Can it be?
Only May 7, and Andover High faces a must-win situation?
Yep, the four-time defending MVC champs are all but standing in that predicament Wednesday afternoon at Merrimack College when they challenge Central Catholic.
Central, 7-1 in league, is already a game up in the title race on the Warriors. A win here and it’s all but lights out. Methuen and Lowell, with four losses, are already basically out of the race.
No way Central goes 2-3 down the stretch in to involve them.
It’s a two-horse race and the Raiders have the inside position right now, despite Andover taking the earlier meeting between the two.
Remember, along with the losses to Lowell and Tewksbury, Andover has a 5-5 tie to be settled with Methuen.
Chances are it will be a rematch of Andover’s John Farrell (1-2) vs. Raider Brendan Walsh (2-1).
Central has the look of those Larry Day-Tom Mackor-led St. John’s Prep state title teams of nearly a decade ago, with hitters from 1-9, into the bench.
The Raiders don’t have the lights-out pitching, or at least haven’t shown it consistently yet, but on offense, who’s better in EMass?
I put the question to Tewksbury coach Ron Drouin. His Redmen are now rated No. 2 in Emass.
Central barely broke into the top 20 this week after being inexplicably shunned a week ago (but we won’t go there).
Drouin likes his lineup an awful lot and should.
Then you look at Central.
Behind the dish is Drew Guyer, a first-year starter sure, but the junior is hitting a shade under .500.
In the infield, there’s Ryan Kemp (.560!), Robbie Taylor (.321), Marc Crowley (9 for 17), and Marc Pelletier’s latest nominee for “King Rat” (that’s a good thing, trust me folks!) Ross Sarmento (.481).
Sorry, folks, but that rivals the Redmen quintet of Devlin, Ferriero, Burns, Wallace and Delponte.
Raider Roberto Valenti, at .357 in center and Tewksbury’s all-leaguer Justin Torname? … a wash.
Chris Sartori holds down one of the corner outfield spots for Central. He’s swinging it over .400, compared to say a Scott Oberg offensively, again a wash.
And Michael Romano may not be able to play the field, but he’s creeping back into the lineupas a dh, and that’s another proven varsity hitter.
My first thoughts that only Tewksbury might do some state tourney damage coming out of the MVC could be wrong.
Central might be the biggest sleeper in a wide-open Division 1 north.
All that said, the Raiders have to beat a real good team, something they have yet to do.
And don’t count out Andover. All that back class. All those titles, yeah, they do mean something.
Elsewhere:
What a gem by North Reading senior Brian O’Neil, blanking No. 12 Masco.
When are the close-minded folks up in the big city papers going to share a little love on the unranked Hornets, anyway?
I’m praying for one strategically-placed day of rain to free me up to see Adrian Gonzalez, Jimmy Zenevitch and the Central Catholic volleyball team against a legit opponent.
This is a bit on the personal level. Congrats to Central Catholic senior footballer and wrestler Mike Fillipon, my nephew, for getting into and accepting a spot in the University of New Hampshire’s class of 2012.
Mike won’t play any sports there. He got into UNH the hard way, working in the class room, earning it.
This is a kid whose mom was told by staffers at his Salem, N.H., parochial school that he didn’t have the stuff to survive at Central Catholic. Wow, were you folks wrong. Horrendously wrong. And it’s not too late to apologize either.
Given the shot at Central, Mike buckled down, assimilated and flourished. He played three years of football, became one of the guys, even tried wrestling and gave his heart to the school. At times he made honors. Others, he just missed, but he just kept working. The kid prospered when most had him pegged for implosion.
He got plenty of help from the top down. I am completely indebted to guys like Chuck Adamopoulos, John Sexton, Ernie Difiore, Sean Finneran and so many others for paying attention to Mike and welcoming him to their football family.
They have done so much in helping my Godson grow into a fine young man.
Most of all, let me say that I’m proud of Mike for taking his shots when he needed to and figuring it out when he had to. He did most of it on his own, with some help from his mom too, but I am just so very proud.
Now Mike, just make sure you get Brother Ernie’s term paper done!
Finally, for the record, I know this is a high school site, it says here the Celtics lose in six or seven to the Cavs. Sorry folks, it breaks my heart, but this team is going nowhere with an angry LeBron James standing across the way.
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