With this week being a down week with previews complete and games not having begun, I figured I’d have some fun, with some exciting Raider sports trivia each of the next 3 days beginning tomorrow. The trivia will be 5 fall sports related questions each day and will not be for prizes, keep an eye out tomorrow for the first questions!

It’s the last week in August everyone! What better way to lead off this week than with another edition of Monday Poll. Last week’s poll resulted in a tie at the top with both NFL and NHL receiving 4 votes each. This week’s poll question is… which form of “fighting” do you enjoy watching the most? Boxing, Wrestling, or MMA?

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful last Saturday in August as it is now time to reveal the answer to yesterday’s Raider Friday Trivia question. The last Raider football quarterback to start a full season’s worth of games in both his junior and senior season was… Brendan Brooks who guided in the Raiders in 2008 (junior) and 2009 (senior) to go along with starting the majority of 2007 (sophomore). Unfortunately there was no winner of the gift card this week but we will be back next Friday!

We have come to the end of our week of fall sport previews and last but certainly not least we take a look at the Raider football team who certainly will have high expectations to live up to in 2017. The Raiders enjoyed their most successful season in over a decade in 2016 as they finished 10-1 overall, capturing their first Herget title since 1999. The team went on to capture their first postseason victory since that year before falling to Bridgewater-Raynham in the D1A South semifinals. Despite losing some key players from last season the Raiders will still look to contend for a second straight Herget crown and to make some noise in the playoffs as this year they are back down to D2 South.

We’ve come to the last Friday in August and it’s time for the last August edition of Raider Friday Trivia. Guess today’s question correctly and you could win a Dunkin gift card. Today’s question is… who was the last Raider football quarterback to start a full season’s worth of games in both their junior and senior seasons? Answer tomorrow!

So yesterday when I said today would be last day of fall previews, I clearly was not looking at a calendar, as today is truly the second to last day of our fall sports previews. Today we take a look at girls swimming who enjoyed another winning season in 2016. The girls finished their regular season 8-3, and then went on to take 4th at the Bay State meet, 6th in sectionals and then went on to the state meet. As always the girls will look to make their way back to the top of the Bay State Conference in 2017 as they face an always difficult schedule. Join us tomorrow as we truly close out the week in previews with football!

So in my schedule unveil last week, I neglected to post the schedule for the girls swim team. I apologize to any of the girls who read this blog for the oversight and present, better late than never the 2017 girls swim schedule. The home meets will be held at Babson College and meets start at 7 pm unless noted.

9-12 vs. Brookline

9-15 @ Norwood 4 pm

9-19 @ Braintree 5 pm

9-26 vs. Milton

9-28 @ Notre Dame Academy 4 pm

10-3 vs. Newton North

10-17 @ Needham

10-20 vs. Walpole

10-24 vs. Framingham

10-27 vs. Weymouth

10-31 @ Natick 4:30 pm

On this second to last day of our fall sports previews we take a look at the boys golf team who in 2016 enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in recent memory. The team finished the regular season 17-0 and then on to finish 3rd at sectionals, and earned a berth in the state meet. With several returning talents from last year’s team look for this year’s edition to make another run towards an undefeated record and tournament match success. Join us tomorrow where we fill finish out the week of previews with football and girls swimming.

It’s day 2 of our 2017 fall sports preview as today we take a look at field hockey and girls volleyball. Both teams are coming off of state tournament appearances in 2016 and looking for similar success and more in the new season with one team beginning a new chapter. Field hockey is coming off of a 11-3-4 2016 season that saw them advance to the D1 South quarterfinals where they fell to Dennis-Yarmouth. The girls are always a perennial power in D1 South and the Bay State league and will be looking for more of the same this time around.

Girls volleyball meanwhile also made it to the tournament last season finishing 11-11 overall and knocking off North Middlesex before falling in the sectional quarterfinals to Acton-Boxborough. The team enters a new chapter this year with new head coach Tasha Odemwingle taking over. Look for this year’s Raider team to once again compete for a tournament berth as well las a league title. Tomorrow we will be taking a look at the boys golf team, so as always stay tuned!

With fall practices having started up and the season itself close upon us, we take a look at the 2017 and how they are looking coming into the new season. We start off with boys and girls soccer who’s 2016 seasons were certainly different but also both of whom experience their fair share of growing pains. The boys soccer team was able to earn yet another postseason berth in 2016 finished 6-6-4 and then going on to upset Silver Lake, before falling to Needham in overtime in the D1 South quarterfinals. This year’s team will look to once again achieve a postseason berth and also look to get back towards the top of the Herget division standings.

The girls meanwhile are coming off a tough 2-9-3 season in 2016. However the team will begin a new chapter this fall as Cat Whitehall takes over as head coach. Whitehall has enjoyed an extremely successful playing and coaching career thus far and will look to transfer that over to the Raiders. Look for the girls to be right in the thick of things in 2017 in terms of both conference standings and post season wise. Tune back in tomorrow as we will preview field hockey and girls volleyball.