Coaches and their Shrine players

By Christopher Shaban
Eagle Times Sports Editor
CLAREMONT — While eleven local players are at camp to prepare for the 70th Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, we reached out to their coaches to see what kind of players and people these guys are from the mouths of people who know them really well.

Newport Tigers Head Coach John Proper on Tyler Gobin and Karter Pollari

Both Tyler Gobin and Karter Pollari are excellent young men. I was happy to see that Karter got chosen after missing all of his senior season, except the championship game. He was a great leader for our team.

When I got the call from coach Chris Sanborn that he was looking at filling a couple of spots after some injuries and Tyler was on the top of his list, I could not have been happier. Tyler was our workhorse last season and did whatever we asked him to do and he became a silent leader for our team.

Both Karter and Tyler our great representatives of Newport and D4 football.

Fall Mountain Wildcats Head Coach Orion Binney on Danny Farnham

He’s just a hard working kid. Shows up every day with a great attitude and enthusiasm for the game and is always ready to work. He’s a really laid back kid but, once you get in on the football field, you see the intensity come out. He’s strong as an ox, loves contact and has a really great motor where he will chase down plays backside that kids his size shouldn’t be able to do.

He’s not a real rah-rah kind of leader; more of a lead by example kind of player, whose enthusiasm for the game is infectious and is always willing to help out the younger kids and talk to them when they are having a tough day.

Windsor Yellow Jackets Head Coach Greg Balch on Maison Fortin and Logan Worrell

I have known Maison since he was very young, when he would come to our football camp. He is the same now as then — quiet, eager, tough and intense. He has a “refuse to lose” mentality, which is contagious with other players. I have never coached a more determined player. A great story regarding this would be last season in a game he broke through the line and lost a cleat. He proceeded to outrun the other team with one cleat on for 70 yards! Maison has grown into being a great captain, leader and all around great kid.

I’ve also known Logan since he was very young, when he was in our youth program. He was always quiet, tough, and very eager to do things correctly. Logan has high expectations for his performance and improved his play every season. He also grew into a strong leader and was a captain this season. He was always there for the younger players which is critical for sustained program success. He saved one of hisbest games for last, when he played like a warrior in the championship game rushing for 4 TD’s. Easy kid to coach and great person on and off the field.

Stevens Cardinals Head Coach Josh Duford on Colby Shepard and Luke Smith

Colby was the team leader for us since he became an upperclassmen. Colby consistently makes good decisions on and off the field. He has good instincts as a middle linebacker and uses leverage incredibly well as an offensive lineman (which can be attributed to his wrestling career). It has been an honor coaching him.

Luke is an incredibly hard working, coachable individual who improved every year at Stevens. He worked tirelessly in the weight room and it showed through his senior year. His strengths include his quickness pulling on the offensive line and defensively, he was quite disciplined, setting the edge as a defensive end. I will miss his presence on the team!

Bellows Falls Terriers Head Coach Bob Lockerby on Caden Haskell, Jake Moore, Jamison Nystrom and Dillan Perry

Caden has been nothing shy of outstanding on and off the field. C aden never gets out worked, never has anything but positive energy and is a great teammate. First to practice and the last to leave. His leadership will be difficult to replace.

Jake, the leader of our “O-line,” was the guy to get his teammates where they belonged, if there was any confusion. A tough blocker on offense and hitter on defense. Jake’s leadership and work ethic is second to none; another leader tough to replace.

Jamison (is) one of the most natural, talented athletes I have had the pleasure to coach. I’m not sure that there is a sport he can’t play and be competitive at. “Jamo” was a duel threat, as he could throw as well as run. Defensively, a nose for the ball with great hands.

[Dillan was], pound for pound, the strongest of our linemen. A never say die mentality. A teammate who always has his players back. Hard work ethic and positive support for our younger players. Motor runs fast on both sides of the ball.

The Shriner’s Maple Sugar Bowl will be played Saturday, August 5, 2023 at Castleton University in Vermont. Kickoff is set for 11:30 AM. To buy tickets or donate to the cause, which supports Shriner’s hospitals in Springfield, MA, Montreal, Quebec and the Boston Burns Institute, visit www.shrinemaplesugarbowl.com.