WESTBOROUGH – After a summer of hard work, the Rangers will soon return under the bright lights for the fall 2022 football season.
Head Varsity Coach Joe Beveridge called it his “first real” season. That’s because a month after he began coaching in 2020, the world shut down due to the pandemic, and a year later, he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.
“I was going through chemo treatments, so I wasn’t even around for the off-season last year. So this is my first legitimate off-season with the kids. It’s been great,” he said.
This summer, Beveridge said in order to build a stronger sense of camaraderie, the boys lift together in the weight room and spend time with each other outside of the gym.
“It [pre-season] has been a great opportunity for us to bond, so we can grow closer as a team,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get to know them better on and off the field.”
Beveridge said the main goal for the season is to improve every day. He noted the challenges the Rangers faced last season.
“Last year, we were a very young team with multiple additions,” he said. “We also had a very difficult schedule and we kind of knew we were gonna take our lumps, but we likened it to seasoned wood. You go and cut a tree and you can’t put it in the fire right away, you gotta let it season for a little bit. Once it’s seasoned, you can go ahead and throw it in the fire.”
Captains look ahead to the season
Beveridge said Captains Abraham Baublis, Sebastian Grillo and Luke Hadley have successfully led the team into the upcoming fall season.
“Abe Baublis would pull into summer practice at 7 a.m. with six kids in his car. To make sure the team is better, he, as a captain, is driving all over the place,” he said. “Sebastian Grillo is a kid who’s not gonna say a lot, but he does everything he’s asked to do. He put a lot of time into the weight room, so you can physically see the difference.”
Beveridge added, “Luke Hadley is a kid who leads by example. He worked hard in the off-season. He’s a kid the other kids look up to because they see the work he has put in.”
The captains shared their excitement for the season.
Grillo was looking forward to seeing the progress on the football field as a result from their summer work, and Hadley said he was thrilled to “see the new physicality” the team achieved during the pre-season. Baublis said he was excited for the work and energy he was seeing during practice.
“Everyone is excited to be here together and play football. I know I can trust my teammates because I see them putting in the work for us to become better,” Baublis said.
Support for the season
Beveridge said that Westborough High School Athletic Director Johanna DiCarlo makes sure the team has the necessary tools for a successful pre-season.
“She gives us the best possible opportunities to be successful — whether it’s equipment, access to facilities or practice time,” he said.
DiCarlo said like other WHS teams, football adds “a sense of community” to the school as students can participate themselves, or cheer on their peers.
“Joe has been here for three years and he has worked hard to rebuild the program. Joe’s awesome,” she said. “Him and the kids have put in a lot of effort this pre-season and we are looking forward to seeing that on the field.”
The Rangers scrimmaged against Minnechaug Regional High School on Aug. 27, and will play a scrimmage against Northbridge on Saturday. Their first league game is Sept. 9 against Burlington High School.
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