Senior wideout AJ Scerra had the chance of a lifetime, playing in the Division III North/South Senior Classic on Friday, December 13. The site of the game was Salem, Virgina at the same site as the NCAA Division III National Championship on Saturday.

Scerra, a Second-team All-MASCAC pick, was one of six student-athletes representing the conference at the game which was also coached by the staff at Framingham State, who guided the North team.  Scerra, finished second in the league with 66 catches, graduates as the schools all-time leader in receptions and receiving touchdowns.

In the interview below, Scerra talks about his experience in Salem, the game itself and about the road ahead.

What is your hometown and major?

I am from Marlboro, Massachusetts and I am majoring in Health Education

You had the incredible opportunity to play in the Division III North/South Senior Classic last Friday. Tell me about the experience.

It was a lot of fun. I got to play and meet a lot of different guys who were passionate about the game. It was also different playing with some of the players on the other side of the ball, who went to Framingham State.

It was interesting hearing from the coaches from the South team, who were from the Poland Pro Football League.

Speaking of the coaching staff, the Framingham State staff guided North team for the week. How different was this watching a new style of coaching on a team that you’ve grown up playing against?

It was really different. Even though head coach Tom Kelly did not coach the offense specifically, he still watched and made sure things ran smoothly. I learned the most from Coach Rosenbaum, their offensive coordinator.

The staff really knew their stuff and they were glad that they had me on their side or as head coach Tom Kelley called it, the ‘right side.’ (Laughs)

You were chosen as one of the four team captains for the North team. Was this a coaches pick or was the decision up to your teammates on the North team?

We had practiced all week together, and it was just like summer camp with two a-days, meetings and not a lot of downtime until 9 PM. After the last day of practice, Coach Kelley had the offensive and defensive players pick captains.  I was the one that was chosen to lead the skill position players.

Being put in a position like that was an extremely humbling one. I guess I really came across the right way to my teammates and as someone who knew a lot about the game.

The game was a close one throughout the duration. Tell me about the experience during the contest.

When I looked at the forecast and saw the snowy weather in Massachusetts, the temperature in Salem, Virginia didn’t seem so cold. At game time it was 38-40 degrees, under the Friday night lights. I took a moment to myself before the game try to soak it all in.  

I really enjoyed myself. Earlier in the week we had installed some plays and a couple of skill sets and we were somewhat successful, but it was a real defensive game.  The North team won 10-7.

For the first-time since my Pop Warner days, I got the chance to play on the kickoff team, which was a lot of fun.

The all-star game you attended might have been your last chance to play football in your career and you’ve had a really great one here at Worcester State. What’s next for you as you wrap up your senior year?

It still hasn’t hit me yet. Every fall you’re glad it’s over because it’s a long season and it’s rigorous. But it’s probably going to hit me when the spring starts, when people start gearing up for spring practices.

I am still putting together a highlight tape of my season and another one of my career which I’ll be sending out soon. If I don’t end up playing on the next level, I am really interested in getting into coaching. Coming out of high school, I had played quarterback in high school and I was recruited by just about every other team to play defensive back, but never wide receiver.

In my last two seasons, I learned a lot from Coach Butler who’s helped me grow in my position. With the amount of experience I have gotten here (at Worcester State), I think I can bring the ability to analyze an offense to any team.

Whatever the future holds, I am looking forward to the next chapter, whatever that may be.