Vikings Take Top Honors: Hubert Is League MVP; Cadigan Is Coach of the Year; Nine Players Receive NEC Awards

When Jonathan Cadigan met with his Winthrop High football team before the pre-season, the coach asked his players, “Who wants to be an All-Star? Please raise your hand.”

“Everybody raises their hand and I tell them, ‘the more games you win, the more All-Stars you can get’.”

And that obviously came true, added Cadigan.

Indeed the Northeastern Conference coaches took note of Winthrop’s superlative championship season and the team’s many outstanding individual contributors by selecting nine players to the NEC All-Conference and All-Star teams.

Bobby Hubert was named the NEC South Player of the Year and to the All-Conference Team. Ryan Hovermale, Matt Hurley, Stevie Perullo, and Duke Doherty were named All-Conference.

Chris Ferrara, Cam Conway, Brian Conceicao, and Michael Carter were named All-Stars.

Jonathan Cadigan was named the NEC Coach of the Year.

Cadigan was asked about his own award.

“It feels good,” said Cadigan. “When you’re surrounded by a good team and a great staff, it’s more their award than it is my award. I was just actually happy for them to get it.”

Hubert, a four-year varsity player, was the unanimous choice for Player of the Year. He is a three-time All-Conference player.

“I was very excited about that award for Bobby,” said Cadigan. “Before the season every year we have goals and before Bobby’s junior year, Bobby’s goal was to be MVP of the league. He didn’t get it his junior year but he got it his senior year so I was very happy for him.”

Offensive guards Perullo and Hurley took home their All-Conference awards for the Vikings’ powerful offensive line. They were All-Stars in the 2019 season as well.

Hovermale was clearly one of the league’s premier two-way performers. He reminded many Winthrop fans of former greats Bobby Kneeland and Joey Murray on the jet-sweep plays. The last defensive play of Hovermale’s career was a now-iconic, game-sealing breakup of a pass deep in Vikings’ territory to preserve a 16-14 win over Masconomet Regional.

Doherty, a reigning All-Scholastic quarterback, will take his All-Conference Award to the United States Naval Academy where he will be continuing his football career.

All-Star Ferrara, a member of a famed athletic family in Winthrop, formed the other half of the power and finesse running attack alongside Hubert. Ferrara’s specialty was the buck-sweep play and he had key touchdowns in Winthrop victories. He also excelled in the Vikings’ defensive backfield.

Conway, a tight end and defensive lineman, made it two NEC All-Star Awards in consecutive basketball and football seasons.

 Conceicao, a two-time NEC All-Star who will head to Amherst College and play for the Lord Jeffs, completed his excellent career with a 12-tackle performance versus Masconomet.

Carter was immense on the offensive line all year and if this were the NFL, Bobby Hubert would likely be buying watches for Carter and the rest of the Big Five: Nick Shea, Stevie Perullo, Matt Hurley, and Pete Jurovich – and honorary member Cam Conway.

The players will receive plaques and award certificates in recognition of their athletic accomplishments.

“The certificates are really impressive, kind of cool,” said Cadigan. “They have logos of all the teams in the league and it will say ‘All Conference’ or All-Star on the certificate.”