New Fantastic Four, just in:
1. Salem, NH; 2. Central Catholic; 3. Andover; 4. North Andover
Sorry, i still can’t put Pinkerton in there until they beat somebody.
I liked what I saw from Andover, too, but we’re get a better gauge Friday night in Chelmsford as to whether the Warriors are for real.
So I’ve watched and listened and chimed in some on the Mass. vs. NH football debate.
I’ve listened to the pompous folks in the Merrimack Valley Conference and their “week in and week out” toughness arguments.
I’ve seen the folks from NH, with their “we get no respect” talk.
Time to put up or shut up.
We’ve all watched a middle of the road Lowell team dusted by a mediocre Nashua South club.
Fine.
Now we have a pair of heavyweight tests.
First on Friday night it’s Bishop Guertin of Nashua hosting Catholic Memorial of West Roxbury, as in undefeated, 4-0, CM, the 14th-ranked team in Eastern Mass.
BG is unequivocally the top-rated team in NH. Nobody outside of Salem would argue that fact.
Time for the Cards to strap the Granite State on its back and dismiss the argument that NH has second-class ball.
Speaking of which, the Pinkerton Astros will again put the state’s honor on the line Saturday afternoon at home against Brockton, which rates at No. 2 in EMass.
A NH split would be nice, but a sweep? It would have to silence all those neanderthals in Massachusetts, who are sure that the invisible border line reduces the talent level.
We’re talking Mass and NH here, not Texas and NH.
So Astros, it’s in your hands. That 4-9 mark against Brockton would look a lot better at 5-9.
Seriously, we are halfway through the season, just about, and I can’t tell you how down the football seems to be in these parts, on both sides of the border.
Start at the MVC where there might be balance, but is it good balance?
Perfect Billerica loses one player, albeit its best player, and loses to Tewksbury, a team that hadn’t won a game in the league.
Lawrence beats Chelmsford but loses to Andover and Lowell. Remember, this is a lowell team that was pounded by Masconomet, a Cape Ann team.
Sorry, the league is down.
That said, the large could come down to Thanksgiving with Central and Andover.
And the small, who knows?
Clearly this one point for a crossover win and two points for a division win is going to punish somebody.
The Cal clearly looks like a two-horse race in the large with Masco and North andover. Masco has a big non-leaguer with Gloucester as it tries to defend its league’s honor.
Is anyone going to mount a challenge on Whittier Tech in the CAC large? It doesn’t appear like that. Maybe the Reggies on Turkey Day or Manchester, but I doubt it.
In NH, this is a quality Salem team, but they haven’t faced a challenge in Division 1 yet. The Devils dominated Londonderry and Pinkerton and most likely will plow through Nashus North Saturday.
OK, so here we go with my weekly selections, on time this week. How about that.
I made up one game on Dave Dyer Saturday and still trail, now by four games in both the win and loss columns.
Here are my weekly picks:
Friday
Central Catholic at Lowell - I like the Raiders. Get it, both teams are Raiders. Tee hee. Seriously, AO and the boys, that is Andrew Ouellette and Central shouldn’t have a problem here. Central 26, Lowell 6
Londonderry at Manchester Memorial - Lancers in a breeze, close in on a playoff berth quite nicely, 17-7
Lawrence at Billerica - No Michael Calzetta, potentially no Nick LaSpada, who is probable. I’ve heard so many rumors. Clearly, enough with all the innuendo and lies and stuff being said about Laspada’s injury that i’ve heard on the streets. He’s a high school kid. There’s no need for this. The kid’s hurt. Why can’t the public believe it? What kind of society is this that we can’t trust educators? Indians in a squeaker, 14-12.
Georgetown at Bishop Fenwick - Another tough week for the Royals, 21-16 Fenwick.
North Reading at North Andover - It’s a numbers game, and the Knights have numbers. NA 28, NR 6
Haverhill at Methuen - I just don’t see enough life out of the Hillies, who haven’t really been in a game yet. Rangers bounce back from Chelmsford loss, 21-7.
Pentucket at Amesbury - Sachems plod through the smalls again effectively. Penty 27, Ames 7
St. Thomas Aquinas at Pelham - Pythons have it going right now, just in time for the drive to the playoffs. I severely doubt St. Thomas, Pelham 22-3
Andover at Chelmsford - I have visioins of Joe Gennaro probing at the interior of the Andover defense, something Lawrence chose not to do last week. Chelmsford in semi-upset, 32-30.
Saturday …
Whittier Regional at Minuteman Regional - Yet another Wildcat waltz. Please play somebody Kevin, we’re begging you. Whittier 47-0. (And this is a minuteman team that beat Greater Lowell, which tells you how far the Gryphons have fallen)
Mystic Valley at Greater Lawrence Tech, 10:30 a.m. - Pizzuto rolls for another 300. Reggies 24-6.
Lebanon at Sanborn - It just doesn’t get any easier. Sanborn tumbles 22-0.
Timberlane at Exeter - BLue Hawks have had the Owls number. Ex 23, Tim 12
Rivers at Brooks - Take me to the Rivers, get me a victory. Brooks and JJ stroll on, 22-20,
Brockton at Pinkerton Academy - For the 14th straight year, I’ll take Pinkerton. How’s that worked out for me so far? Stros 31, Boxers 28
Salem (NH) at Nashua North - No contest, the first of what will be four straight losses for North, 28-7 Salem.
Phillips Academy at Cushing Academy - Big BLue rebounds from stalemate, 14-13.
As Deniro said in Casino, “And that’s that.”
