Observer Department: Sports


Checking in: Which teams are crushing it?

Men's basketball team makes it to the national championship  The Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball team is proving once again that they have what it takes to compete at the national level.  For the third consecutive year, the Knights have secured a regional championship. They finished ninth in the…

Basketball player makes a basket


Envisioning an NECC men’s volleyball team: So close, yet so far

Although I am regarded in my journalistic work as an “avid basketball fan” (shoutout to my previous article), there is another sport that captivates my heart with the same intensity as basketball: volleyball. My passion for volleyball is quite recent, as I have only been following the trends of men’s…


Patriots free agency frenzy

Every single year, roughly in the middle of March, a new NFL season begins. The draft gets closer, fans speculate about which direction their team will go, and any player with an expiring contract, or not currently on a team enters the free agent pool. Free agency is a period…

Football player signs a document.


Opinion: Knights hoops? Stars in the making

As an avid basketball fan for the past seven years, I feel that I have a consistent knowledge when it comes to “good basketball.”  And, sure, not every basketball team in the world can play at an elite competitive level like that of teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA),…

A woman with a basketball in her hand on a basketball court.


Welcome home, Mike Vrabel

On Jan. 12, New England Patriots Chairman, Robert Kraft made the decision to name Mike Vrabel the 16th head coach of the New England Patriots franchise ahead of the 2025 NFL season and many more going forward. Mike Vrabel, 49, is no stranger to the NFL and the Patriots organization.…


Knights soccer team competes at Nationals

The Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team, ranked sixth in the latest national poll,  captured the program’s first-ever Region 21 and Northeast District Championship on Nov. 3, with a 5-3 win over Quinsigamond Community College. In the process, the team won its 14th straight game and punched its ticket…

Men's soccer team poses for photo in a group on the field.


All-Region honors for volleyball and soccer teams

Six members of the Region 21 and Northeast District champion Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team were named to the All-Region teams as announcedNov. 7. Highlighting the selections were Jadiel Bomfim (Nashua, NH) who was named Co-Regional Player of the Year, and Eusebio Marote who was named Region 21…


Basketball team ranked #5 in poll

The Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball team will start their season ranked number 5 in the National Junior College Athletic Association preseason poll. This is the 28th consecutive time the Knights have been included in the national rankings. The back-to-back Region 21 Champions will feature a new look in…

NECC basketball team


The balancing act: Student athletes

Balancing the demands of academics and athletics can be a challenge. Student athletes take on rigorous training with academic responsibilities while still trying to keep up with their social life.  Student athletes are seen as people who have lots of dedication and discipline, while they juggle the demands of both…


Voelker named NJCAA pitcher of week​

After a 2-0 week from The Knights ace, Jayden Voelker of Coventry, RI he received the NJCAA pitcher of the week honor for the April 18th week. The right-handed pitcher struck out 24 batters across 10 innings and lowered his season ERA (earned run average) to 2.95 that week.  Voelker…

Pitcher Jayden Voelker winding up to throw a pitcher