Just weeks after graduating from high school, several local football players have at least one more game left.
The Western Massachusetts Senior Bowl kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday at American International College in Springfield.
It’s the second consecutive year of the event after WMass experienced a four-year hiatus from football all-star games. From 2001 until 2013, there was the Central-West Chowder Cup that raised awareness for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. That event folded due to a decrease in interest and lack of agreement in future plans.
Last year’s game was held at South Hadley High School, where The Hills team, comprised primarily of players from Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire County schools, defeated The Valley team, which was loaded with Hampden County players, 33-10.
Wahconah Regional coach Gary Campbell will guide The Hills for the second consecutive year. The team has been practicing since Sunday at The Oxbow in Northampton.
Frontier Regional tailback Aaron Landry said the experience of joining forces with former opponents on The Hills has been enjoyable.
“It’s been really cool,” said Landry, who is playing football next year at Division III Ripon College in Wisconsin. “To play against some of these kids for the last four years, hit them in the mouth on the field, then come here and be on the other side with them now. To practice with them, run an offense and defense with them, it’s been a different experience, but a really great one.”
With just one week of practice, the preparation has been kept relatively simple for The Hills. Landry said he was impressed with his team’s ability to grasp the schematic plan right away.
“A lot of us picked it up really quickly, the first day or two, and we’ve been working to perfect it and master it,” Landry said. “I think we all have a good understanding of what they’re asking us to do. Now, it’s just a matter of going out and doing it on the field.”
Landry will see reps at tailback, and he’ll be joined on the squad by Frontier teammates Joe Hildreth (Castleton State University) and Stephen Worthley (Westfield State University).
“I’m just looking to have a good time with all these kids,” Landry said. “It’s really cool to play with two of my fellow seniors because we’re not playing college ball together. We’re all going to different schools so to hit heads with them one more time, it’s going to be a blast.”
Northampton graduate Andy Grygorcewicz will suit up alongside Amherst Regional’s Kaleb Ferro, Juan Ross-Perkins, Ty Looper and Bob Marley. South Hadley teammates Mike Pratt and Matt Loughrey will also play for The Hills.
Holyoke coach Joe Dutsar will lead The Valley squad.
“I think we have a really good shot,” Landry said. “Coach (Campbell) has been telling us all week how last year, The Valley thought they’d come in and smack The Hills so that got us fired up trying to keep it going.”
The Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation, rooted in Berkshire County, is sponsoring the event and was expected to purchase uniforms for the seniors participating in the event. In last year’s inaugural event, players wore their high school jerseys. They’ll still wear high school helmets during the game.