By Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette Staff
Telegram Article

WORCESTER, Mass.  — Worcester State senior defensive end Matt Loureiro dedicated his summer to football and the Lancers' 2016 season. That meant getting up early every morning, working out two or three times a day, doing extra stretching and flexibility exercises in between and eating healthy.

"I committed myself to the team and to being the best player I can be," Loureiro said over a lunch of chicken breast and vegetables, a glass of blue Powerade and a gallon of water in the WSU cafeteria following the Lancers' hot and humid practice Tuesday. "I've taken great strides in every aspect of my game and I just feel focused."

The 6-foot, 230-pound Loureiro, who grew up in West Boylston, totaled 40 tackles, a pair of sacks, a forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries and a pass breakup in 2015. The Lancers started 0-5, but won four of their last five to take a little momentum into this season.

"I think we're shaping up for a good year," Loureiro said. "We have a lot of guys returning. We're coming together as a team, even the new guys. You look around this cafeteria — no one is sitting alone. Everyone is sitting together, talking and laughing. It's starting to feel like a family, the way a football team should be."

In 2012, Loureiro helped his West Boylston/Tahanto team win the Division 5 Super Bowl, and he is drawing on that experience in his role as a Worcester State captain this year.

"At West Boylston we weren't the most talented team in the world," he said, "but we were so close and such a family that we knew we were going to take care of business."

Loureiro became acquainted with the Worcester State program through his cousin, A.J. Scerra of Marlboro. Scerra is WSU's all-time receptions leader.

Loureiro made an immediate impact for the Lancers. He played in every game as a freshman and totaled 37 tackles.

"He's progressed very well throughout his four years," Worcester State coach Brien Cullen said. "He's a solid, good Division III player. He's durable. He's shown leadership to the point that his teammates elected him captain. The kids respect him. We're hoping he has a very good senior year."

Loureiro opened 2015 with a season-high 10 tackles in a loss to Salve Regina.

"Over the last three years I've learned a lot," Loureiro said. "I had great high school coaches and in college I haven't missed a beat. I have great coaches and mentors and they know how to teach."

During the offseason, Loureiro and some of his teammates worked out with former Lancers star and captain Jack Sprague of Maynard. Sprague is pursuing a career as a strength and conditioning coach and has interned at both Assumption and Holy Cross. This fall, Loureiro said, Sprague will do another strength and conditioning internship at The Citadel.

"We had a very successful offseason with our strength and conditioning and Jack helped us out with that," Loureiro said. "He did it to give back to the team. He was the best leader the school has ever seen and we were really fortunate to have him help us work out. He taught the younger guys how to work out as a football player and get ready for the season. Jack is a mentor to me and the other captains and a great friend and I owe a lot to him."

Loureiro combined some heavy lifting with some lighter eating this summer.

"More fresh things," he said. "The first couple years living on campus there were a lot of temptations in the dining hall, like those slices of pizza.

"Now, I'm paying attention to what I'm doing," said Loureiro, who lives off campus with six teammates. "I think a lot of it is having more maturity."

Loureiro is a good cook and shrimp scampi is his specialty.

Cullen has high hopes for this year's defense, and so does Loureiro.

"I think our defensive backs will be very strong this year," he said, "and we'll be strong up front. We have a lot of leadership up front."

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTandG