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Hartford, Royals pull out thriller

In an absolute dynamite of a game, No. 6 Georgetown defeated No. 7 Arlington, 22-21 in overtime, in the Division 2 North semifinals.

The Royals will play No. 4 Winchester, which defeated North Andover, in the final.

Hornets escape with miracle win

Frank Carey has coached 41 years and has won a staggering 640 games, but few were as improbable as this one.

The top-seeded Hornets rallied for a dramatic 10-9 victory over disheartened Georgetown yesterday in the Division 3 North quarterfinals.

Conte's clutch hit give Royals dramatic win

GEORGETOWN | Anthony Conte called it a dream at-bat.

"It's like when you're 6 or 7-years-old playing wiffle ball with your cousins (saying), 'It's the bottom of the ninth! Bases loaded! Two out!'"

Georgetown gets win over Pentucket

As lacrosse teams statewide continue to vie for state championships, a pair of Cape Ann League rivals met yesterday with an EMass. Division 2 North semifinal berth at stake.

The No. 6 seed Georgetown girls lacrosse team extended its winning streak to seven games with a 15-9 victory over No. 14 Pentucket.

Which Royals team will appear come tourney time

It's tough to say which Georgetown baseball team might show up when the squad opens the Division 3 North Tournament against Winthrop on Friday.

Will it be the Royals team that scored seven or more runs 12 times this year? That would be the same team that scored an average of 15 runs in five straight wins to close the regular season.

Hartford tallies 10 points in tournament opener

 On the opening day of state tournament play, Shannon Hartford showed Westford Academy why she was the Cape Ann League Division 2 player of the year.

Scoring eight goals and assisting on two others, Hartford had a hand in all but one of No. 6 seed Georgetown's goals in an 11-10 victory over No. 11 Westford Academy in the EMass. Division 2 North opening round.

Hartford named CAL Div. 2 player of the year

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Georgetown junior Shannon Hartford was recently named lacrosse player of the year in the Cape Ann League Division 2.

The sport is in her blood.

Royals clinch CAL Small with win over North Reading

Armed with the knowledge that a win would clinch at least a share of the CAL Division 2 title, and a win and a Triton loss would synch the title outright, Georgetown was unrelenting on senior day scoring its highest goal total of the season to put away North Reading, 20-9.

Hartford's eight points give Georgetown the lead in CAL Div. 2

Georgetown (10-4) overcame a 6-3 halftime deficit to take sole possession of the lead in the Cape Ann League Division 2 standings. Shannon Hartford notched four goals and four assists for the Royals. Alyssa Rosenthal added two goals. Michelle Reilly had a goal and an assist. Kelly Burke, Emily Messelaar and Kristen Pingree scored a goal each. April Surrett made 10 saves. Pauline Reilly and Katherine Falzereno played well defensively according to Royals coach Heather Hartford.

Rockport bats go quiet in big loss to Georgetown

The Rockport baseball team came into yesterday's matchup with Georgetown looking to accomplish two things.

First they were looking to knock off their Cape Ann League rivals. But more importantly, they were looking to clinch a berth in the state tournament.

Georgetown's Holland headed to Polk

Tim Holland picked his college of choice three months ago, committing to Lake City Community College in Lake City, Fla.

The Georgetown senior and returning Daily News baseball player of the year wanted to position himself to get selected in the MLB Draft or get recruited by a top-flight Division 1 program.

Georgetown qualifies for tourney with win over Hornets

Shannon Hartford netted four goals and two assists in Georgetown's state-tournament clinching victory. Kelly Burke added three goals and an assist for the Royals (9-4). Kristen Pingree, Emma Cannon, Michelle Reilly and Alyssa Rosenthal added one goal each. Kate Grosslein had an assist. April Surrette made 11 saves. Royals coach Heather Hartford cited the defensive efforts of Robyn Scotti, Katherine Falzareno and Rosenthal.

Georgetown falls to Manchester-Essex

The Hornets got back to .500 with the victory, as they improved to 4-4 with a 13-9 win over Georgetown.

Haley Irwin led the way with four goals and junior Annie Osborne, who recently came back from injury, added two goals and two assists.

Barclay, Knights edge Royals

North Andover took and early lead and held on to beat Georgetown, 14-12. Caroline Barclay and Hannah Lategan had three goals each for the Knights, while Shannon Hartford netted five for Georgetown.

Georgetown bests Kneeland, Triton

Cam Kneeland's torrid start was perhaps the biggest factor in the Triton baseball team's 4-0 record leading into the school's April vacation last week.

But the Vikings senior, who leads all River Rival players in home runs and batting average, wasn't able to prevent his squad from completing April vacation with a three-game losing streak Saturday.

Georgetown is too much for H-W

The Generals had a short-lived 4-3 lead before Georgetown's bats came alive with seven runs in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach and come away with a 17-6 win. John Hession led the H-W offense with two htis and two RBI while Matt Stewart added a single and a sacrifice fly to drive in a pair, Pat Twomey recorded an RBI and Matt Greeke collected three hits.

Pure hitter Holland hunting for college home again

April, it's the month when high school seniors everywhere are locking up their futures.

Georgetown's Tim Holland stands locked out.

The two-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star, one of the most prolific hitters in area history, Holland had the jump on many of his classmates.

Royal talent comes and goes

Lawrence's Darwin Fabian is off to a 1-1 start on the mound, and Bradford's Andrew Barba starts in the outfield and currently is hitting .278 with five runs and four RBIs in six games.

Fabian's younger brother Danyer is a promising prospect as a sophomore, and Ricky Marte, also of Lawrence, adds depth off the bench.

McElroy no-hits red-hot Georgetown

In more than 30 years and 750 career games coaching from the dugout, Newburyport coach Bill Pettingell has seen his pitchers throw only three or four no-hitters in that time span.

Against one of the Cape Ann League's hottest hitting teams yesterday, Kyle McElroy added one more to that total, no-hitting Georgetown in a thrilling win, 10-0.

Star Hartford powers Georgetown past Port

In the first six games of the girls lacrosse season, one clear-cut theme has unfolded in the River Rival region | royalty reigns supreme. The Georgetown Royals to be specific.

Although talk of a coronation might be premature, the Royals' leading lady and top scorer, Shannon Hartford, certainly looks to be one of the top Cape Ann League talents, amassing 46 points thus far after notching another seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) in yesterday's 10-7 win over Newburyport.

Hornets struggle defensively, fall to Georgetown

The Manchester Essex baseball team has been hitting and pitching effectively. Now they just need to get their defense squared away.

The Hornets committed nine errors yesterday, which led to nine unearned runs in a 15-7 loss to Georgetown. It was the second consecutive game that Manchester Essex (0-2) was plagued by defensive miscues.

Vikings softball team rallies late for win in season opener over Georgetown

Things were not looking good for the Rockport softball team in yesterday's season opener against Georgetown.

Down 2-0 in the sixth inning, the Vikings had been held hitless and Royals pitcher Sarah Erlandson was cruising, retiring 16 of the 18 batters she faced.

Rain, hail doesn't spoil Spofford memorial tournament

Georgetown baseball coach Mark Rowe deserved better this weekend.

The man who spearheaded the organization of the inaugural Bert Spofford tournament shouldn't have been burdened with cold winds or constant rainfall overlapping his four-games-in-two-days schedule. For all his planning efforts, Rowe should have been blessed with two 75-degree afternoons of sun-filled baseball.

Ipswich captures season-opening tournament over host Georgetown

The rain and cold couldn't stop Ipswich in the first Bert Spofford Memorial Baseball Tournament in Georgetown this weekend. Neither could Newburyport or Georgetown, for that matter, as the Tigers captured the crown with a pair of thrilling victories.

Despite comeback effort, Sachems hold off Royals

A driving, diagonal rain. Check.

An overcast sky. Check.

A frigid breeze that pushed spectators onto their heels. Check.

These are the conditions the Pentucket and Georgetown boys lacrosse programs played in yesterday, and despite the inhospitable elements, this great rivalry was a fun game to watch.

Local baseball teams will play in Spofford's memory

Perhaps a moment of silence wouldn't be long enough to memorialize one of the region's most influential sports figures.

In that sense, it's only fitting that the entire opening weekend on the local baseball scene will be spent paying tribute to Bert Spofford, who died at the age of 90 last July.

Georgetown Baseball Preview

2007 record: 14-7, lost in Division 3 North first round

Returning starters (8): Tim Holland, Sr., P/SS; Andrew Barba, Sr., OF; Darwin Fabian, Sr., P/Inf; Jeffrey Rollins, Sr., 1B; Anthony Conte, Jr., SS/2B; Joe Esposito, Jr., CF; Josh Ingram, Jr., 3B/OF; Chris Esposito, Soph., C

Georgetown Girls Lacrosse Preview

Coach: Heather Harford (third year)

Last season: 15-5

Key players: Shannon Hartford, jr.; Kelly Burke, jr.; Kaela Barta, sr.; Katherine Falzareno, sr.; April Surette, jr.

Georgetown Softball Preview

2007 record: 1-19, didn't make state tourney

Returning starters (4): Sarah Erlandson, Frosh., P; Sarah Osborne, Jr., 3B; Hannah Birnie, Soph., 2B; Melanie Prior, Frosh., C  

Bouchard takes over as Georgetown lacrosse coach

Despite a better-than-average season last year, the Georgetown boys lacrosse team has reason to believe that this season could be an even larger step in the right direction.

The main reason for such high hopes is the introduction of new coach Matt Bouchard, a graduate of Merrimack College and a legitimate high school journeyman whose coaching stops have seen him at Salem High and Masconomet.

Georgetown Boys Lacrosse Preview

2007 record: 11-8, lost Division 2 East first round

Returning starters (6): Robert Gibb, Sr., midfield; Jim McGillicuddy, Sr., midfield; Aaron Rice, Sr., midfield; Billy Smith, Sr., midfield; Brandon Wade, Sr., midfield; David Laflamme, Sr., attack

O'Connell makes history but Royals are ousted

Georgetown junior Taryn O'Connell could've done without the celebration that ensued when she scored her 1,000th and 1,001st career points last night.

The milestone meant little to the 5-9 forward, who was far more concerned with her team being only seconds away from having its season come to an end.

No. 15 Georgetown looking to post third straight upset

As far as the Georgetown Royals girls basketball team is concerned, tournament rankings don't mean a thing.

In a matter of five days, the No. 15 seed Royals (12-10) have turned the Division 4 North bracket upside down with upsets over No. 10 Lowell Catholic (59-52) and No. 2 Matignon (67-62). With a variety of experienced upperclassmen and passionate coaches in BarriAnn Alonzo and Bob Graffum, the Royals look to continue their dominance against another higher-ranked squad in No. 3 Mount Alvernia (16-2) this evening (7 p.m., Concord-Carlisle).

Athletic North Cambridge overwhelms No. Royals

All good things have to come to an end eventually.

Such was the case last night for the Georgetown boys basketball team, who after going 12-7 and beating Tyngsboro in the first round of the Division 4 North tournament, finally succumbed to the North Cambridge Catholic Panthers, 85-50.

O'Connell, Royals topple No. 2 Matignon

No. 15 Georgetown pulled off the biggest local upset of the state tournament thus far, shocking No. 2 Matignon, 67-62, in the first round of the Division 4 North tourney.

Taryn O'Connell tallied 24 points and 17 rebounds for the Royals, who improved to 11-10. Matignon, which fell to 18-3, trailed 45-23 at halftime before outscoring Georgetown 39-22 in after the break. But they couldn't overcome the Royals.

Royals narrowly avoid upset

If stats and records indicate anything, last night's opening-round Division 4 North contest should have been a blowout.

However, in a game with a mere two lead changes, the battle between No. 3 Georgetown and Tyngsboro, which earned the 14th and last berth with a 5-15 record, was anything but a lopsided affair.

Royals shock Winthrop in Spartan Classic

Georgetown beat Division 4 rival Winthrop in the consolation round of the Spartan Classic. The Royals (13-7) received 24 points from Jaymie Spears, 22 of which came in the second half.

"They shut him down with a box-and-one in the first half," Georgetown coach Mike Rowinsky said. "He made the adjustments in the second half, and we won a game we probably shouldn't have won."

Hornets celebrate senior night in style by beating Georgetown

With just one game remaining in the regular season, the Manchester Essex girls basketball team is playing its best when it really matters.

The Hornets are trying to get the highest possible seed in the Division 4 North tournament which will begin in two weeks. After losing on the road to Georgetown, 56-35, in its season-opener, the Hornets exacted revenge on the Royals by taking a 60-47 win on senior night in Manchester. Centers Allison Hogan and Dani Ciccone are the only Hornet seniors and they were honored before the game.

Rockport leads by one at half but falters in second half

Playing against a quality opponent like Georgetown, the host Rockport boys basketball team knew it had to come out hard to stay in the game. The Vikings (2-14) did that in the first half as they led 26-25 at the break but they lost steam in the second half as the Royals (10-6) showed the skill of a team that clinched a tournament spot last night. Georgetown went home with a 66-46 win.

North Andover rules CAL

The gap is closing just a bit, but North Andover continues to rule the Cape Ann League.

The Knights captured the CAL meet at Wilmington for the seventh straight time, and 10th time in the last 11 years by scoring 205 points. Masconomet was second (170) and Lynnfield/North Reading (138) came in third.

North Andover drops Georgetown

Taryn O'Connell scored 12 points and Haley Gisonno scored 13 points to lead Georgetown in a tight contest. The Royals, however, fell to North Andover, 43-34.

Nicole Zahoruiko hurt the Royals down the stretch, scoring 21 points for the Scarlet Knights. Georgetown hung around for much of the contest, only trailing 25-23 at the half. North Andover outscored the Royals 18-11 in the second half, however, to pull away. The Knights improved to 8-5 and the Royals dropped to 7-6 on the season.

Spears' big night spoiled by North Andover

Freshman guard Jaymie Spears poured in 22 points, but it wasn't enough for Georgetown, which fell to North Andover 57-49.

The Royals trailed for most of the night, but caught the Knights in the fourth quarter. The Royals were able to take a four-point lead, but North Andover stormed back, outscoring the Knights 21-15 in the fourth to win what was a one possession game until the final minute.

Georgetown over Amesbury

Taryn O'Connell tallied 18 points, 13 rebounds and three assists for the Royals (6-5). Julie Fehlmann added 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Haley Gisonno had 13 points, nine rebounds, and three steals. The Royals snapped a four-game losing streak.

Georgetown takes down Amesbury in physical game

If you are not a fan of a get-on-the-floor, scrappy, up-and-down game than last night's Georgetown-Amesbury clash was not your cup of tea.

With all the loose ball scrambles, tie-ups, and steals, the contest looked more like football than basketball.

Georgetown leading CAL Small thanks to underclassmen

The Georgetown boys basketball team is off to a curious start when you consider the makeup of the 7-2 Royals. Youth, talent, and upside are not normally the adjectives one associates with a winning basketball team.

Dan Gionet tournament

Whittier showed its best depth of the season and came away with the title at the 10-team Dan Gionet tournament in Pelham. The Wildcats didn't crown one champion, but they had eight placers, led by runners-up Garret Gadd (125) and Corey Chabuz (heavyweight).

Georgetown outlasts Triton in classic CAL showdown

Forget the fact that a 1-8 team traveled to a 5-2 team last evening in one of the hardest gyms in which to play in the entire Cape Ann League.

Instead, take a minute to remember some of the down-to-the-wire affairs between Triton and Georgetown during the last two seasons.

Lancers prevail for title; Holt shines

It was a great day for Lancers at the Haverhill Invitational yesterday.

And it was a particularly good day for the Lawrence Lancers, who captured their second straight Haverhill Invitational title, rolling up 199<1/2> points to edge the runner-up Londonderry Lancers (174<1/2>) for top honors.

Tomacz's free throws ice victory for Clippers

Newburyport sophomore Lindsay Tomacz has seen her share of pressure situations as goalie of the Division 3 state champion soccer team.

But her soccer talents couldn't help her last night when she came to the free throw line four times in the closing three minutes of a River Rival game with Georgetown.

Newburyport beats previously unbeaten Georgetown

Back on track thanks to a more efficient offense, the Newburyport boys basketball team ended a three-game losing streak with a 58-54 victory over previously-undefeated Georgetown.

Midway through the third quarter with the Clippers up 36-32 and the Royals trading baskets, Newburyport big man Chris Barry began to take over. He scored 11 of the Clippers' next 13 points and was dominant on the boards stretching all the way into the fourth quarter.

Sachems tough down the Lane

WEST NEWBURY | Sophomore guard Emily Lane is making the most of her opportunity for the talented Pentucket girls basketball team.

Primarily a JV player last year, Lane is among those battling to provide the Sachems with added depth this season and, in last night's 59-20 romp over Georgetown, she once again stated her case, scoring seven points on 3-of-4 shooting with one 3-pointer and generally moving the ball effectively in the backcourt.

Rockport drops season-opener to Georgetown

Experience is a coveted thing in high school sports.

If you can couple that with talent then you have a deadly combination as the Rockport girls basketball team found out last night. They hosted Cape Ann League Small rival Georgetown, who boasted all five returning starters (although one is out with an injury) from a team that went 14-8 last season. The Royals led from start to finish in an impressive 60-24 win.

Georgetown Boys Basketball Preview

Coach: Mike Rowinski (3rd year)

Last season: 14-8

Key players: Tim Holland, sr.; Brandon Wade, sr.; Jayme Spears, fr.; Kyle McKay, jr.; Joe Esposito, jr.

Newcomers: Julio Colon, so.; Kyle Perry, jr.; Mike Messman, so.; Josh Ingram, jr.; Anthony Conte, jr.; Mike Ruh, jr.

Georgetown Girls Basketball Preview

2006-07 record: 14-8, lost in Division 4 North quarterfinals

Returning starters (5): Gina DeGenova, 5-5, Jr., guard; Haley Gisonno, 5-10, Jr., center; Taryn O'Connell, 5-9, Jr., forward; Julie Fehlmann, 5-9, Sr., forward; Kelly Gillen, 5-7, Jr., forward

Hornets clinch playoff berth with Thanksgiving victory

GEORGETOWN | Big Players make big plays in big games. That has been the slogan all season long for the Manchester Essex football team.

After yesterday's 27-7 Commonwealth Conference small championship-clinching victory over Georgetown, the entire Hornets team could be seen as big players for making a number of big plays in the biggest game of the season.

Orlando, Esposito looking for edge in growing rivalry

Over the last few years, football fans have watched Tom Brady and Peyton Manning dominate the National Football League with their rivalry and individual performances.

This season the Commonwealth Athletic Conference Small has their own version of Brady vs. Manning in Manchester Essex's Pat Orlando and Georgetown's Joe Esposito.

Georgetown, Manchester draw plenty of attention

This small-school rivalry is one of the games of the day in Eastern Mass.

The only question now is will there be room around Georgetown High for the glut of television truck and crews in town. Manchester-Essex (8-2) and Georgetown (8-1) collide for the 48th time, the 17th meeting on Thanksgiving, and no meeting has been bigger.

Coaches' Corner: Matt Bouchard

High school football is about planning, second-year Georgetown football coach Matt Bouchard said.

"Obviously, any time you start a new endeavor, you have goals," he said. "You put a plan out there. You hope your staff, yourself and your athletes can follow that plan."

Georgetown seniors responsible for football team's success

It doesn't take long for Georgetown senior Nadjee Harrigan to pinpoint the difference in the school's football team over the past three seasons.

Having started his football career as a sophomore under coach Paul Swaim, Harrigan played on an average 2005 team that finished 5-5 | two wins shy of a playoff berth. "Every game was a measuring stick," Harrigan said. "We didn't know if we were getting better."

Thanksgiving Day Preview: Manchester Essex at Georgetown

Where: Georgetown High

Date: Thursday, Nov. 22

Time: 10 a.m.

Coaches: Mike Athanas, Manchester Essex; Matt Bouchard, Georgetown.

Captains: Manchester Essex: Phil Gillette, Sr. C/LB; Scott Forsythe, Sr. TE/DE, Sam Cohen, Sr. WR/DB; Pat Orlando, Jr. QB/DB; Georgetown: Brandon Wade, Sr. RB/S, Jeff Rollins, Sr. OG/DT, Joe Esposito, Jr. QB/DB;

Ipswich defeats Georgetown in shootout

After a scoreless regulation and overtime, No. 12 Georgetown fell to No. 8 Ipswich in a shootout, 4-3, in the semifinals of the Division 3 North tourney.

Julie Fehlmann scored a goal in the shootout for the Georgetown (11-8-1), while Vanessa Coolidge stood out at goalie and Katherine Falzareno played a tremendous game at sweeper

Esposito propels Royals to victory

CHELSEA | It took just 30 seconds for Chelsea's kicker to make a complete mess of Georgetown's return team. It took Royals quarterback Joe Esposito 11 minutes to repair the damage, but his efforts were fruitful and Georgetown won the contest 21-12.

Georgetown advances to semis with victory over league foe

The Division 3 North girls soccer tournament is beginning to play out like a Cape Ann League tournament.

No. 12 Georgetown became the most recent CAL team to assert its pedigree yesterday, advancing to the semifinal round with a 5-1 victory over CAL-foe and No. 13 seed Hamilton-Wenham.

Esposito brothers, Georgetown maul Minuteman

GEORGETOWN | Georgetown looked unstoppable while Minuteman Regional looked as sloppy as the waterlogged field.

The Royals ran the ball at will and their defense was simply dominant as they rolled to their sixth straight victory, 42-20, despite the relentless cold rain and strong winds that were present the entire afternoon.

Georgetown upsets Nazareth

No. 12 Georgetown upset No. 5 Nazareth Academy 4-0 to advance to the second round of the Division 3 North tournament. The Royals will host the winner of Sunday's match between Shawsheen and Hamilton-Wenham.

Esposito does it all for red-hot Royals

WAKEFIELD | Joe Esposito rushed for a pair of touchdowns and threw for two more as Georgetown cruised to a 27-0 win over Northeast.

The junior quarterback rushed for 88 yards and passed for another 149. Esposito ignited the offense with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Nadjee Harrigan, with 13 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Esposito, Wade have Georgetown primed for conference title

For a powerhouse Georgetown team that is 5-1 and has scored 180 points in the Commonwealth Conference Small, the key to success goes beyond a potent offense.

It's the intangibles that fuel this engine.

Defense the key to Georgetown's turnaround

A year ago Georgetown was wrapping up a monumental second-half collapse in which the Royals lost seven of their last eight games to fall out of tournament contention at 4-9-4 (the only other game was a 0-0 tie).

Georgetown thrashes North Shore Tech

There is always something to work on.

After blasting winless North Shore, 44-8, Georgetown now faces a trio of teams (Northeast, Chelsea and Minuteman) with a combined 1-17 record before meeting Manchester Essex Thanksgiving morning for the Commonwealth Conference small school title and a Super Bowl berth. But head coach Matt Blanchard will use this opportunity to keep his troops on the winning path while adapting his substitutes to varsity-level competition.

Georgetown midseason coach's chat

The Royals posted their first Commonwealth Conference crossover wins since 2001, going 3-1 against the CAC Large. Now the real season begins with a classic Turkey Day showdown coming with Manchester Essex.

Georgetown goalie makes 22 saves in tie against Masconomet

If last Tuesday's tightly played 1-0 loss to North Andover wasn't a wake-up call to the rest of the league that Georgetown was for real, then yesterday's Royals' 0-0 draw against Masconomet made that clear.

Georgetown baffles Greater Lowell

Greater Lowell hunted high and low but couldn't seem to figure out where the ball went as it was pounded 41-8 by a deceptive Georgetown running game.

Royals quarterback Joe Esposito faked hand-offs and ran past a bewildered Greater Lowell defense for 163 yards. The fakes were so well executed that Esposito's fullback, John Boutin, was seemingly tackled more times without the ball than with it.

Geargetown beats North Reading in close game

In a tight contest, Nicoline Holland squeezed one by for Georgetown to defeat North Reading 1-0.

North Andover wins tight game over Georgetown

Gareth Dudney took a pass from Bryan Hickey and scored 15 minutes into the second half to give North Andover a 1-0 win over Georgetown. Dan Klisiewicz made nine saves for the Scarlet Knights while Evan Weagle made 12 for the Royals.

Fagan lifts Knights

DeeDee Fagan netted two goals for North Andover as it got past Georgetown, 4-1. The Scarlet Knights' Jackie Sullivan had two assists. Bri Connolly and Lauren Bova played exceptional defense for the Scarlet Knights, holding Georgetown to just five shots. Nicoline Holland scored the only goal for Georgetown.

Georgetown hands Shawsheen first loss

GEORGETOWN | One thing was made abundantly clear on a sun-splashed football field in Georgetown yesterday: The time has come to stop talking about large and small divisions and simply call the Royals one of the best teams in the Commonwealth Conference. Period.

Royal defense looking to roll up its sleeves against Rams

Georgetown football coach Matt Bouchard likens it to the difference in going from a suit and tie job to one that requires a sweat shirt and a beat up pair of overalls.

On offense his Royals are all about precision, timing and spreading out the field. Defensively, where a majority of his offensive starters also play, he would like his team to drop that suit and tie mindset.