The New Bedford High Gridiron Hall of Fame inducted its 2024 class on Tuesday night during a ceremony at the Century House in Acushnet.
Here’s a look at the six inductees (in alphabetical order), with information provided by the hall of fame:
ERISTON ‘LLOYD’ AURORA
Aurora played basketball and football for New Bedford High before graduating in 2002. As a senior, he was named Boston Globe “Player of the Week” on two occasions. Additionally, he was recognized as a John Blackburn Memorial Award winner by the NBHS Gridiron Club. After high school, Aurora went on to play basketball for Bridgewater State University and also played semi-professional football for the Whaling City Clippers from 2005-2016. He later coached local area Pop Warner football as well as served as a director and coach for AAU basketball.
Two of Aurora’s most memorable experiences at New Bedford High included playing basketball at the ESPN facilities in Orlando as well as the spaghetti dinners at the Walsh household the night before football games.
Aurora lives in New Bedford and works as a correction officer for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. He is married to his wife, Jodi, and they have three children, Tatiana, Asante and Amare.
ED CRAIG
Craig played outside linebacker for New Bedford High for head coaches Bruce MacPherson and Bob Liljedahl from 1978-1980 before graduating in 1981. As a senior football player in 1980, Craig was a Boston Globe Southeastern Div. 1 All-Star and was twice named Defensive Player of the Week for the Whalers.
He was also awarded the Unsung Hero Award Player for the team, then called the John Blackburn Memorial Award. For his efforts, he also received a Gridiron Club scholarship as well as the Wayne Souza and Maurice Levesque Memorial Scholarships.
Playing football at New Bedford was a dream Craig had ever since he began playing Pee Wee football in the South End of New Bedford. The most rewarding part of being a Whaler was connecting with teammates from various backgrounds which broadened his perspective, and the friendships he made became lifelong.
Craig graduated from UMass Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1985. He later coached his sons in several sports in the Dartmouth Youth Athletic system and is now the owner and CEO of EF Cost Recovery in Dartmouth. He is married to Elizabeth Craig and has six children, Amanda, Eddie, Amy, Matt, Julie and Zoe.
JOSHUA GLICKSMAN
Glicksman was a three-sport star at New Bedford, playing football, winter and spring track before graduating in 1996. In football, he was a tough two-way player, playing fullback and linebacker. He was a senior captain on the team that went 8-2 and lost to Barnstable 11-0 in the Div. 1 Super Bowl after the Whalers had won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1993 and 1994.
Coach Wayne Hamlet said Glicksman was a great blocking back as well as a run stopper. He was the recipient of Gridiron Club’s Harold Jaslow Unsung Hero Award and had the highest-grade point average on the football team his senior year.
After high school, Glicksman went on to play four years of football at Worcester Polytech Institute and then played two years of semi-pro football for the Clinton Blizzards. He then coached six years of AYF youth football until his son went to high school.
Glicksman resides in North Grafton and is in sales management employed by Newpro Home Solutions, where he is Director of Home Improvement. He credits his successful sales career to the disciplines he learned playing athletics, including perseverance, leadership and teamwork. He is married to his wife, Heather, and they have three children, Vanessa, Chase and Logan. They also have a grandson, Hayes.
MARK NOOTH
Nooth played football, winter and spring track at New Bedford High. He played football for both coach Joe Bettencourt and Bruce MacPherson. He was a defensive tackle, who received Standard-Times Player of the Week honors. For his efforts as a senior, he was named NBHS Lineman of the Year. This is notable having played with previous Hall of Fame inductees Mark Sullivan, Casey Cabral and Bruce McCann. Coach MacPherson called Nooth his “most consistent” football player his senior year.
Nooth was awarded a Gridiron Club scholarship and went on to graduate from UMass Dartmouth. He is presently an administrator for the Oregon Department of Corrections and lives in Meridian, Idaho. He is married to his wife, Debbie, and they have one son, Mark, Jr.
MICHAEL RAPOZA
Raposa was a three-sport star at New Bedford High playing football, hockey and baseball before graduating in 2013. In football, he was a captain for multiple seasons playing for coach Dennis Golden and a three-year starter playing defensive back, linebacker, wide receiver, quarterback and kicker for the Whalers. During his senior year, Rapoza completed 99 of 185 passing attempts for over 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for two more touchdowns and kicking 20 extra points and two field goals.
For his senior year accomplishments, Rapoza was awarded the coveted Otto Graham Achievement Award selected from a field of 18 senior football players from SouthCoast high schools. Coach Golden called Rapoza the best football player he ever coached during his tenure at New Bedford High.
Some of the additional awards Rapoza won during his football career include multiple local newspaper player of the week and all conference selections. After high school, he attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he played football for a year. He graduated from New England Tech in 2017. He resides in Dartmouth and is a construction manager for R.P. Valois Construction Company. Rapoza is married to his wife, Nicole, and they have two sons, Henry and Brooks.
FRANK RODRIGUES
Rodrigues, a two-year varsity football player for coach Bob Liljedahl from 1982-83, was an outstanding two-way lineman at New Bedford High. He played both offensive tackle and defensive end. Some of his teammates were former Hall of Fame inductees Eddie Caron, Preston Perry, Chris Horn and Donald “Boomer” Rodrigues.
Rodrigues was known as a reliable “solid” lineman and for opening up big holes for NBH running backs. On defense, he was a tenacious pass rusher and made jarring tackles on opposing running backs. He was a recipient of a NBHS Gridiron Club scholarship and graduated with honors in the Class of 1984. He is a 1988 graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in legal studies.
Rodrigues is currently employed as a client representative for IT systems support for the Department of Homeland Security, United States Customs and Border Protection. He is a regular volunteer at multiple Cape Verdean recognition events and is currently a football coach and committee/board member for New Bedford Whalers Youth Football (ages 5-13). He is engaged to his fiancé Georgia Gomes.