There is no other place to start than Beaudry Field where Methuen and Dracut collide.
Honestly, I’m bipolar on this one.
I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to cover this game, I’ve been fired up about it since Central-Billerica.
On the other hand, it’s going to be a madhouse, I’m probably going to have to park at Scola’s, and wrestle with the Herald’s Dan Ventura for a spot in the tiniest of tiny press boxes. (My money would be on Danny V there, folks).
On the field, it’s a great matchup. Methuen, the team everybody has tried to underplay but can’t, against Dracut, the team that everyone on that side of the Valley treats like Dallas Carter.
Thought about it long and hard.
I have to go with the Rangers. First, there’s the track record of last year’s stunning upset.
Then, there’s the Graham factor. He’s had two weeks to prepare.
In the end, I see the Rangers speed on defense being the determining factor. Nothing will come easy to Dracut. When it becomes a dogfight, I love Methuen, 22-16.
Sliding over to Central and Andover for a minute.
Don’t you think a victory for Central and an eight-win season is a gigantic accomplishment for this group.
Other than Zack Lattrell, it was an untested, unknown group of Raiders, who actually played for a league title in November. Hats off to this group.
You’ve got to give it up a little for Andover and it’s resilience, too. These are kids who had their coach taken away in June and have battled all year long.
If you didn’t catch the Warriors this fall, do yourself a favor.
Go to a hoop game and watch Jimmy Johnson compete. Kids like this are rare.
Watch Brian Miller on the hardwood too, he’s a blue-chip athlete.
Chris McConnell, if track is your thing, you can watch him fly.
And wait a season until John Hennessy is back at shortstop, hopefully gunning to become Andover’s next 100-hit player.
There is some top talent in this group.
So on a whim, I’ll go with the Warriors in what will be a great football game, 24-20.
Tonight, it’s going to be a little emotional for me. When you see kids like the Lawrence High kids, who fight through so much, you get attached, I admit it.
But anyone who has ever picked up a ball or competed in a game of checkers has to respect a kid like Harvey Blanco.
Literally, in two sports, I’ve probably watched Harvey in 50 games. I have never seen him do anything but smile and compete. No talk, no swagger, just compete. Thankfully, he’s still got another baseball season to go.
Nick Elewell, tip of the cap to you my friend. Biding your time behind Ramon Heredia couldn’t have been easy. But you came out and shocked the world. 20 TD passes, 1,500-plus yards. Truly a pleasure to watch.
Mike Calzetta, a classic by all accounts. Have fun tonight, enjoy the game, and win.
Lancers over Lancers in a PAts-Colts style shootout: Lawtown 48, MC 46
Note, this looks like the first and only meeting between the two as MC has commited to play Waltham in 2010. MVC ADs, time has come to give Lawrence its game back. Do the right thing.
Closing out the MVC campaign, we go to Haverhill and Lowell.
My congrats to any Hillie senior, who hung in there during really stressful times without a win, and kept plugging along. If you were there from the opening snap, fought week to week, stayed away from the off-field slipups and fought, you deserve a victory. Go get it, not for your coach or classmates or the city, but for yourselves.
If you’re an underclassmen, you owe it to those seniors to help make it happen.
Hillies 19, Lowell 14
Elsewhere, we go to the CAL where North Andover tackles Masco for the title.
Despite equal records, the Knights are considered a huge underdog.
The time has come to summon the ghosts of John Routhier, Alex Tarr, Ben Velishka, Dean Tridenti, Ben Nassar and all those other Knight greats who so used to dominate Masco on Turkey Day.
I like the Knights, 22-21.
Whittier Tech has to find a way to stop the Reggie rocket, Joe Pizzuto. Do it and the Cats coast all the way to Gillette Stadium and the Division 4 Super Bowl.
Whittier 19-7.
Elsewhere, Pentucket steps up and knocks off Triton.
Lynnfield will have its hands full but beat North Reading.
Manchester Essex KOs a game but overmatched Georgetown.
Tewksbury tackles Wilmington.
Billerica buries Chelmsford.
We’ll be blogging over the weekend as the countdown to the EMass football playoffs and basketball tryouts begin.
Have fun, fellas.
