Austin Prep Football Begins New Season With New Coach

READING, Ma. - If you haven't flipped the calendar ahead to August just yet, what's keeping you. All those good summer traditions still hold, with one addition. Football. NFL practices have already started, colleges start this week, and in a few weeks your local high school team gets back to work.

Former Reading star Billy Tucker replaces Bill Maradei as Austin Prep head coach this fall, taking over a position that belonged to Maradei since 1992.

The preseason calendar seems complicated but practice can start Fri., Aug. 16 and there must five five days of conditioning or limited contact before a full contact practice. There are no Sunday practices allowed before Labor Day.

With eight weekends between the season's start and the playoffs, expect your team to have a bye week. The MIAA allows for a maximum of seven games. The power rating system is back and seeding for those schools that qualify for the MIAA tournament takes place Oct. 27. If your team is in Division 2 or 7 and you make the Super Bowl, it's your turn to play somewhere other than Gillette Stadium. Unless of course, Gillette allows two games on Friday as it did last year. And if your team is in Division 4 or 6, you don't have to play a state semifinal. The North Sectional winner gets a bye directly into the Super Bowl.

Another thing you should know ... the rules have changed. You may never notice the changes, or you be screaming bloody murder in the first quarter of the first game. Before the season starts a wise fan should do his/her homework. You'll be the smart one in the stands. In brief, the MIAA is changing from NCAA rules to National Federation rules. You can check out the differences here. Coaches aren't happy about this and neither are the officials. Expect to see a few delays as officials gather to discuss what just happened. If it's cold/rainy, you won't be happy.

So with all that said, remember to be a good sport, support your team through good and bad, and enjoy the season. It all starts soon.

2019 Football Schedule

Sat., Sept 7 - Austin Prep at Whittier, 10:30 a.m.

Fri., Sept. 13 - Essex Tech at Austin Prep, 7

Fri., Sept. 20 - Austin Prep at Cardinal Spellman, 7

Fri. Oct. 4 - Lowell Catholic at Austin Prep, 7

Fri., Oct. 18 - Cathedral at Austin Prep, 7

Wed., Nov. 27 - Austin Prep at St. Mary's, 6