Both Longo and Dyer turn in a pedestrian 10-5 mark in Week 2 of the high school football picks, meaning for at least one more week, I hold the slimmest of one-game leads.
Where do I start recapping the week?
I’ll start in Lawrence, where the Lancers were there own worst enemy.
Up 19-6 with about two minutes to halftime in possession of the football, Lawrence found a way to head to the locker-room in a 19-19 tie.
From there, it was a coinflip, which the Lancers lost.
Has to be disappointing for the Lancers, who could have used a little confidence as they head into MVC play this week with Tewksbury.
I admit it, North Andover’s loss to Andover was a bit of a letdown for me. Perhaps I overrated the soon-to-not-be atop my Fantastic Four Knights. And maybe I forgot about Andover, which returns a pretty solid cast including one of the best multi-sport guys around in John Hennessy at QB.
Nope, I won’t recognize Central Catholic’s Central Mass. loss. I expect better.
Elsewhere, gritty win for Timberlane over Dover. That was a huge character test.
Also in the Granite State, i watched Salem dismantle Londonderry.
Several notes from that one:
Big props to Blue Devils’ fullback who delivered a blindside, highlight reel block that was one of the best clean hits I’ve ever seen in a high school game.
Ironically on that, Sobrado drew a 15-yard penalty flag from an official that clearly got fooled. Must have been the flying mouthpiece that fooled the official. It was a perfect hit, with the shoulder to the body, not helmet to helmet. Just because it was a big hit doesn’t make it illegal.
Love the effort on kick coverage by the kicker of all people, Chris Saulnier, who stepped up and protected the shutout with a TD-saving tackle. Nice job by Saulnier, who had been a soccer player and doesn’t do anything but kick.
Talked to joe McLaughlin, who noted he wants to be back next week. Coach Jon rich sang a different tune for the Lancers, who’ve been decimated by concussions. He said it could be for a long time.
Speaking of concussions, what’s up this year. NA lost a couple or three key guys to concussion, it’s been almost to epidemic proportions at Londonderry, too.
Is it the new helmet style that is affecting the health of these athletes? Is it bigger hits? More headhunting? This could be a potential problem.
Finallyfrom Salem-LHS, it would be wrong not to mention the spectacular 29-yard grab that Kyle Henrick made with one hand. Just a beauty, and he made it look easy.
Like to see Methuen stepping up to the task. I’m telling you, the Rangers can play a little.
We’ll have much more, including an updated Fantastic Four and this week’s picks in a little bit.
