Pretty good time, well as good as any, to check in with an updated Fantastic Four.
I will start with this. I had a reader chime in as to whether the prep schools in the region, Brooks and Phillips, were included in the Fanty Four.
I’ve pondered it back and forth. There are a ton of great athletes participating, handfuls of local kids.
But one problem, I just don’t get to see them or their competition enough, so I really can’t gauge them.
That’s why I leave them out. Maybe I shouldn’t, I don’t know.
But I can’t speak on something that I don’t really follow close at all.
So without further ado, here goes:
1. Salem … Unbeaten and unscathed in what is proving to be a decent NH Division 1.
2. Central Catholic … No MVC losses yet. Playing extremely well right now, but they have to win up in Chelmsford.
3. Methuen … That was a tremendous showing in beating Andover. Well-deserved right.
4. Pink …. Nope, sorry. Beat Brockton and this slot here was reserved for you.
4. Whit … Nope, sorry. I know you are unbeaten, Kevin. I know you’ve outscored the opposition 251-82. But you haven’t played anyone. Whittier’s foes are 16-31 on the year so far. KB, now that you have hired a boys hoop coach, your top priority is upgrade the non-league slate in 2010.
4. Andover … For now, the Warriors hang on, albeit by a thread. We give you the “we were banged up,” pass. But that changes with a loss to Dracut this week.
Had a chance for a quick phone discussion with Ken Maglio over at Andover.
Mags sounded upbeat and determined why some political whirlwind has grown around him and decided to besmirch him as a coach.
“I’m not going to stop. I’m going to keep fighting and fighting. My goal is to clear my good name.”
My views on Maglio as a coach and a person have been well-documented here.
I’ll skip all that.
Can I just address the apparent school department’s buyout offer of $5,200 for a minute?
As if insulting a longtime veteran of the department by firing him six weeks before the season wasn’t enough of an insult, the Andover folks took it one step further and tried to buy Maglio off.
If this happened, and I have no reason to doubt Maglio or The Eagle-Tribune’s story on the hearing Monday, This is an absolute disgrace. And somebody’s head should roll for this. How can any taxpayer in Andover allow somebody to pull a stunt like this.
Hey, what we’ll do is try to bribe somebody to walk off into the sunset with your tax dollars.
What’s that $5,200 do for the kids of Andover?
Does it buy the marching band new uniforms?
Does it add a couple stipends to run a middle school after-school science program?
You tell me.
What it doesn’t do is silence a man of character.
“They did the wrong thing there,” said Maglio. “That goes against everything I stand for. Obviously, I’m in this for the kids. I always have been. I run camps in the summer with 80 kids and have about 30 coaches working them (95 percent current student-athletes). Does that sound like a guy who is in it for the money?”
It’s time Maglio got a few answers instead of cheap shots and knives in the back from people he thought he could trust.
“It’s all political, and I can’t understand why,” said Maglio.
Had a great talk with Lawrence High’s Michael Calzetta at football practice this week.
The kid is a little out there, but man he’s talented and driven.
He reconfirmed that he is strictly courting baseball offers despite plenty of interest from football programs out there.
All right, I will close with some weekly picks.
Friday
Central at Chelmsford … Back and riding the Raider bus. Central 23-7.
Spaulding at Timberlane … Owls may only be playing for pride but that’s enough here. Timberlane bounces Spaulding, 24-0.
Nashua South vs. Pinkerton … The winner enrolls in the booster programs at Pinkerton this week and Salem next. I’ve got Farkas Fever. South 21, Londonderry 20
Triton at North Andover … Elimination time for one of these would-be CAL contenders. Knights, Knights, Knights … win, win, win … NA 16, Triton 6
Lawrence at Haverhill … Any legitimate reason this game isn’t at Veterans Stadium. Hillies, weakened by suspensions, can’t survive this one. Lawrence 35, Haverhill 14
Pinkerton at Manchester Central … Jekyll/Hyde Astros really peave me. Who’s showing up here, the team that couldn’t stop Salem or the one that flustered Brockton for all but the last two minutes? Central in a mini-upset, 14-13.
Epping-Newmarket at Pelham and Plymouth at Sanborn Saturday … I implore Tom Babaian and Chuck Lenahan to be sensible in potential ugly wins.
Andover at Dracut … Warriors rebound, despite all the injury woes. Andover stings Dracut, 12-10.
Salem at West … Another cash-register game in which Salem can call its own score.
Chelsea at Whittier … Battle of the unbeatens, but this one will become another Whittier laugher. When is the Manchester game anyways? Cats be-Devil Chelsea, 32-6.
Pentucket at North Reading … Saturday morning special. Steve Hayden’s greatest coaching trait in my eyes is his ability to have his team ready every week, no matter who the opposition. The Sachems don’t always lose, but Hayden’s kids are always ready to play, even with the Sandman still in their eyes. Sachems 14-0.
Reggies at West Roxbury … Toughest part of this one is the trip. Make it safely and the Reggies dominate, 31-3.
Methuen at Tewksbury … A huge meeting for the Rangers in the MVC small. The muddy track worries me. Having Cal Carroll around to run the show eases my apprehensions. Methuen in a closer game than you think, 22-20.
Georgetown at Ham-Wenham … Royals ready to make it two straight, 21-14.
Governors at Brooks … I will not pick against JJ this fall. Brooks 12-6
Phillips at Deerfield … the oft-idle Big Blue is back in action, but I think the day belongs to Deerfield, 17-14.
