'It’s just really exciting for everyone': HC players, family, fans still excited about football at Polar Park

WORCESTER — Foul lines turned into sidelines. Home plate into goal posts. Home runs substituted for touchdowns.

Even the usual video clips of "The Sandlot" — played over the jumbotron — were replaced by "Any Given Sunday" recordings.

For the third time, college football made its way to the newest ballpark in Worcester on Saturday when the WooSox welcomed Holy Cross and Harvard to Polar Park for the EBW Football Classic.

More: 'They were the better team today': Holy Cross' Polar Park magic runs out in loss to Harvard

“It’s really cool,” Holy Cross sophomore Cam Nolan said. “It’s obviously really different.”

“It’s certainly different than watching a baseball game,” Nolan’s mother, Kristin, said. “There’s definitely a little more activity.”

Growing up in Oxford, Nolan played four years of high school football at St. John’s High.

During his senior season in 2021, the Pioneers played Xaverian at Polar Park. On the last play of the game, current HC teammate Carlo Crocetti picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown to seal the win for Xaverian over St. John’s.

“We don’t really talk about it,” Nolan, 19, said. “It’s just a funny memory we have.”

On Saturday, Nolan saw his team suffer another loss at Polar Park when the Crusaders fell to the Crimson, 38-28. Despite the final result, the experience of playing football on a baseball field was a memorable one — again — for the Holy Cross sophomore lineman and his family.

“Polar Park is still a new thing around here,” Nolan said. “It’s cool to see different events held there, and it’s just really exciting for everyone.”

“It never gets old,” said his mother, who watched the game with more than 50 family members and friends. “We were fortunate he picked a school so close to home, and fortunate Polar Park is a great atmosphere, and just happy to be able to come here and watch him play in college.”

Colonials on hand

John Aloisi had never set foot inside Polar Park before.

The Shrewsbury High football coach is usually too busy preparing for the fall season to watch baseball in Worcester. But the former Holy Cross football player brought 55 of his players to the EBW Classic on Saturday to watch former Shrewsbury football star Bradford Blattner suit up for Holy Cross.

“The kids were pretty excited to see (Blattner) in a college uniform,” said Aloisi, who played at Holy Cross from 1996-2000. “Great park. It’s definitely a cool thing.”

Dr. Christopher J. Vinton played defensive back for the Crusaders from 1992-96 before starting as a team physician with Holy Cross football in 2007. For the past 30 years, Vinton has been on the sideline in one capacity or another with HC.

“Fell in love with the city even before it had all its renaissance,” Vinton said. “Love the city, love my practice and really love being back to Holy Cross.”

Veteran of play in Polar and Gillette

With Springfield Central, Dante Bolden won two state championships at the home of the New England Patriots before joining the Holy Cross football team in 2020.

Growing up nearly 50 miles west of Worcester, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker has now played in three football games at the home of the WooSox.

“It’s not your traditional football game,” Bolden said.

On Saturday, everyone at Polar Park experienced the nuance that comes with having the pigskin fly around the diamond. Sure, the opposing dugouts and bullpens were still there — but both teams shared the same sideline.

Mascots were replaced by cheerleaders. “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” was substituted by cowbells. And baseball took a backseat to football.

“It honestly is an experience unlike no other,” Bolden said.

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44. 

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross players, family, fans still excited about football at Polar Park