New England Football League
The New England Football League (NEFL) is a semi-professional American football league out of Salisbury, MA and owned by Thomas Torrisi.[1] It is the largest semi-professional league in the region.[2] The NEFL was founded in 1994 and was also known as the Greater Lawrence Men's Football League.[3] It currently consists of 37 teams with about 2,000 players playing in 3 different classifications (A, AA, AAA) with at least two teams based in each of the six New England states.[2][4] The league provides competitve football for adult players. It is a "working man's league" as most players have regular jobs during the week.[5][6] Teams practice on weeknights and play on the weekends, most games on weekends.[2] Players don't get paid for their participation, but they often pay $200 to be on the team's roster.[2][6] The league runs from spring until October.[6] Each team can dress up to 55 players.[7]
League History
The New England Football League was founded in 1994 by League President and Director of Marketing, Tom Torrisi, Chairman Matt Brien, Commissioner Bob Oreal, Vice-President and Treasurer John Motta and Secretary Christine Torrisi.[2] It started its 1994 season with only four teams. By 1997 number of teams tripled to twelve. And in 2002, the league had at least one team in each New England state. Also in that year the league started its three conference alignment with three different skill levels, one for each conference. The 2006 was the first season with at least 30 teams playing in the league making it one of the largest semi-pro football leagues in the country.
Game Rules
The NEFL uses what they refer to as modified NCAA rules[3]. Most of the rules are adopted from the NCAA rule book. But there are a few NFL rules and some rules specific to the NEFL that have been adopted.
Current Teams
Currently the NEFL has 38 teams playing in 3 different skill levels (conferences) with at least two teams based in each of the six New England states.[8]
Colonial Conference (AAA)
| Team | Stadium | City/Area |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Division | ||
| Bay State Renegades | Hanlon Field at Medway High School | Medway, Massachusetts |
| Boston Bandits | Scagnoli-Nihill Playing Field at Boston English High School | Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts |
| Lowell Nor'easter | Cawley Memorial Stadium | Lowell, Massachusetts |
| Mill City Maulers | Veterans Memorial Stadium | Lawrence, Massachusetts |
| New England Hawks | Landry Stadium | Amesbury, Massachusetts |
| Southern Maine Raging Bulls | Deering High School Stadium | Portland, Maine |
| Suburban Division | ||
| Connecticut Bearcats | Riccitelli Field at Sheehan High School | Wallingford, Connecticut |
| Connecticut Thunder | Montville High School | Montville, Connecticut |
| Middleboro Cobras | Battis Field | Middleborough, Massachusetts |
| Ocean State Vipers | Cranston Stebbins Stadium | Cranston, Rhode Island |
| Whaling City Clippers | Walsh Field[9] | New Bedford, Massachusetts |
| Worcester County Wildcats | Commerce Bank Field at Foley Stadium | Worcester, Massachusetts |
North Atlantic Conference (AA)
| Team | Stadium | City/Area |
|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Division | ||
| Central Mass Fury | Community Field | Leicester, Massachusetts |
| Leominster Razorbacks | Doyle Field[10] | Leominster, Massachusetts |
| North Shore Generals | Manning Field (Lynn, MA) and Bishop Fenwick High School (Peabody, MA) | North Shore, Massachusetts |
| Weymouth Sharks | Weymouth High School | Weymouth, Massachusetts |
| Continental Division | ||
| Connecticut Gamblers | Plainfield Rams Football Complex | Plainfield, Connecticut |
| Metrowest Colonials | Wayland High School | Metro West Boston, Massachusetts |
| Middletown Spartans | Palmer Field | Middletown, Connecticut |
| South Shore Outlaws[11] | Massachusetts Maritime Academy[11] | South Shore, Massachusetts[11] |
| Federal Division | ||
| Kennebec Valley Tigers | Jay High School | Jay, Maine |
| Manchester Devils | Gill Stadium | Manchester, New Hampshire |
| Notre Dame Cobras | Notre Dame Field | Alfred, Maine |
| Tri-City Charge | Spaulding Field | Rochester, New Hampshire |
| Patriot Division | ||
| Monadnock Marauders | Monadnock Regional High School | Swanzey, New Hampshire |
| Southern New England Rage | Alumni Field | Mansfield, Massachusetts |
| Southern Vermont Storm | Spinelli Field | Bennington, Vermont |
| Western Mass Warriors | Roberts Field | Holyoke, Massachusetts |
Maritime Conference (A)
| Team | Stadium | City/Area |
|---|---|---|
| Independent Division | ||
| Central Vermont Rampage | Applejack Field | Manchester, Vermont |
| New Hampshire Wolfpack | Martins Field | Concord, New Hampshire |
| Southern New Hampshire Beavers | Coach Korcoulis Field | Hollis, New Hampshire |
| Vermont Ravens | Tarquinio Rec. Field | Barre, Vermont |
| United Division | ||
| Northern Berkshire Kings | Hoosac Valley High School Field | Adams, Massachusetts |
| Pioneer Valley Indians | Boys & Girls Club Field | Chicopee, Massachusetts |
| Southern Connecticut Sting | Fitch High School | Groton, Connecticut |
| New London High School | New London, Connecticut | |
| Tri-County Fightin' Sprites | Koinonia Field | Thompson, Connecticut |
| Woonsocket Wardogs | Barry Field | Woonsocket, Rhode Island |
League champions
| Year | Team | A | AA | AAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Lawrence Lightning | |||
| 1995 | North Shore Rage | |||
| 1996 | Massachusetts Havoc | |||
| 1997 | Massachusetts Havoc | |||
| 1998 | Lowell Nor'easter | |||
| 1999 | Lowell Nor'easter | |||
| 2000 | Seacoast Hawks | Lowell Nor'easter | ||
| 2001 | Southern Maine Raging Bulls | Boston Bandits | ||
| 2002 | Connecticut Thunder | Vermont Ice Storm | Lowell Nor'easter | |
| 2003 | Seacoast Hawks | New England Stars | Boston Bandits | |
| 2004 | Hampton Hurricanes | Connecticut Thunder | Lowell Nor'easter | |
| 2005 | Rhode Island Raptors | Seacoast Hawks | Boston Bandits | |
| 2006 | Notre Dame Cobras | North Attleboro Renegades | Boston Bandits | |
| 2007 | Leominster Razorbacks | Whaling City Clippers[9] | Middleboro Cobras | |
| 2008 | Tri City Charge | Whaling City Clippers | Middleboro Cobras | |
| 2009 | Connecticut Spartans | New Hampshire Wolfpack | Tri City Charge | Lowell Nor'easter |
| 2010 | Seacoast Hawks | Connecticut Panthers | Western Mass Warriors | Lowell Nor'easter |
| 2011 | Rhode Island Riptide | New Hampshire Wolfpack | Connecticut Bearcats | |
| 2012 | Connecticut Bearcats | Cape Cod Seadogs | South Shore Outlaws[11] | Western Mass Warriors |
| 2013 | Central Mass Sabercats | Pioneer Valley Knights | Connecticut Panthers | |
| 2014 | Brass City Brawlers | Rhode Island Wardogs | Connecticut Panthers | |
| 2015 | Port City Vipers | Somerville Rampage | Boston Bandits 28 |
References
- ↑ "Experian Commercial Risk Database". Proquest. 2015-11-20. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Love of the game drives semipro football players - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
- 1 2 "New England Football League - Champions". www.semiprofootball.org. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ↑ "SEMIPRO FOOTBALL: Middletown Spartans are ready to play; kick-off '10 season Sat.". www.middletownpress.com. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
- ↑ Gasper, Christopher L. (2004-08-29). "Blue-collar bruisers". Boston.com. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- 1 2 3 "Semipro football players in it for love of the game - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
- ↑ COLLINS, ED. "Foundation set for South Coast Outlaws semi-pro football team". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
- ↑ "Semi-pro Wolfpack plays for the love of the game". Union Leader. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
- 1 2 THOMAS, BUDDY. "McCann has Clippers 'D' primed for title game". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
- ↑ "Razorbacks are best kept secret in Leominster | September 18, 2009 | www.leominsterchamp.com | Leominster Champion". www.leominsterchamp.com. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
- 1 2 3 4 Correspondent, Rob Duca. "SOUTH COAST OUTLAWS: The boys are back in town". Wicked Local Wareham. Retrieved 2016-04-01.