OTTO INDELICATO (left), Jason Berry and the NRHS football team will have their first practice on Friday to prepare for the 2025 season. The Hornets will play a nine-game regular season starting with a visit to Greater Lowell Tech on Sept. 12. (Eric Evans File Photo)
NORTH READING — The North Reading High football team begins their season this week with tryouts/practice starting on Friday.
The Hornets will play a nine-game regular season, including the 66th Thanksgiving Day game against rival Lynnfield on Nov. 27, 10 a.m. at Pioneer Stadium.
The first game of the regular season will be on Friday, Sept. 12 at Greater Lowell Tech.
Hornet fans won’t see their home field until Oct. 10 when Essex Tech comes to town. The first four games of the season for North Reading will take place on the road as they visit Dedham on Sept. 19 before starting league play at Hamilton-Wenham on Sept. 26. They visit Triton on Oct. 3 before the home-opener against the Hawks.
North Reading went 8-3 overall last year. They were seeded No. 13 in the Div. 6 state tournament with a 7-1 record, falling to No. 4 Norwell 39-28 in the opening round.
The Hornets finished their season with a hard-fought 43-36 loss to Lynnfield on Thanksgiving, the third straight win on Turkey Day for the Pioneers although that counts the 2022 season when the Hornets sat their starters before winning the state championship.
North Reading will have three scrimmages to prepare for the regular season. They travel to Nantucket on Aug. 24, host KIPP Academy on Aug. 27 and visit Wakefield on Aug. 30.
Head coach Ed Blum is set to start his 8th season at the helm. He will build his 2025 team around three returning First Team CAL All-Stars: seniors Jason Berry (QB), Gavin Brady (WR/DB) and Otto Indelicato (RB/DL).
Berry went 136-for-204 for 1,873 passing yards and 26 passing TD’s last year. He also had 35 carries for 141 yards and 1 TD.
Indelicato had 134 carries for 860 yards and 16 TD’s. He also added 15 catches for 205 yards and 1 TD for a total of 1,065 yards from scrimmage and 17 TD’s.
Brady, who was named the Kinney Division Special Teams Player of the Year, had 55 catches for 779 yards and 11 TD’s, 6 carries for 79 yards and 1 TD and 2 kick return TD’s for a total of 14 TD’s.