WESTFORD ACADEMY
WESTFORD, MA
FOOTBALL
6
-TIME STATE CHAMPS
2024 Football Coaching Staff
Coach Rich enters his 4th season as head coach and 12th season as a member of WA Football coaching staff. Since Coach Rich has taken over, WA football has won atleast 7 games each year and has produced 2 DCL MVPs. Coach Rich is a former All League Quarterback at Chelmsford High School and Framingham State. At Chelmsford High School, he led his teams to 2 Super Bowl appearances and was elected to play in the Annual Shriners All Star football game. At Framingham State he was elected Captain and won the prestigious gold helmet award as Player of the Week in all of New England College Football. Before joining the WA Football staff, he coached Defensive Backs at Framingham State, producing an All American Strong Safety. Coach Rich is also the WA Head Wrestling coach. His teams have won DCL titles in 2 of the last 3 years and is regularly ranked in the top 20 in the state of Massachusetts.Coach Rich is a Student Support Teacher at Westford Academy. He currently resides in Chelmsford with his wife Katie and three boys, Ben, Colin and Ethan.
Head Coach
Bruce Rich
Coach G played football and wrestled at Chelmsford High School class of '00. He was elected to the Massachusetts Shriners North All Star team and was voted MVC Lineman of the Year. He attended and played football as Post Graduate at Bridgton Academy. After high school he went to Merrimack College. He has was the offensive line coach at Chelmsford High School from 2004-2015. At CHS they were 2007 Superbowl Champions. He Coached Chelmsford to 4 League Titles. From 2017-2018 he was Chelmsford High schools Defensive Coordinator and Inside Linebackers Coach. From 2019-2021 he was Groton Dunstable Highschool Associate Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers and Offensive Line Coach. He currently teaches at Valley Collaborative Highschool in Billerica Ma. He lives in Groton with his wife Ashley and son Yianni.
Defensive Coordinator
Eli Gioumbakis
Coach Ruggles is a former Head Coach at North Middlesex Regional High School, Trinity High School, Ashland High School, and UMass Lowell., Won Multiple Super Bowls at North Middlesex Regional High School, Member of the Massachusetts High School Hall of Fame, Retired Physical Education Teacher, Substitute Teacher at Westford Academy.
Special Teams Coordinator
Sandy Ruggles
Coach McLaughlin played High School football at Chelmsford High School. He then moved on to play at Becker College and played in the DIII All American bowl. He coached one year of freshman football at Chelmsford High School and two years as the varsity OL coach at Dracut High School.
Offensive Line
Connor Mclaughlin
Coach Tim Rich is going into his 4th year with WA. Before this he was an a assistant coach at Danvers High School for 7 years, and Quarterback at Westfield State. As a Quarterback at Chelmsford High School he was a 2007 Super Bowl champion, League MVP, All Scholastic Player of the Year, super 26 team, Boston Globe Male Athlete of the year
Defensive Backs
Tim Rich
Coach McCabe played defensive line at Chelmsford High on two Super Bowl teams, Served 4 years in the United States Navy, deploying overseas twice, Freshman football coach at Chelmsford High for 7 years, Assistant coach at Groton-Dunstable for 6 years, including 2 as Defensive Coordinator, Lieutenant on the Lowell Fire Department, Lives in Lowell with his wife Meghan and three daughters, Quinn, Cara and Casey.
Outside Linebackers
Pat McCabe
Coach Duffet has been the WA Freshmen FB Coach from 2002-2005, 2017-current. He is a former WA Varsity Baseball and Basketball Coach, Former WA Athletic Director. As a Coach and Athletic director heoversaw and won multiple league and state championships, Retired WA teacher/35 years. The Westford Academy Athlete of the year awards are named after Coach Duffet.
Head Freshman Coach
Al Duffett
Coach Antonelli is a 2015 Westford Academy graduate and football captain. He played quaterback at Fitchburg State. Coach Antonelli has produced multiple all conferences receivers over the eyars. He is currently a Westford Police Officer.
Wide Reciever
James Antonelli Jr
Coach Towers is a 1988 graduate of WA. He has a BA in Theater Arts and Philosophy from Boston College and an MFA in Playwriting from Boston University. Coach Towers is a teacher and coach at WA and the Westford Academy Theater Arts Artistic Director.
Running Backs
Mike Towers
Coach Hirbough played tight end and defensive end at Lowell High School in graduating class of 1999 as Captain and played in Carole Classic All-Star Game. Attended Bentley College and played tight end graduating class of 2003. Works at Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union as a Loan Originator. Currently lives in Westford with his wife Erin and three children, Teddy, Thomas and Anna
Defensive Line
Jamie Hirbour
Coach Morris was a three sport Captain and All Conference Dual County League Football, Basketball, and Baseball player for Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. He was part of 3 Super Bowl winning teams as Quarterback and Free Safety during AB’s historic run of 52 consecutive wins. He went on to play Quarterback at Bentley University, majoring in Business Management with a Minor in Psychology. He currently works as a Technology Sales Executive focusing on early stage startups and lives in Westford with his wife Meaghan and two sons, Henry and Gavin - future WA football players.
Quarterbacks
Henry Morris
Coach Rich Sr was an All New England Football Player and Wrestler at Boston University. He is the all time winningest football coach at Chelmsford HS with 142 wins andwas 2007 Super Bowl Champs. He is in Massachusetts High School Wrestling Hall Fame, he has won 7 State titles in wrestling and 1 state title in Softball. He currently lives in Newburyport with his wife Peg. He enjoys spending time with his 4 grandsons; Ben, Colin, Ethan and Pete.
Offensive Analyst
Bruce Rich Sr
Coach Moose played for Chelmsford High and Graduated in 2017. Before coming to the Ghosts he coached the D line at Chelmsford High School and Groton Dunstable. Coach Joined the the Ghost Staff in 2021. He has one DCL title under his belt and is ready for more. He currently lives in Chelmsford and works in Lowell at the Alpine Butcher.
Director of Gameday Operations
Brian Moose Howard
Coach Loveless grew up in Billerica Massachusetts where he was a two sport captain in High School. He was a four year starter at Framingham State University at defensive back. He helped lead the Rams his senior year to an ECAC NorthEast Bowl Championship by leading the league in interceptions and was 9th in the country in passes defended. He currently lives in Billerica with his fiance Erin Flynn and his 4 year old son Brenton.
Defensive Analyst
Brent Loveless
From Tewksbury, was an all league reciever at Tewksbury High School and Framingham State. Has the record for most receptions in a game at Framingham State. Is currently a PE teacher at WA. Lives in Chelmford with his wife and two boys.
Strength and Conditioning
Bill Meuse
Former All league football player from Braintree High School. Coach Mcdonough is a retired Army veteran. Currently lives in Westford with his wife Jocelin and two children Ty and Lexi.
Quality Control/ Volunteer Asst.
Todd McDonough