Coyotes bring experienced junior class to field

Before the 2026 season kicked off, the Nipmuc football team had to get a little bit creative with its offseason workouts. Ongoing renovations at the school meant the weight room would be closed to install new flooring, so head coach James Royster’s team just moved all of its equipment outside and spent the summer sweating in the sun.

“We went ‘Rocky’ style,” Royster said with a chuckle.

Maybe it was the outdoor workouts, but the Coyotes have gelled heading into the new year.

“They have developed this camaraderie,” Royster said. “They get along extremely well, and they have worked hard all summer long.”

Nipmuc has a deep junior class and several seniors who will play big roles this fall as the team looks to return to the top of its league standings.

Sam Moshier is back as a running back and defensive back after being a two-way player a year ago. Ryan Zanchi is another player who will see time on both sides of the ball, as both a wide receiver and a cornerback. 

Senior Tyler Rainbow is perhaps the Coyotes’ most versatile player. Royster said he can play quarterback, running back, and linebacker.

“He is going to do a little bit of everything for us,” the coach said. 

Nipmuc has some big bodies up front as well, including three-year starter Jacob Carle.

Speaking ahead of the team’s first scrimmage of the new year, Royster had yet to select captains for the 2026 squad, a motivational tactic to keep the players’ edge.

“In the past, it’s not that the captains haven’t worked hard, but something changes, they take it a little bit easier,” he said. “I think a lot of the work ethic we have shown is because we don’t have captains yet.”

Royster has lofty goals for the season, including a repeat as league champion, a winning record, and a spot in the playoffs. Nipmuc will have to deal with a strong Division VI, which features mostly teams from Eastern Massachusetts.

Royster said the skill is there. His team should be formidable running the ball and he said they should be able to throw it down the field a bit as well. The speed, physicality, and fundamentals are all there, Royster said, but mental toughness could be the key to a great season.

“How we handle adversity has been a weak point since I have been here, that’s my fault,” he said. “We have struggled with that in the past, but I think that’s something that’s going to be much stronger this year."

Sam Moshier (21) and Ryan Zanchi (3) are two of Nipmuc’s most versatile players. Courtesy photos