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WEST BOYLSTON — Visitors to the town’s section of the Mass. Central Rail Trail will notice a new building close to the entrance, the Oakdale Well Manganese Removal Treatment Facility project that began in 2019 with an estimated completion of the end of December.

As described in the Environmental Notification Form, the West Boylston Water District is constructing a 3,800-square-foot drinking water treatment plant with a capacity to treat 1 million gallons of water per day. The facility will remove manganese from groundwater pumped from the existing Oakdale Well Pump Station for distribution as potable water to the customers in town.

According to the form, the concentration of manganese at the Oakdale Well has historically exceeded Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels. In 2013 and 2016, the Oakdale Well exceeded Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Research and Standards Guideline Level for manganese.

“Removing the manganese will reduce the amount of staining and discolored water issues that residents have been experiencing for many years,” sad West Boylston Water District Superintendent Mike Coveney. “It will also provide cleaner water that will be under the secondary contaminant and health advisory levels for manganese.”

Coveney said manganese “is a secondary contaminant that causes staining and dark colored water” and that the MassDEP “has issued a health advisory for drinking water with manganese levels above the level of 0.30 mg/L.” According to him, the average manganese levels measured from that particular well over the past three years has been as follows: 2019, 0.50 mg/L; 2020, 0.40 mg/L; and 2021, 0.32 mg/L.

“Most of the higher levels of manganese are detected during summer months when the wells are pumping more water than usual,” he said. “There may have been some specific levels that were higher after a well cleaning.

“This is trending down, but we have also decreased pumping hours at the Oakdale well due to the manganese,” Coveney continued. “We will be able to increase pumping hours of the Oakdale well after the new water filtration facility is online and functional.”

The town’s Water District was approved for a State Revolving Fund loan through MassDEP to finance the project. Coveney shared that the original 20-year, 2% interest rate loan amount is $8.76 million, with $1,156,320 “being forgiven as a grant,” bringing the total down to $7,603,680.”

“We have an Administrative Consent Order from MassDEP requiring us to remove the manganese,” he said. “Having the ACO helped us to move forward with securing the loan and grant for the project.”

Coveney said the while this project and others will benefit town residents both now and in the future, “it does not come without a cost.”

“The importance of clean drinking water is essential to everyone,” he said. “There is a significant increase in the cost of many of our water treatment processes and this will result in a yearly water rate increase to pay for these projects.”

FOXBORO — West Boylston and St. Bernard’s came into the Division 7 Super Bowl knowing a thing or three about each team’s rushing attack.

But a play-action, championship-record pass was the difference early on as the Lions (11-2) roared to a 29-6 victory over No. 3 St. Bernard’s (11-2) in an all-Central Massachusetts final Friday at Gillette Stadium.

The win is the first-ever Super Bowl title for the Lions since the state championship format started in 2013, but the third title in school history, with Central Massachusetts titles in 1988 and 2012.

After a scoreless first quarter, quarterback Luke Foley tucked in a second-and-seven designed run off left tackle on the Lions’ own nine-yard line and found Connor Muldoon in a one-on-one battle in the middle of the field. Foley tossed up a 50-50 ball and Muldoon did the rest for a 91-yard touchdown at 11:04 of the second to give the top-ranked Lions the 6-0 lead in a game they never trailed.

The Foley-to-Muldoon connection is now a Massachusetts State Championship scoring record for yards on a touchdown as the completion surpassed Clinton’s Rich Wetherell’s 89-yard pass to Dan Notaro in a 1994 win over Leicester.

“It really changed the momentum of the game and opened things up, it was a tight game, and we needed that score,” said Muldoon. “We have a great line with Jake O’Brien, Jon Edwards, Sam Stille and all the guys on the line really makes us hard to stop.”

After Jamie McNamara punched in the two-point conversion, West Boylston held the 8-0 lead into the halftime lockers as both teams struggled to get their run games on track.

On the first series of the second half, St. Bernard’s Antonio Mancini (23 carries, 72 yards) finished off an 11-play drive that ate up 7:59 of time in the third to cut the deficit to two, 8-6, at 4:01 of the third.

That was all the Benardians could muster as West Boylston went back to the tried-and-true balanced double-wing running style and smash-mouth defense they have been accustomed to.

St. Bernard’s head coach Tom Bingham was gracious and emotional in pointing to his seniors in their last dance ending with a loss.

“Wish we had a few things back and certainly did not put our best foot forward but incredibly proud of these seniors for the road our school has gone through the last four years and the leadership we’ve had and everything they have accomplished along the way,” said Bingham. “It just seemed we never really got into a rhythm on either side of the ball and that’s not to take anything away from West Boylston and maybe it was something they were doing to make that happen.”

After Mancini’s lone score for the Bernardians, John Ruas answered right back with a 32-yard touchdown on the next series as West Boylston pulled out to a 16-6 lead. Bobby Humphrey and McNamara added their own rushing scores in the fourth quarter as the Lions scored 21 unanswered points to close things out with 5:07 left to play.

McNamara finished the day with a game-high 136 yards on the ground on only 17 carries capped off by his game-ending 45-yard scamper to the end zone.

The Lions’ defense was outstanding all game long, holding St. Bernard’s to 68 yards of offense in the first half en route to allowing only 172 total yards in the game. Senior captain Damien Jones finished with 71 yards on 18 carries for the Bernardians.

“In the second half, I felt a little pressure, but we don’t have a kid over 220 pounds on the (offensive) line, so we are tough,” said West Boylston head coach Mike Ross. “Our defense has played well all season and Mancini and Jones are unbelievable.”

“We have four (running) backs, they are all good, and most teams do not have that. The new state format is so hard to even get to here. You play the best in the state and I think Division 7 is the toughest division in the state top to bottom,” said Ross.

ST. BERNARD’S (11-2) – 0 – 0 – 6 – 0 — 6

WEST BOYLSTON (11-2) – 0 – 8 – 8 – 13 — 29

WB – Connor Muldoon 91 pass from Luke Foley (Jamie McNamara run)

SB – Antonio Mancini 2 run (run failed)

WB – John Ruas 32 run (Bobby Humphrey run)

WB – Humphrey 9 run (run failed)

WB – McNamara 45 run (McNamara kick)

Kathy (Kate) Duffy, 65, of Ogunquit, ME and West Boylston, MA, was called to Heaven on December 12, 2022 after a brief illness.

Kate was born in Lee, MA to Christine and Zenas Besly. After graduating from Burncoat High School, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education from Worcester State College and became a teacher. The countless hours she spent crafting lessons, stories and games enriched hundreds of young lives across Central Massachusetts. So few of us wind up in careers we were truly born for.

But nothing meant more to Kate than family. She shared 45 years with her soul mate, Tim, with whom she traveled the world, fixed up fixer-uppers and belly laughed every day. Together, they raised Courtney and Jared, who filled her with pride and joy in equal measure. Also digging special places in her heart were pups Baron, Asparagus and Finnegan; in her final days, she joked that her family should think of her every time they spot a black dog. Of course, we will think of her always.

Kate never missed a Patriots game, and her encyclopedic knowledge of Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics rosters spanned decades. She cherished summers spent cheering on Courtney’s Wachusett Wrath softball team, which Tim coached, as well as Jared’s Rising Stars lacrosse team. Having retired with Tim to beautiful Ogunquit in 2019, she began every morning with a walk on the beach. “The way life should be,” indeed.

Predeceased by her parents and favorite uncle Bob Copeland, Kate leaves behind Tim, Courtney and Jared, as well as siblings Robin Johnson, Cindy Fanning and Michael Besly, nine siblings-in-law and fifteen nieces and nephews. Her family will never forget how loved ones rallied behind them throughout her illness with visits, words of encouragement and oh-so-much food. And thanks to Johnna, Keith and Brett, her team of hospice angels, Kate was able to live out her days in her favorite place in the world, surrounded by those she loved most. May we all be so lucky.

We will celebrate Kate’s life on Monday, December 19 at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St, Kennebunk, ME with calling hours from 10:00 AM to 12 PM, service beginning at 12 PM and a reception to follow.

Typically, Super Bowl matchups in any division will find schools that are not in the same conference and neither program is too familiar with the other, hailing from different parts of the state.

But West Boylston and St. Bernard’s are Central Massachusetts acquaintances and know all about each other heading to Gillette Stadium this Friday for the Div. 7 title.

West Boylston (10-2) features a four-headed monster of a backfield in Connor Muldoon, Bobby Humphrey, Jamie McNamara and John Ruas as they all contribute to head coach Mike Ross’ double wing offense.

“(St. Bernard’s is) a lot like us, they do a lot of similar things. They run the ball, we run the ball — a lot of similarities. We have a couple of kids that we can get the ball and the O-line has been solid all year; not the biggest in size, but tough and make plays,” said Ross. “We’ve been playing year in and year out and St. Bernard’s has been a good rivalry for years. Normally when we play, it’s a big game for the season.”

The Bernardians are veterans of the Gillette Stadium spotlight with Super Bowl appearances in 2015, 2018 and 2019 with back-to-back wins in the final two showcases. But this all goes out the window as head coach Tom Bingham agrees the teams know each other well.

“We are not in the same leagues in Central Mass., but we see each other quite often with our alignment,” said Bingham. “Coach Ross is the best to do it, does it the right way, and their kids work hard. They don’t hurt themselves, high football IQ, simple and fundamentally sound,”

St. Bernard’s (11-1) staple is the Delaware Wing-T offense relying on deception. Senior running backs Damien Jones (27 touchdowns; 1,693 yards) and Antonio Mancini (16 TDs; 1,280 yards) lead the scoring with Keegan Rose and Jameson Williams also playing key roles in the four-back set.

But the credit this season for St. Bernard’s goes to the offensive line which has experience, size and has been the true foundation for Bingham’s squad.

Tackles Stefano Allen and Rocco LaMonica are bookends and junior guard Jordan Clifton has helped the offensive push, developing all season long as a group.

“This will be a war in the trenches. They have two backs that are spectacular and we have to slow them down,” said Ross.

Bingham believes the ground-and-pound formula used by both teams will make for a chess match on the field.

“With Coach Ross and his staff and his kids, that nervousness is out the window this year,” said Bingham. “We know what we are getting into and at the end of day it will be the team with the least mistakes and that tackles well which comes out on top.”

DIV. 7 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Friday, Dec. 2, 3 p.m. at Gillette

St. Bernard’s vs. West Boylston

ST. BERNARD’S BERNARDIANS (11-1)

Head coach: Tom Bingham

ST. BERNARD’S 30, Blackstone Valley 0

Stoneham 24, ST. BERNARD’S 6

ST. BERNARD’S 42, South Hadley 0

St. Bernard’s 44, LEICESTER 14

ST. BERNARD’S 40, Nipmuc 7

St. Bernard’s 50, SUTTON 16

St. Bernard’s 46, BLACKSTONE-MILLVILLE 6

ST. BERNARD’S 52, Northbridge 12

ST. BERNARD’S 42, Mashpee 12

ST. BERNARD’S 20, Uxbridge 14

St. Bernard’s 32, Cohasset 19

St. Bernard’s 48, ST. PAUL 20

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

WEST BOYLSTON LIONS (10-2)

Head coach: Mike Ross

West Boylston 37, NORTHBRIDGE 0

WEST BOYLSTON 43, Assabet Valley 18

WEST BOYLSTON 6, Blackstone Valley 0

West Boylston 42, CLINTON 7

West Boylston 28, TYNGSBORO 15

West Boylston 51, OXFORD 15

Lunenburg 25, WEST BOYLSTON 22

WEST BOYLSTON 41, Littleton 0

WEST BOYLSTON 42, Tech Boston 0

WEST BOYLSTON 36, Wahconah 6

West Boylston 33, Amesbury 20

MAYNARD 48, West Boylston 13

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

SUPER BOWL HISTORY

St. Bernard’s is heading to its fifth championship game, posting a 3-1 overall record. The Bernardians won back-to-back Div. 8 titles in 2018 and 2019. St. Bernard’s defeated West Bridgewater 30-8 in 2019 as Nico Mancini ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns, while Tyler Thibodeau added 104 rushing yards and a score.

West Boylston is 2-0 in title game appearances. The Lions defeated Grafton, 15-6, in 1988 and topped Leicester 14-6 in the Div. 5 final in 2012 as Mike Pace ran for 92 yards and a score, while Steven Gould added the other score.

If the website for Chill6 is to be believed, the powdered drink supplement that comes in flavors like pink lemonade can cure pretty much anything you throw at it — from anxiety to post-traumatic stress disorder to even alcoholism. But the feds say these claims are untested and want the product gone.

“Within minutes of taking this, I felt an unusual calm overcome me. I didn’t feel spaced out, jittery or any other random, unwanted side effect. I just felt, well, peaceful,” raved Tammy G., a verified buyer, in the testimonials page. “I can’t recommend this product highly enough.”

The product is sold by West Boylston’s own Daniel Marold, and as of Thursday afternoon, all five of its flavors were listed as “Sold Out.”

That could be because of the fans like Tammy, or it could be because the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office has filed a complaint for a permanent injunction to stop Marold “from distributing a product the government contends to be an unapproved new drug and an adulterated food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”

The drug of concern is Phenibut, which the Chill6 website describes as having “been used safely in Russia for over 50 years … safely treating hundreds of thousands of people for a variety of disorders, including; anxiety, insomnia, mental stress, alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

While Chill6 claims it “uses the smallest, effective dose to provide anxiety relief,” the feds contend that the research is out on whether any dose is safe.

According to the complaint, the Food and Drug Administration conducted a search of available literature and couldn’t find evidence demonstrating that Chill6 is “generally recognized as safe and effective” “for any use.”

A Russian scientist-authored 2001 paper published in CNS Drug Reviews describes Phenibut as “a tranquilizer and nootropic drug” that “was discovered and introduced into clinical practice in Russia in the 1960s.”

Author Izyaslav Lapin of Bekhterev’s Psychoneurological Research Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia, states that the drug acts as a GABA-mimetic — which means it mimics Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, according to the Cleveland Clinic, lessening “a nerve cell’s ability to receive, create or send messages to other nerve cells” — and also stimulates dopamine receptors in the brain.

This effect has made it “widely used in Russia” to relieve the same types of disorders Chill6 claims to be able to relieve.

The compound is readily available on other nootropics- or supplement-oriented websites, from NootropicsDepot.com to LifeMode.com, but both of those sites don’t make the same claims as Chill6’s website. LiftMode, for example, states that “Phenibut is a chemical compound that is not approved for food, drug, or veterinary uses by any US regulatory agency.”

The FDA sent Marold a warning letter in July of last year telling him that “failure to correct these violations could lead to regulatory action, including seizure and/or injunction.” It was a tactic Marold didn’t respond well to.

“Never, ever write me a letter telling me what to do! Are you even serious!” he is quoted in the complaint as responding to the agency in an email. “This isn’t even a dietary supplement and nowhere on the site does it claim that … Never, ever waste tax payer [sic] money sending such nonsense or I’ll have you removed! … If you ever get tyrannical with me, I’ll use my second amendment rights.”

The Herald was unable to reach Marold Thursday. There was no attorney listed for Marold in the filings by Thursday evening.