AYER — For most of Billy Wright's 26 seasons as a varsity head football coach, the problem was never figuring out who was going to play. It was figuring out how many players he could get on the field.

AYER — Nate Diffin has spent the last nine years on the Ayer Shirley sidelines, caring for athletes and working alongside coaches. Now he’s stepping into the athletic director’s office, where his view will extend beyond individual players and teams to the entire athletic program. Diffin, who has served as the school’s head athletic trainer since 2017 and taught for the past five years, took over as athletic director at the end of July, succeeding Steve Kendall. The promotion could leave...

Once more unto the breach, dear friends. That was the call from captain J.T. Bresnahan. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior hoisted a massive...