While his time on the gridiron with the Bernardians is over, Damien Jones isn’t hanging his cleats up quite yet.
The St. Bernard’s made his college choice official on Tuesday, picking the University of New England for his destination to continue his education and football career.
The shifty running back and defensive back made his commitment to the Biddeford, Maine, school in front of coaches, teammates and St. Bernard’s administrators. Jones led the Bernardians in rushing last year, helping the team to the Division 7 Super Bowl.
He was a member of a championship team as a freshman, starring mainly on the defensive side of the ball in his first varsity season. In his final season, Jones was one of the focal points of a quick and explosive offense that went 12-0 before falling to West Boylston in the state championship game at Gillette Stadium.
During his senior season, Jones put up eye-popping numbers in 13 games, primarily playing only the first half of contests as the Bernardians notched blowout after blowout. He carried the ball 139 times for 1,764 yards and 27 touchdowns without a single fumble, adding seven receptions for 115 yards.
He joins a UNE team that went 5-5 last fall under head coach Mike Lichten, including a 3-3 mark in Commonwealth Coast Conference play.
Cushing’s Taber earns honor
Cushing Academy’s Sammy Taber, the latest in a long line of outstanding female hockey players at the Ashburnham prep school, has been awarded the John Carlton Memorial Trophy by the Boston Bruins.
The award is given yearly to “the outstanding female student athlete in Massachusetts Hockey,” excelling in hockey and off the ice.
Taber, a senior forward from Tewksbury, committed to Boston College two years ago. She earned a bronze medal playing for the United States U18 team at the most recent World Junior Championships.
Allen piling up the Ks
Though he took the loss against Leominster on Tuesday afternoon, Oakmont Regional junior Caleb Allen has been outstanding in his two starts for the Spartans this spring.
The hurler notched nine strikeouts against the Blue Devils, pushing his total punch outs to 26. Allen struck out 17 in his first start of the season, going 7.1 innings in a 5-1 victory in eight innings over Tyngsboro. He’s allowed just four runs on 14 hits in 14.1 innings so far in the 2023 campaign.
With a radar gun behind the dish on Tuesday, Allen routinely hit 84 miles per hour, while also displaying a sharp slider.
