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Postseason aspirations for Nipmuc Football

The 2024 Nipmuc football team is hoping a strong second half can get it to the postseason. Photo source: Nipmuc Gridiron Club

Warriors hope to overcome slow start

By Chris Villani

This year’s Nipmuc football team is loaded with skill and experience, but the team is also relatively young and has hit some bumps through the early part of the 2024 season.

“I think a lot of what’s going on is some of these guys have not played together before,” said head coach James Royster. “They are being asked to do a big job, and they aren’t all used to it yet.”

Despite losing two of the first three games, Nipmuc is hoping to earn a spot in the state playoffs, and Royster feels like his team is good enough to achieve that goal.

“We started in a way that we wished we didn’t, but we want to get to the playoffs,” he said. “I think once we combine our great individuals, we can be a great team.”

Royster has several players on his team who are playing big roles this fall. Tristian Dugas, Cade Arthur, and junior Dash Correia are the team’s three captains. Dugas and Arthur are skilled two-way linemen, while Correia earned his spot as a captain after a stellar sophomore season and the ability to be plugged into numerous spots on both sides of the ball.

Josh Giancola, a junior, is the starting quarterback this fall.

“We ask a lot of him,” Royster said. “We want to put the ball in the air, we want to run it, we want to do different formations, and he’s handled it very well to this point.”

Giancola has several options when it comes to distributing the ball, including junior Johnny Desmond. “He is a great athlete and a great leader,” Royster said. “He is always in the right place at the right time.”

Jack Moshier, Logan Demarzo, and Sean Burchard are three more players Royster said are helping the team significantly. Eben Consigli is a solid pass catcher and helps hold down the defense along with fellow linebacker Jacob Nagda who returned this year after missing last season.

Royster said his team’s skill will continue to be a strength as the fall season plays out and Nipmuc settles into league play. The chemistry his team displays is another strong suit, he added.

“We are athletic, we are lengthy, and we have a group of kids who really like each other,” Royster said. “That’s the biggest thing. They grew up together, they get along, there is a real bond, and that’s why we expect big things from them. They just get it.”