Oxford vs. Bartlett in football. Why not?

Photos and Text By Steev Riccardo

Greetings sports fans! 

It really makes zero sense that Bartlett and Oxford don’t play each other in high school football.  How many reasons do you need to argue this?

The two towns and schools are within a stone's throw of each other, the enrollment sizes are very similar, and the two schools already play each other in every other sport and have great rivalries in each of them. Yet they don’t meet every year on the football field. Something is wrong with this picture.

Both schools play much bigger schools like Shepherd Hill and Tantasqua every year and Oxford also plays a bigger Bay Path every season.  Of course we don’t want to see those rivalries end, even though there is an obvious difference in enrollment. Still, the schedules could easily be tweaked to put Bartlett and Oxford on the same field together.

Last Saturday I brought this topic up with Oxford High Athletic Director John Doldoorian while we were on the sidelines of the Oxford-Blackstone Valley Tech scrimmage. Doldoorian said he would be totally in favor of it and I would find it hard to believe that Bartlett Athletic Director Rene Langevin or either coach or any of the students would feel any differently.

Doldoorian brought up a very interesting point about this year's schedule when he questioned why the Pirates were playing Nashoba Valley Tech, which is located in Westford.  In case you are wondering, Westford is 46 miles from Oxford.  Hello? Dear Mr. M.I.A.A (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) schedule maker, are you kidding?

On the other hand,does Bartlett have to make a 25- mile trek to play Quaboag and vice versa every year when they could practically walk to Oxford from Lake Parkway? Bartlett and Quaboag have a good rivalry in basketball, the football rivalry is non-existent. 

We need to lobby hard for a Bartlett-Oxford yearly football game and this is where the lobbying begins. Considering the way the crowds  flock to the game when each of these schools play neighboring Shepherd Hill, it makes all the sense in the world for them to meet on the football field every year. Think of the possibilities! This is an annual rivalry waiting to happen.

Nichols Bison Drop Gridiron Opener: Things didn’t exactly start off the way we hoped they would for the Nichols Bison football squad last Saturday. They were blasted by Westfield State 41-18 in Westfield, Mass.

Jonathan Winbush led the Bison with 73 yards rushing, while back-up quarterback Pat Viencek threw a pair of touchdown passes in the loss.

The Bison will take on Framingham State this Friday night in their home opener in Dudley.

Game of the week:
Oxford at Bartlett, Girls Soccer Wednesday, September 12
Two teams coming off tough seasons look to turn things around. This is our marquee match-up of the week.

A key for the Indians will be to try and stop Central Mass all-star Emily “The Sweet Assassin” Dawidczyk, which will be no easy task.

Emily Dawidczyk and the Oxford Pirates take on Bartlett Wednesday September 12 in Webster

When asked about playing and defending Dawidczyk, Bartlett senior co-captain Jen Grooms said, “It's nerve racking to know that it's up to me to take care of her. She is such a good player. She is stronger, so it’s a little tough. I will be as physical as she will be.”

Bartlett fullback Kayla Sizer added, “Emily (Dawidczyk) is a great player but we can’t wait to go up against her again this year.”

Upcoming High School Sporting Events

Field Hockey
Thursday, September 6:
Southbridge at Oxford

Quaboag at Shepherd Hill

Monday, September 10
Oxford at Uxbridge

Football
Thursday September 6:
Westborough at Shepherd Hill
Friday, September 7:
Bartlett at Northbridge
Saturday, September 8
Oxford at Bay Path

The Bartlett Boys Soccer team opens its season this week.

Boys Soccer
Thursday, September 6:
Bartlett at Grafton
Southbridge at Oxford
Quaboag at Shepherd Hill
Saturday, September 8
Shepherd Hill at Algonquin

Monday, September 10
Millbury at Bartlett
Oxford at Uxbridge
Shepherd Hill at Southbridge
Wednesday, September 12
Bartlett at Oxford
Shepherd Hill at Uxbridge

Girls Soccer
Thursday, September 6:
Grafton at Bartlett
Shepherd Hill at Quaboag
Oxford at Southbridge
Saturday, September 8:
Shepherd Hill at Algonquin

Monday, September 10:
Bartlett at Millbury
Uxbridge at Oxford
Wednesday, September 12:
Oxford at Bartlett
Shepherd Hill at Uxbridge

Girls Volleyball
Wednesday, September 12
Shepherd Hill at North Middlesex

Until next week, see you on the sidelines! Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any sports news and check out the new View From The Sidelines Facebook page with exclusive photos and news at https://www.facebook.com/ViewFromTheSidelines