FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[nescac1]

Interesting re: the Trinity transfer.  They have done a good job bringing in some high-profile transfers over the years it seems (most recently Leo and I think one of their starting safeties).  Looks like this is the guy:

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/blogs/umaine/037391.html#more
http://goblackbears.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/farkes_adam00.html

As a former D-I starter, does not sound like a typical NESCAC QB by a long shot.  Trinity could be scary good next year with everyone else they have returning, after going 8-0 in what was supposed to be a bit of a rebuilding year. 

I hope the Ephs have some big-time RB's coming in.  They only had ONE underclassman RB on the roster this year and he only received a few carries all year.  Ephs lose quite a bit on offense, including the Szalowski bros. who were dominant offensive lineman, the top 3 RB's, and a star receiver.  QB's will be a lot more experienced, and they get star WR Caro back from a late-season injury, which should help.  Still, the defense may have to carry them early -- although they lose some very good players on D, they also get some key guys back from injury and should have a lot more depth especially on the front 7.  Williams has a very small group of rising seniors returning so it should be a challenging year. 

[Trin9-0]

New place to chat about all things NESCAC:  http://nescacblog.com/

[JustAFan]

Danny V of the Boston Herald reports the following NESCAC football commitments by kids at Boston area schools in his 2/4 blog:


AMHERST: Austin Capaviella, WR, BB&N; Jordan Leites, WR, Roxbury Latin; Sam Perlow, TE, Marblehead

BATES: Max Caron, RB, Governor's Academy; Ted Downs, RB, St. Sebastian's, Mark Sylvester, OL, Malden Catholic

BOWDOIN: Sean O'Malley, LB, St. Sebastian's; Cedric White, LB, St. Sebastian's; Kyle White, LB, St. Sebastian's

MIDDLEBURY: Keegan Ashley, OL/DL, Lincoln-Sudbury; Drew Donnelly, RB, Medfield; Dan Kennerson, WR, Milton Academy; Drew Miller, WR, St. George's

TRINITY: Tyler Dziama, LB, Belmont Hill; Alex Raffol, QB, Roxbury Latin

TUFTS: Ralph Faia, C, Everett; Andrew Rayner, OL, Needham

WESLEYAN: James Curley, OL, St. Sebastian's; Andrew Perlmutter, QB, Dover-Sherborn

WILLIAMS: Adam Riegel, OL, Walpole

[JustAFan]

The QB from Roxbury Latin who committed to Trinity has good size (6'4") and was first team ISL during a competitive year in the ISL.

Adam Farkes, the QB transferring to Trinity from Maine, comes from a great athletic family with strong ties to BB&N.  His older brother Zak played baseball at Harvard and was drafted by the Red Sox out of college 3 years ago.  He's currently in the Boston farm system. The next brother in line, Josh, just graduated from UConn and had a very good baseball career there.

Farkes had an injury plagued career at UMaine.  He redshirted during his first year, then took over as the starting quarterback 3 games into the 2007 season when the starter got injured.  He performed well for 5 games until suffering a season ending shoulder injury, which he'd injured the previous year as well.  He started the 2008 season as the starting QB and did well for 4 games until he suffered another shoulder injury.  The kid who was the starter the previous year took over, Maine reeled off 6 straight wins and made the 1A playoffs for the first time since 2002 and Farkes never saw any more action.  The kid who won back the starting job is a year older than Farkes, and between his injuries and sitting behind an upperclassman he may have decided to go to a place where he might have less competition for playing time, or at least not get hit as hard! This sounds like a great pickup for Trinity--a good kid from a classy family who has played against some very good competition during his career at Maine and performed very well.

[frank uible]

Is Max Caron (Bates)  related to Roger Caron, HFC at Pomona-Pitzer?

[nescac1]

Thanks JustaFan.  Article on two other Williams recruits here:

http://www.ephblog.com/2009/01/25/future-ephs/

Considering Trinity went 8-0 in a rebuilding year and now replace their POY QB with a guy who may be even better, they will certainly be a prohibitive favorite -- may be a return to the dominating Trinity teams from the Priore era ... the other usual contenders, Williams, Amherst, Midd, Tufts, all lost quite a bit to graduation ...

[Trin9-0]

Don't hand out the NESCAC title to Trinity just yet...

It looks like, Adam Farkes, the transfer QB from Maine won't be playing for the Bants after all.  He apparently left the school less than a week after the spring semester started.

The likely starter at quarterback for '09 will now most likely be whoever wins the preseason battle between Junior Craig Drusbosky and Sophomore Blaise Driscoll.

In other Trinity news the Bants announced three captains for the 2009 season: DL, Chris Doval and RB, Ollie Starnes who will be Seniors and LB, Ben Sherry who will be a Junior.

[nescac1]

Interesting on Farkes.  Any details?  Wow, a Junior captain for Trinity -- that must be extremely rare if not unprecedented ... Trinity is still the favorite but that news has to give hope to Williams, Amherst and Midd ...

[Trin9-0]

Trinity actually had two Junior captains in '01 (LB Dave Midura and RB Brian Fabrizio).  Although, there were also 4 other senior captains.

It was a very strange set-up.  We figured Priore was trying to fill a leadership void.

Ben Sherry is an incredibly good player and I've only heard good things about him.  He will no doubt be an excellent captain for the Bants.

[Seamus Lang]

I disagree, just give the Nescac trophy to Trinity. The quarterback battle will be decided in camp. Junior Craig Drusbosky is very talented and understands the system. And sophomore Blaise Driscoll is physically a gifted athlete with the attitude of a middle linebacker. Driscoll also throws around 90 miles an hour off the mound. Trinity will repeat.

[Trin9-0]

You do realize that Trinity could have easily lost four games last year and they graduate the NESCAC offensive and defensive players of the year in addition to four of their starting offensive linemen.

Last year Trinity had a special year and had some incredible comeback wins.  In 2009 they have to play Tufts, Middlebury and Amherst all on the road.

I agree that the Bants are the favorites to win the league based on a very strong returning defense and solid running backs.  However, it is WAY too early to be crowning anyone the champs.

[Trin9-0]

Looks like the Bants are adamant about bringing a CAA transfer quarterback to Hartford. 

I heard a rumor that Kevin Decker, a redshirt freshman at University of New Hampshire who went 34-1 as the starting QB at The Brunswick School, will be transfering to Trinity for the fall semester.

http://www.unhwildcats.com/index.cfm?id=F84DA6E8-041B-2D0B-D1FD4FF3B8D34980&profile=B61443C6-E2CA-E226-91CF705ACD952B01

[TheHerst2and4]

Any word if he'll play basketball too? Either way that's a good pickup for the Bants

[nescac1]

how does Trinity snag so many D-I transfers?  Seems like they get more than the rest of NESCAC combined ... in recent years, in addition to this guy (who sounds like he could be an instant impact guy if this rumor is true), Leo, the QB from Virginia, I think a safety on the roster right now, I know there are several more that I am forgetting, I think a LB as well? 

On another note, any Eph fans know what the story is with recruited RB's?  Ephs could be pretty strong next year if they can fill a MAJOR hole at that position -- only have one guy on the roster returning, and he only get a few garbage-time carries ... between losing an all-american left tackle and the three top RB's, the run game will be a major question mark for the Ephs (although the passing game should be solid with two experienced QB's returning, Caro coming back from injuries, Carroll as full time tight end, and some big, young receivers with promise ...). 

[TheHerst2and4]

(I rememeber they had a LB transfer from UConn and my cousin, a LB transferred from Houston, those may be the guys you were referring to)
I wonder if this has, or will have, an effect on recruiting. I could see it helping them by showing potential recruits the level of athlete they have on the field. I can also see it potentially hurting them in that a division III level player may be concerned the school has shown a tendency to bring in D1 transfers and very well could bring one in at their position. With Trinity's recent success and the great players they convince to enroll there, I am assuming the former outcome is more likely.