pelham had won 42 straight games and four straight titles when he resigned. He spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for Pinkerton Academy, helping them to the 2024 Division I championship and a return trip to the title game in 2025, falling to Bedford.
He replaces Zach Matthews, who stepped down to become the football coach at Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Va.) Matthews led the Bulldogs two Division I titles in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
N.H. gridiron scholars
The Joe Yukica Chapter of the National Football Foundation’s Scholar-Athletes of the Year for the 2026 season have been announced.
The local honorees were Salem’s Jacob Beaudry and Ryan Todt, Pinkerton’s James Caruso and Joe Osanya and Windham’s Rob Durkin, Parker Francis, Cody Garrett and Noah Philippe.
They will be recognized at the chapter’s annual Joe Yukica Scholar-Athlete banquet on May 27.
Patriots to Disney Channel
While watching the new Disney Channel show “Hey A.J.!” with my daughter recently, I noticed a familiar name in the credits. The show was created by former New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett. It’s based off a book series he’s written based on raising his daughter — and he even voices the father in the series, who is also a former NFL player.
Bennett spent the final two seasons of the 10-year (2008-17) NFL career with the Patriots. He won Super Bowl LI, catching five passes for 62 yards in the Pats’ iconic comeback from 28-3 to winning 34-28.
One Final Thought
As Michael Muldoon used to say, “If you can bring a smile to someone’s face today, just do it!
TWITTER: DWillisET