Local sports roundup

Region - In an eff ort to create interest and continue to play and perform at a competitive level while ensuring the safety of its student-ath- letes, the Hudson Catholic High School administration has decided to make two major scheduling changes for the upcoming year.

In the area of football, where the Green Wave has suited up between 15 and 20 players on game days, while its opponents are suiting up between 40 and 75, the school announced recently it will no longer compete in the Colonial Athletic League.

Instead of facing Assabet Valley Regional, Worcester Tech, Bay Path, Monty Tech, Valley Tech, Nashoba Tech, Murdock, Keefe Tech and Dorchester High, the Hudson Catholic football team will square off against Hyde Park, St. Clement's, Pioneer Valley, Ware High, North Shore Technical, Minuteman Regional, Trinity Catholic, Holyoke Catholic, Lowell Catholic and Wittier Regional Vocational Tech.

St. Clement's is the only team on this year's schedule that was on last year's schedule as well. Teams that the Green Wave has played previously that are back on the schedule include Trinity Catholic, Holyoke Catholic and Minuteman Regional.

The Hudson Catholic High School football team was 1-9 last season.

Another change that will aff ect the Green Wave athletic program is the realignment of Central Mass. hockey.

Until recently, all hockey teams in Central Massachusetts other than St. John's, St. Peter-Marian and St. Bernard's competed in Division 3.

The Central Mass. Hockey Competition Committee decided at its last meeting to create another division - Division 3A.

Competing in Division 3A will be the teams that competed in either the Russell or Coughlin Conference: Hudson Catholic, Assabet Valley, Grafton, Blackstone- Millville, Milford, Murdock, Oakmont, Fitchburg, Littleton, Northbridge, Lunenburg and Nashoba.

Last season the Green Wave competed against Murdock, Littleton, Northbridge, Blackstone-Millville, Fitchburg, Nashoba, Assabet Valley, Grafton and Oakmont.

Division 3A teams will have their own postseason tournament, the champion of which will then play the Western Mass. Division 3A champion.

Like in football, Hudson Catholic has had participation issues in hockey. Two years ago the Green Wave routinely suited up 10 players for games. Last year, after making the decision to form a cooperative team with Keefe Tech, Hudson Catholic suited up between 12 and 14 players per game. Green Wave opponents suit up between 19 and 22 play- ers each game.

The Hudson Catholic hockey team was 0-18 last season.

The magnificent

seven

Despite having a roster of just seven competitors, the Rising Sun Martial Arts Center of Hudson made a lot of noise at the New England Grappling Championships held in Fall River June 28.

The event was the biggest Grappling Tournament, better known as Brazilian Ju- Jitsu, held in New England, and it attracts competitors from all over the country.

Competing for the Rising Sun Martial Arts Center were Kathryn DeForest, Coleman McDonald, Elle Nelson, Diane Robinson, Nick Robinson, Elysha Sathyara and Josh Sathyaraj.

The seemingly low number was not a deterrent, however, as the contingent brought back to Hudson four first-place finishes, three second-place finishes and three third-place finishes in both Gi and non-Gi events.

Doug MacDonald was the chief instructor of the group and Don Fraser was the assistant instructor.

Send your team's news to Ken Powers at kpthesportsguy@ yahoo.com.