In less than a week, the lights will shine brightly on area football fields and the 2023 season will have kicked off.
Practices have been ongoing for more than two weeks now and the local slate kicks off Thursday night as North Middlesex Regional visits Crocker Field to face host Fitchburg High School. Most other area schools get going the next evening, with St. Bernard’s wrapping up Week 1 with a contest on Saturday afternoon.
Here are four things to look for this high school football season.
New coach, familiar face
Paul DiGeronimo is no stranger to Fitchburg High athletics.
A longtime basketball coach at the school, DiGeronimo has spent a considerable amount of time on the sidelines as an assistant coach on the gridiron.
On Thursday, he’ll be making his debut as head coach of the Red Raiders.
He inherits a team that went 4-7 under Greg Graham last season, finishing on a fairly strong stretch before dropping the finale on Thanksgiving to archrival Leominster. And it’s not a team that lacks talent; a new direction could likely do some good for a team that has some solid pieces on the roster.
Senior quarterback Lukas Beaulac showed the ability to air things out last fall and with some added experience, he could be dangerous under center for the Red Raiders. Senior backs Devanni Deleon and Elijah Gonzalez should also be able to carry some of the offensive load when the season gets going under the lights of Crocker Field Thursday night.
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FITCHBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE NEWS 