DIMAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bengals to finally taste home cooking

FALL RIVER - After playing every game on the road a year ago, the Diman Bengals will finally get a taste of home field advantage Friday night.

The Bengals open their season on their new grass field Friday against West Bridgewater as the 2018 high school football campaign gets under way.

Diman boasts an experienced backfield, led by senior running back J.C. King and junior quarterback Oshaun Brooks, who return from last year's 7-4 squad.

"King has the speed and he has the strength," said Diman coach Steve Winarski, "and Oshaun is a dual threat. He can throw and run."

King and Brooks, however, aren't the only two threats in a talented Diman backfield that also includes fullback Cesar Castro and running back Nate Lomba, who scored a pair of touchdowns against Carver in Friday night's Durfee Football Jamboree.

Brooks also has a pair of wideout weapons in seniors Christopher Gonzalez and Eric Pascoal.

"Gonzalez played with Oshaun all summer long," Winarski said. "Pascoal is a real smart kid. Runs great routes."

The Bengals' line is entirely new with the exception of Dylan Estrella, who has moved from tackle to play center this year.

Tavaris Biffle and Matt Botelho are expected to line up at guard, while Connor Audette will be at tackle. Adam Noiseux was expected to fill the other tackle position, but is nursing an injury and Nathan Kardel has filled in nicely.

Lyndon Carreiro, a three-year starter will be the tight end.

Many of the players will see two-way action, and Winarski said he's been impressed with the play of Cesar Vargas at safety.

"I think it's starting to come together," Winarski said. "The kids are starting to believe in themselves and we'll just have to take it one game at a time.

"I think the league is wide open. B-P is good, Southeastern will be there and Tri-County played a lot of sophomores last year."

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Email Mike Thomas at mthomas@heraldnews.com. Follow him at NostraThomasHN.