Xaverian Graduate Part of UMass Amherst Football Team

Written by Michael Hardman

UMass-Amherst head football coach Charley Molner says 50-percent of his roster hails from the Bay State.

While the UMass Minutemen are working in towards that goal in Molner's second year at the helm, Norwood's Joe Colton (an Xaverian graduate), Wrentham's Brandon Howard, Medfield's Will Giggi, and Seekonk's Matthew Quinn are among the players hoping to get to the top of the Mid-American Conference.

The Minutemen are opening op the season at No. 23 Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison at noon. The Badgers are part of a challenging non-conference games as the will be hosting rival Maine, Saturday, Sept. 7, at Gillette Stadium at 2 p.m., at Kansas State, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. and Vanderbilt at Gillette Stadium, Sept. 21, at noon.

The Wisconsin game will be sown on the Big-Ten Network and broadcast live over the UMass-Radio Network.

Colton is a sophomore defensive back and the Xaverian High product appeared in 11 games last year, making two starts. He finished the season with 49 tackles, two pass-break-ups.

After playing quarterback at King Philip, Howard moved to tight-end in college and the 6-5, 250-pound tight-end is a red-shirt sophomore, who is vying for playing time at tight-end.

Giggi is a 6-5, 275-pound freshman offensive tackle, while Quinn is a red-shirt junior quarterback, who played at Proctor Academy.