FOOTBALL FANS CAN WARM UP FOR FALL WITH SUMMER SEMIPRO GAMES

Oh, sure, everyone loves baseball in the summer. But come July,real football fans start longing for the return of their favoritesport. The Patriots open their training camp soon. The NationalFootball League exhibition season starts in August, as do high schooltwo-a-day workouts. Then in September, the weekend ritual of highschool games on Friday night, colleges on Saturday, and the NFL onSunday begins in earnest.

If you're a diehard, though, you can get your football fix now.The Eastern Football League, the oldest continuous semipro league inthe country, featuring former high school and college standouts justplaying for the love of the game, is back in action.

The Randolph Oilers have been team general manager Peter O'Kane'spassion for more than three decades, and he's no doubt proud of theway his team kicked off the 2003 campaign, with a 36-14 roadthrashing of the Middlesex Mayhem last Saturday. The Oilers hosttheir first home game of the season tomorrow night at Randolph HighSchool when they take on Roxbury. Game time is 8 p.m.; admission is$6 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and children.

Randolph's rival, the Quincy Granite, doesn't have the Oilers'history, but they did qualify for the league title game last year injust their third EFL season. Quincy, which lost its season openeragainst the Clinton Irish Blizzard last Saturday, 33-20, host theMiddleboro Cobras at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Hancock Street. TheCobras, who were 8-2 last season, are coming off a 23-20 season-opening win over the defending league champion, the MarlboroShamrocks, so the game promises to be a barnburner. Game time is 7p.m. and admission is $5.

Come sail away: Maybe you're not quite ready for autumn-typeevents. If that's the case, you may want to check out the Hingham BayJunior Invitational Regatta, being held today and tomorrow at theHingham Yacht Club. Races will be conducted in the Club 420, Laser,Laser Radial, Optimist, and N10 fleets. Weather permitting, today'sfestivities will run from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and tomorrow'sevents start at 9 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. For more information,visit www.hinghamyachtclub.com on the Internet. If you're a newcomerto sailing and would like to learn more, the Metropolitan Yacht Clubin Braintree is a good place to start. The club is offering coursesin basic seamanship every Sunday morning this summer. Call 781-848-2906.

Have an item for this column? Please send an e-mail toddoyle@globe.com or fax to 781-826-1021.