Freeman on tap
Veteran coach at Braintree
Matt Freeman knows he is following in the footsteps of a coaching legend.
He also is confident enough in his abilities to be able to get the job done.
Freeman was named the new girls basketball coach at Braintree High. He replaces Kristen McDonnell, who won 211 games and four Division 1 state titles before leaving to take the boys hoop job at Norwood.
“No question about it, Kristen is an outstanding coach,” said Freeman, who has been an AP psychology teacher at Braintree High for the past 22 years. “Kristen and I are good friends, we’ve talked in the past. I’m sure I will keep some of the things the same, but I would like to put my stamp on the program as well.”
Braintree athletic director Mike Denise received numerous quality resumes for the high-profile position. That Freeman was given glowing reviews by many of his peers constantly stood out in Denise’s mind.
“Every athletic director and coach I spoke to about Matt had nothing but great things to say about him. They said he’s as a solid a guy as I will find,” Denise said. “He has experience and he’s been a leader in every way. He is the perfect person to allow our student/athletes to become successful.”
A standout basketball player at Bishop Feehan, Freeman went to coach at his alma mater for 17 years and won 249 games. Following the 2017-18 season, he was let go for reasons the school never spelled out. Freeman surfaced as an assistant at Dover-Sherborn last year and the school captured the Division 3 state title.
“I’m never going to bad mouth my alma mater. I played there and coached there and loved every minute of it,” Freeman said. “I was grateful to have an opportunity to coach with Rick (Grady) and the boys there at Dover-Sherborn.”
As for coaching a girls team for the first time, Freeman doesn’t envision any problems. That he knows some of the players from his time as a teacher is a plus in his eyes.
“Some of the girls have come up to me during the process and were very encouraging,” Freeman said. “I expect that we’ll meet as a team next week and spell out our goals for the upcoming season. I’ve coached girls in the past at clinics and camps and it’s never been a problem.”
New grid rules
With football around the corner, here is a look at some of the new rules high school football fans can expect to see this year with the move from NCAA rules to Federation. Information was sent to schools by the MIAA.
■ Hash marks: NFHS football hash marks are placed on the field differently than NCAA hash marks. NFHS hash marks are 53 feet, 4 inches from each sideline. These hash marks split the width of the field (160’) in three even sections. All MIAA games are to be played with NFHS hash marks.
■ Timing of quarters: A request from the MIAA to the NFHS for one final year of non-12-minute periods was submitted but not approved this past June. NFHS rules state each period is 12 minutes with a oneminute intermission between periods. Halftime can be from 10-20 minutes. There is a mandatory threeminute warm-up period following halftime intermission. The game officials will work to have this posted on the game clock and indicate when the three-minute period is to begin.
■ Point differential/running clock: The NFHS permits state associations to establish a point differential/running clock policy. MIAA schools will be using the following policy for the 2019-20 school year:
“A running clock will be used: when a point differential reaches 42 points at the beginning of or any time during the third quarter or a 30-point differential at the beginning of or any time during the fourth quarter. It will continue for the remainder of the game.”
■ 40/25 Second Clock: Officials will be working with new timing parameters of 40/25 second clock intervals. This will be managed by the officials on the field as many schools do not have a visible 40/25 second clock. During the past years, officials have worked diligently to efficiently manage getting the ball ready for play but with the new NFHS rules, the effort to adhere to 40/25 second intervals has created a new emphasis.
On their marks
Nineteen high school athletes from throughout Massachusetts will compete in Saturday’s Tommy Cochary High School Mile, in conjunction with the New Balance Falmouth Road Race the next day.
Among the top athletes expected in the high school mile, which is the finale of the Falmouth Track Festival, are Mike Griffin of Wrentham (King Philip), Tyler Brogan of Franklin, Makayla Paige of Tewksbury and Kate Connolly of Natick.
The track festival will begin at 4 p.m. at the James Kalperis Track at Falmouth High with the SBLI Family Fun Run, followed by the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile and then the Tommy Cochary High School Mile. Admission is free.
The high school mile, which began in 2010, was renamed eight years ago in honor of Tommy Cochary, a young Falmouth runner who was killed in a drunkdriving accident in 1990.