ESPN

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Voters flocked to the old Bridgewater-Raynham High School building to fill out their ballots. Meanwhile, across the street, B-R's Jack Connolly was campaigning to be the best sophomore pitcher on the South Shore.

Connolly pitched eight shutout innings against Old Colony League rival Barnstable High School (5-2) en route to an 8-0 victory. The young righty, who threw 119 pitches against the Red Raiders, had a battle plan heading into the game: Set things things up with the off-speed stuff, and then let the fastball fly.

“I try to keep them off-balance with the curveball, and with the fastball I just reared back and threw it as hard as I could,” he said. “There was probably a good two- to three-mile-per-hour difference between my regular fastball and when I reared back. I felt really good.”

Bridgewater-Raynham (7-2) manager John Kearney knew his ace would rebound after a forgetful outing against Marshfield on April 25, when Connolly only lasted two innings in a 10-3 loss.

“He was in the game today, he really was. He was really pumped up and in the game,” he said. “I had a great feeling about Jack today. I just knew that, after that last start against Marshfield, he wanted to come out and just try to dominate the game.”

The Trojan offense quickly got to Barnstable's Riley Ashe, who was coming off a no-hit performance against Falmouth on April 11. B-R put up four runs in three innings against Ashe, capped off by a Tyler Carey RBI double to deep center in the third.

Ashe had some control problems, walking three batters, while hitting two others with pitches that got away.

“He looked a little nervous, and I think our kids were really good about waiting him out and making him throw a lot of pitches,” Kearney said.

Barnstable's Dan Holzman came in for long relief duty in the fourth inning and gave up four runs on five hits and four walks in four innings of work.

A Family Affair: While Connolly was pitching his best game of the season, it was his cousin, catcher Joe Freiday, calling the game from behind the plate. Freiday, a junior, said he considers Connolly the team's “virtual ace” at this point in the season.

“I've been catching for him my whole life, and we basically have it down to an art,” he said. “His off-speed was really keeping them off big time, and he would just come back with that fastball. I've never seen him throw harder. He pitched a great game.”

Connolly added that he feels a little more comfortable when he and Freiday are on the diamond together.

“Me and Joey have been playing together all of our lives, and we just have a lot of chemistry going on,” he said. “He knows exactly what pitch I want, and I never have to shake him off. Whatever you see me shake off he tells me to shake off.”

Connolly also has an older brother, Mike, who is currently playing college baseball for the University of Maine as a utility player. Mike Connolly was a team captain at B-R and played both shortstop and pitcher.

Their father, Mike Connolly Sr., was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1982 out of East Bridgewater High as a right-handed pitcher.

“There's some good bloodlines there,” Kearney said, with a laugh.

Transformation Complete: Connolly spent most of his freshman year in the bullpen, and Kearney has used the beginning portion of this season to transition him into a starting role. Aside from the setback against Marshfield, Kearney is pleased with Connolly's development.

“Last year as a freshman he pitched in a lot of big games like this, but many of them in relief coming in with people on. He was so good. I needed him. Our staff wasn't really quite as deep last year,” he said. “He is loose now. He's ready to get in there and start for us the rest of the way. I knew he would be primed for this one.”

On the Rebound: While the loss to Bridgewater-Raynham was a setback for Barnstable, manager Joe DeMartino said he expects his team to bounce back for their next game against Nauset on Wednesday.

“I think more often than not, coming off a tough loss like this, guys show up mentally prepared. But I'm going to wait and see what they look like tomorrow before I confirm that suspicion,” he said.

The Trojans were the first team to shut-out Barnstable this season, but DeMartino felt his squad was swinging the bat well. The Red Raiders had seven hits and drew five walks but were never able to string enough together to get into an offensive rhythm.

“For the most part, I think our approach at the plate was not bad. We swung the bats and a few times took pitches we shouldn't have,” DeMartino said. “When a guy is on like that, and he's throwing his good stuff, it's hard to compete with.”

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 poll this morning. To view it, CLICK HERE.

The poll was initially planned for a release this past Friday, but was postponed. From herein, you can expect a baseball poll update each Monday by noon through the end of the regular season.

A few notes and observations about this week's poll:

North makes a splash: The Bay State Conference made another big turn this week with a win over a Catholic Conference power. Newton North jumps up one spot to No. 5 following a big Thursday morning win over Xaverian, doubling up the defending D1 state champs 8-4.

Notable newcomers: We've got a slew of debut this week following some exciting April vacation baseball. The most notable entrance this week is Bridgewater-Raynham, which storms into the poll at No. 12 following wins over New Bedford and Silver Lake in the Brad Martin Tournament. Silver Lake, for its own regard, comes in at No. 15 on the heels of a win over Plymouth North en route to the final with B-R.

Shrewsbury (16), North Reading (19) and Chelmsford (20) also make debuts this week, while Amherst (22) returns to the poll after a one-week hiatus.

Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:

Catholic Conference - 4
Bay State - 3
Northeastern - 3
Merrimack Valley - 2
Old Colony - 2
Southern Worcester County - 2
Valley League - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Cape Ann - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Patriot - 1
South Coast - 1
Valley Wheel - 1

STARTING ROTATION
Megan Colleran, Jr., North Attleborough
Anna O'Neill, Sr., King Philip
Lauren Ramirez, Sr., Dracut
Kendal Roy, Jr., Grafton
Shannon Smith, Sr., Milford

STARTING NINE
Tori Constantin, Sr. 2B, King Philip
Stephanie Cornish, Sr. 3B, Abington
Alexis DeBrosse, Sr. SS, New Bedford
Caroline Fairbanks, Sr. 3B, Milford
Nicole Lundstrom, Sr. C, Dighton-Rehoboth
Bella Picard, Sr. SS, Blackstone Valley Tech
Madi Shaw, Jr. SS, Bridgewater-Raynham
Dakota Smith-Porter, Sr., P/SS, Turners Falls
Reilly Weiners, Sr. C, Agawam

WATCH LIST
Olivia Antczak, Soph. P, Central Catholic
Allie Colleran, Jr. SS/OF, Concord-Carlisle
Megan Cook, Jr. P, Bellingham
Haley Currie, Sr. 3B, Burlington
Sara Dawson, Soph. P, Bridgewater-Raynham
Kaleigh Finigan, Sr. 3B, St. Mary's (Lynn)
Bridget Furlong, Sr. 2B, Malden
Courtney Girouard, Jr. P, Fairhaven
Galen Kerr, Sr. P, Concord-Carlisle
Taylor LeBrun, Soph. C, Milford
Rachel Levine, Sr. CF, Milford
Michaela Mazure, Soph. INF, Burlington
Shannon McLaughlin, Jr. P, Tewksbury
Paige Mulry, Jr. C, Boston Latin
MacKenzie Navarro, Jr. 1B, Taunton
Alicia Reid, Sr. CF, Abington
Kelsey Saucier, Jr. P, Holy Name
Rachael Smith, Jr. P, Winchester
Lauren Tuiskula, Sr. P, Leicester
Jurnee Ware, Sr. P, Hudson

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – It looked as though Bridgewater-Raynham was going to scrap its way to an Old Colony League championship.

After the Trojans dealt No. 18 Barnstable a surprising 3-2 loss on Jan. 16 in Hyannis, B-R needed just a point out of Wednesday night’s rematch with the Red Raiders at the Bridgewater Ice Arena.

The Trojans started well, building a two-goal lead early in the second period. However, Barnstable struck back with a string of four straight goals in the second and into the early third to skate away with a 6-3 win and the OCL title.

The Red Raiders (10-3-3, 3-1-0) were lifted on the heels of a four-point game for senior captain Max Willman.

“Connor [Fries] got us going early, throwing a shot on net and finding a way in,” Willman said. “That just got the points going and got me going.”

Fries’ goal at 8:17 of the second ignited the string of Red Raiders’ goals, culminating with Willman’s second of the game, scored just 52 seconds into the third period.

Eric Rogorzenski potted his second point of the game with a goal 8:51 of the third, reestablishing a two-goal lead for Barnstable. Defenseman Chris Fowler added an empty-netter to give the Red Raiders their final margin of victory.

While Barnstable distanced itself in the later stages, the contest hinged on a pivotal sequence midway through the second.

Truman Daniels broke in on Barnstable goaltender Kevin Huska (19 saves) before being hauled down from behind on a breakaway with a hook. Daniels was awarded with a penalty shot on the play. On the penalty shot, Daniels dangled to try to create room for a back-hander stickside, but Huska didn’t budge and gave the shooter little to aim for. Daniels shot went wide to the boards.

It provided the Red Raiders with a much-needed lift.

“He’s been solid for us all year,” Willman said. “He just proved tonight that he’s one of the best in the state. He can get the job done.”

Liam Wholly, Owen Wholly and Daniels were the goal-scorers for B-R (3-10-5, 2-1-1).

Bridgewater-Raynham junior All-State shortstop Madi Shaw gave her verbal commitment to Fordham University during the weekend.

The two-year starter powered the Trojans to their first-ever Division 1 South sectional crown. Shaw hit .471 with eight home runs and 34 RBI for the Old Colony League champions last year.

“It’s a great academic school, and I just feel in love with the campus,” Shaw told ESPN Boston. “The coaches and the girls were great, too.

“The whole process has been exhilarating. I’m just so happy that I found the best school for me.”

Presenting to you five, players, groups, teams and scenes on the rise heading from Turkey Day into the postseason.

5. STIFLING DEFENSES
Perhaps no team impressed more on the defensive side of the ball than St. John’s Prep, which authoritatively stamped its postseason pass book with a 9-0 shutout against Xaverian. Of course, the Hawks were equally up to the task with a huge day from its four-man line of Joe Gaziano, Ray Gobbi, Mo Hurst, and Elijah Jolly.

Yet, the Eagles were also able to control the line of scrimmage coming off their blocks. Chris Newton, a lunch pail linebacker turned defensive tackle, might have had the game of his life with two sacks, including a strip-sack. Feeding off the double-teams generated by fellow tackle Corey Jean-Jacques, the duo were able to create an interior pass rush, and help bottle up the Hawks’ physical backfield of Hurst and Hunter Taute.

Still, the performance of the day belonged to the Newton North secondary. The Tigers terrorized Brookline for six interceptions in the 116th annual meeting between the Bay State Conference rivals. Newton North also returned two of the picks to the house, a difference-maker in a 21-0 defensive maelstrom. Junior defensive back Jack Boucher led the charge with three interceptions, including a pick-six.

4. THE BERLUTI HOUSEHOLD
In lifting Westwood to a 42-14 win over perennial Tri-Valley League Large favorite Holliston, the Wolverines punched a card to their first postseason date since their Super Bowl season of 2004.

Leading Westwood’s aerial attack was Alex Berluti. The senior completed 14 of 17 attempts for 269 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Naturally, his top target was brother Bo Berluti. Bo finished the game with five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

"It’s nice throwing to him," Alex Berluti told correspondent Bruce Lerch on Thursday. "It’s fun. It was memorable. I’ll have that for the rest of my life."

3. PIONEERS AFOOT
In projecting the result of the penultimate CAL/NEC Tier 3 game between Lynnfield and North Reading earlier this week on our podcast, I talked about Pioneers quarterback Mike Karavestos and his ability to change the game with his arm. Turned out I was partially right, but I underestimated Karavestos’ running ability. The tough-nosed signal-caller’s 157 yards on the ground on 19 carries set the tone for Lynnfield and his rushing touchdown truly was the difference-maker in a tightly contested 14-7 win over the Hornets, propelling Lynnfield into the playoffs.

2. AUGGIE TO MICAH … AUGGIE TO MICAH …
We all know what Austin Roberts means to Brockton and its offense. When one of the state’s toughest pound-for-pound athletes is running the Boxers’ Georgia Tech-style option game, few teams can find an answer. But in Thursday’s win over Bridgewater-Raynham, another encouraging sign for Brockton’s postseason hopes emerged. While Roberts dropped back to pass just five times against a stingy Trojans’ defense, he managed to complete four of those passes for 90 yards – all of those completions went to game MVP – and one could argue – Boxers’ MVP Micah Morel. Morel also grabbed a touchdown pass against B-R. While the ground game will continue to be the Boxers’ key to success, if Roberts and Morel can continue to dial up big plays in the passing game through the playoffs, Brockton will be that much more difficult to dissect defensively.

1. A FEELING OF THANKS
While Upper Cape Tech has plenty to be thankful for, what with securing the program’s first-ever playoff berth with a 42-18 win over Cape Cod Tech. However, if Holbrook/Avon beat West Bridgewater on Thanksgiving, the Rams would’ve had to sweat out a coin flip in a three-way tie-breaker procedure to determine who would represent the Mayflower Small in Saturday’s Super Bowl against Dorchester.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that as West Bridgewater beat H/A, alleviating any potential agony.

As a token of thanks, we wonder if Rams coach Mike Hernon picked up anything on Black Friday as a thank you gift to the Wildcats?

There are football players who are kickers, and then there are football players who can kick. Logan Laurent falls into the second category.

“Sometimes people see kickers and they see someone who's maybe not the best athlete. He's extremely athletic. His upside down the road could be huge. We've sent his tapes all over the place. [Recruiting] will really start to pick up after next week.”

The University of New Hampshire is the only school that has offered Laurent a scholarship, but Dartmouth, North Carolina, Elon and East Carolina are among the other schools that have shown significant interest. He finished first in a kicking camp at East Carolina.

Laurent, who is 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, said he's also considering a postgraduate year. UNH's offer came after Laurent attended a clinic there last summer.

“[UNH coach] Sean McDonnell had me do some athletic stuff – run some routes and play some defensive back, which I love doing,” Laurent said. “After that he had me kick some balls on the field and I went 11 for 11.”

Laurent made two field goals (35 and 40 yards) to help Exeter defeat Pinkerton Academy in last year's Division I championship game. The same programs will meet Saturday to decide this year's Division I championship.

Laurent grew up playing soccer, but Ball persuaded him to play football as a freshman. He played varsity soccer and kicked for the football team as a sophomore.

“I really, really like UNH,” Laurent said. “They're a phenomenal team and have a great 1-AA program, but I'm also talking to other schools and I'm not going to make any decisions until after the season's over. Gotta win a state championship.”

DRY TALENT POOL: Longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming wrote a story for last Thursday's South Bend Tribune that said a lack of talent at the high school level in New England is largely responsible for Boston College's recent struggles on the football field.

Here's an excerpt from that story:

“Their problem is that New England has been drastically bad talent-wise the last few years. The talent has never been great there, but it’s been pretty good. There hasn’t been much talent at all in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont don’t produce a lot.”

THIS FORD IS RUNNING FINE: Recruiting interest has picked up for Souhegan (Amherst, N.H.) senior Tyler Ford, who moved from wide receiver to quarterback this season. He's also a kicker, and starts in the defensive backfield.

“He's high on the [recruiting board] of three 1-AA schools: Marist, Holy Cross and UNH,” Souhegan coach Mike Beliveau said. “He's getting great interest from three Division II schools: Bentley, Stonehill and Assumption; and there are a bunch of Division III schools interested, led by Trinity.

“He's 6-feet, 185 pounds. Very solid. He could play receiver or defensive back. He'll definitely punt.”

Ford has passed for 1,920 yards and rushed for 991 yards this season. Souhegan has one game remaining on its schedule.

MASS. APPEAL: Milton Academy linebacker Matt Morin is hearing from some big-name schools, but has yet to receive his first offer. Morin played for Bridgewater-Raynham before transferring to Milton Academy, where he repeated his sophomore year. He recently completed his junior season.

“I'd say Penn State and Maryland are the leading two in terms of interest,” Morin said. “I get mailings from Missouri two or three times a week. Nebraska invited me to their camp. Villanova and UNH have expressed a lot of interest.

Morin, who wrestles for Milton Academy, said he's also heard from Boston College.

“Right now it's medium interest, but no offers,” he said.

Recruiting information regarding high school or prep school players in New England can be sent to Roger Brown at rbrown@nhfootballreport.com.

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 Football Poll this afternoon, following Week 10 of the high school season. It was a wild weekend of action, and there is some movement up and down the list.

For the complete poll, CLICK HERE.

A few notes and observations:

Plymouth South, Doherty make debut: Following respective wins over Nauset and Shepherd Hill, Plymouth South and Doherty make historic debuts in the poll. It's the first nod in the football poll for both the Panthers and Highlanders in the three-year history of our high school section. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more astonishing way to clinch a league championship than what transpired in Plymouth on Friday night, as leading rusher Dylan Oxsen (29 rushing TDs) converted a 62-yard hook-and-ladder play with eight seconds left to beat Nauset and claim both its first playoff berth and first Atlantic Coast League title in the school's 25-year history.

Doherty makes its debut in the poll following a 32-28 win over Shepherd Hill, keyed by a touchdown pass from Luke Brennan to Isaac Yiadom in the game's final minutes. It marks the first time in our history that a team from the Inter-High conference has been ranked in our poll. The Highlanders are 8-2 and have clinched both their league and a Division 2 Central playoff berth.

Hockomock returns: Mansfield (19) and Sharon (25) make their returns to the poll after clinching their respective divisions of the Hockomock League on Saturday night. Mansfield beat Franklin, then clinched the Hock's Kelly-Rex division minutes later when King Philip took down North Attleborough on a last-second field goal. Sharon, meanwhile, clinched its first playoff berth in school history after beating Foxborough, 14-7, to win the Davenport division outright. Forever a doormat in the Hockomock, the Eagles' rags-to-riches triumph is one of the best stories in football this fall.

The highest-rated Hockomock team, Stoughton, sits at No. 15 at 9-1, following a 25-21 win over Bridgewater-Raynham. But by virtue of the Black Knights' loss to Sharon last month, they'll be sitting at home following Thanksgiving. Once again, the Hockomock has potentially a 10-1 team with no playoffs. You have to think the league can't wait for next year's new playoff system.

Ups and downs: Natick's 21-14 win over Walpole created some shuffle in the top half of the poll. Walpole drops eight spots to No. 13, making room for Duxbury to slip back to No. 5 after a few weeks holding down the six spot. Meanwhile Natick jumps up 10 spots to No. 11, just a week after they dropped 11 spots by virtue of an upset from Wellesley. The shuffle also made room for Beverly, champions of the CAL/NEC's second tier, to make its debut in the Top 10 at No. 10.

Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:

Hockomock - 4
Merrimack Valley - 3
AA - 2
Middlesex - 2
Bay State - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Big Three - 1
CAL/NEC - 1
Catholic Conference - 1
Dual County - 1
Greater Boston - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach B - 1
Old Colony - 1
Patriot - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The fourth of quarter of Friday’s instant classic between No. 1 Barnstable and No. 16 Bridgewater-Raynham was rife with hairpin plot twists and explosions. Every expanding moment brought more drama, heightened tension and – assuredly on both sidelines – greater anxiety. It was the stuff of Jack Bauer tracking down bad guys, MacGyver defusing a bomb threat, or a John Le Carré spy novel. Or maybe it was a little of all those things rolled into one -- and then some.

For whatever you care to call it, in recent memory, the yearly date between the Red Raiders and Trojans has morphed into a de facto championship game for the Old Colony League.

Friday’s edition was but another spellbinding chapter.

Barnstable clung to a 27-25 lead behind an opportunistic defense before putting the game away in the final moments with the Red Raiders tallying their third interception of the game. In the process, Barnstable (8-0, 2-0) claimed its second-straight OCL championship and will return to the postseason, again to face Dual County League large division champion Lincoln-Sudbury in the Div. 1A Eastern Mass playoffs.

“Last year is a distant memory at this point,” Red Raiders head coach Chris Whidden said. “It feels great for this group, these guys have done so much together, and they were obviously a big part of last year, but there’s a pride in what they accomplished today.

“They derserve it. I know every coach can say that the group of kids you have deserve it, but if you really knew these kids, you’d know they truly have done more than most classes would do to get what they got tonight.”

Barnstable showed its defensive mettle after a lack-luster showing against Billerica a week ago.

Jason Frieh (sack, 2 TFL) led the Red Raider defensive line bringing the pressure, but the contributions came from all around. Barnstable’s defense pulled off a unique hat trick of interceptions, with one pick coming from a member at each level of its unit. Frieh seized momentum for the Red Raiders early in the second half with a 21-yard interception return for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, inside linebacker Andrew Ellis collected a pick of his own before free safety Hayden Murphy closed out the victory with an interception with 1:03 remaining.

Frieh’s pick-six extended the Red Raiders’ halftime lead to 21-6, but the Trojans (5-4, 1-1) responded on the ensuing drive in the third with a 10-play, 74-yard drive capped by Jordan Cohen’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Scripter.

Barnstable again made it a two-possession game on Nick Peabody’s second touchdown pass of the game, a 31-yard connection to Tedaro France with 7:31 to play in the fourth.

From there, a dizzying sequence unfolded that was made for an episode of “24”.

Events between the time 7:14 and 4:03 of the fourth quarter included:

• An 82-yard kickoff return by B-R’s Ryan Martin, (Score: 27-19, Barnstable, following failed two-point try).
• A fumble recovery by the Trojans on Barnstable’s following kickoff return, (Devin Morris’ forced fumble was recovered by Mike Clifford, setting up B-R first and 10 from the Red Raiders’ 20-yard line).
• Ellis’ interception, (setting up Barnstable first and 10 at their own 15).
• Strip-sack by B-R’s Aaron Conrad with Trojans recovery by Kevin Johnston at the Barnstable 5, (5:33 to play).
• 2-yard rushing touchdown by Brandon Gallagher, (Score: 27-25, Barnstable, 4:03 remained).

Following that frenetic sequence -- keep in mind there were only seven plays from scrimmage elapsed during that span – Barnstable had a chance at closing out the game by bleeding the clock. But the Red Raiders’ ensuing drive sputtered flat once it hit the 50-yard line. Barnstable was forced to punt, but a masterful 41-yard punt from Ryan Litchman was downed at the Trojans’ 6-yard line.

With a long field to go, B-R went to its 2-minute drill with 1:45 to play. The comeback ended at 1:03 when a last-ditch pass by Cohen was fielded by Murphy.

TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE
His dancing acumen aside, ESPN Boston Mr. Football challenger and Barnstable quarterback Nick Peabody showed he’s got moves on the field.

Peabody (12 of 22 passing, 201 yards, 2 TDs) ripped up the carpet on a rambling 54-yard run in the first quarter. After juking a B-R safety into last Friday, Peabody broke down the left sideline before being chased down at the 1-yard line. He plunged into the end zone one play later for Barnstable’s second touchdown of the game.

“We were reading the end on the play, and he kind of flew out with Hayden [Murphy],” Peabody said. “I just saw the hole, I hit it and there was just one safety. I was kind of shocked, I guess I put a move on him.

“Then, to be honest, I was scared I was going to get caught and I got caught on the one-yard line.”

While Peabody will never be mistaken for a Randall Cunningham-like quarterback, he’s still able to make plays with his feet. He ran for 78 yards on 15 carries, including the touchdown. A bulk of those yards came on zone read plays with Peabody pulling back an option to Murphy, who streaks across the field from the slot. It was a bread-and-butter play that Barnstable’s run successfully on Friday and throughout the season.

It’s yet another element that has made the Red Raiders offense so potent.

“We drill it until it makes you sick, but that’s what makes it work,” Peabody said.

CLOSING CREDITS
If you placed this year’s B-R team in the year 2013, there’s a real possibility the Trojans are playing through a playoff stretch.

While the MIAA playoff proposal has passed, it didn’t come soon enough for the Trojans, who will again challenge for the dubious title of “Best Team in Massachusetts Not Playing past Thanksgiving” this year.

“I look at our team, we’re five-and-four and we’ve lost to two teams that are undefeated, another team in St. John’s Prep that has one loss and La Salle could play with anyone [in Massachusetts],” Trojans head coach Dan Buron said.

Don’t interpret that statement as sour grapes though. Buron was downright grateful following his team’s loss.

It was evidenced on the Trojans’ final offensive play. As his players shuffled – dejected – back to the sideline, Buron met each and every one of them with a pat on the shoulder pads and the message: “Don’t hang your heads.”

“I told the kids they shouldn’t have any regrets and they should be proud,” Buron said of his postgame breakdown with the team. “I’ve never been more proud of a team because there were a couple of times in this game we could’ve folded.”

Barnstable – 14 0 7 6 -- 27
Bridgewater-Raynham – 0 6 7 12 -- 25

First quarter
B - Dylan Morris 35-yard pass from Nick Peabody (Jason Frieh kick)
B - Peabody 1-yard run (Frieh kick)

Second quarter
B-R – Kevin Wadsworth 11-yard pass from Jordan Cohen (kick failed)

Third quarter
B - Jason Frieh 21-yard interception return (Frieh kick)
B-R - Ryan Scripter 17-yard pass from Cohen (Wadsworth kick)

Fourth quarter
B - Tedaro France 31-yard pass from Peabody (kick failed)
B-R - Ryan Martin 82-yard kickoff return (pass failed)
B-R - Brandon Gallagher 2-yard run (rush failed)

ACTON-BOXBOROUGH (6-2) AT LINCOLN-SUDBURY (7-1)
The Skinny: Although the Colonials enter this rivalry game after a letdown against Waltham last week, these teams always have a say in the determination of the Dual County League crown. The Warriors have worked toward reclaiming the division title with help from a talented cast of seniors who have two-way success with the football and the lacrosse teams, including Chris Giorgio, Henry Guild and John Sexton. A-B’s wing-T attack is led by a pair of promising juniors in William Tejada (14 TDs) and Tom Saponaro.

Scott Barboza: Bill Maver has the building blocks for a strong group next year, but this senior group from L-S has been primed to make their run during the last two years. The seal the deal for the division, but it’s a rivalry game, so throw the records out. L-S, 20-14.

Brendan Hall: The Warriors take the inside track to their third consecutive postseason berth, but because it’s A-B they do it in knock-down, drag-out fashion. L-S, 17-10.

DIGHTON-REHOBOTH (6-1) AT WAREHAM (7-1)
The Skinny: Both teams sport a perfect South Coast Conference record entering Friday’s tête-à-tête and their only loss came against a common non-league opponent in Somerset-Berkley. Since their opening day loss, the Falcons have run off six straight wins, including a 5-0 record in the SCC. D-R’s ground attack is keyed by 6-foot-7 tackle Chuddy Nwachukwu, but the Falcons have also seen dividends in the passing game behind sophomore quarterback Nathan Kowalski. The Vikings, also undefeated in the SCC, have big-play ability with the electrifying Darien Fernandez in the backfield. Yet, Wareham has also brought the lumber on defense, surrendering just 26 points through five league games.

Barboza: In big SCC games, it’s hard to pick against a Dave Driscoll-led team. D-R, 16-14.

Hall: As usual, our loyal correspondent Corey comes up with some innovative names, this one “The Fernandez Express”. As long as Darien’s legs keep churning, the Vikings will stay ahead. Wareham, 17-13.

STONEHAM (7-1) AT BURLINGTON (7-1)
The Skinny: The Red Devils can sew up the Middlesex League Freedom division title with a win over the upstart Spartans. Stoneham saw its undefeated record blemish last week in a 42-28 loss to Wakefield, but the Spartans are capable of throwing a monkey wrench into the race behind Aaron Louis and Darius McPherson. Meanwhile, Burlington’s backfield tandem of Anthony Cruz and Marcus O’Diah has few equals in Eastern Mass.

Barboza: Cinderella’s ball comes to a halt. Burlington, 33-24.

Hall: Stoneham appears to have a quality foundation for the long haul, but in the short term this Burlington rushing attack will be too much for the Spartans to handle. Burlington, 28-14.

GOVERNOR’S ACADEMY (6-0) AT MILTON ACADEMY (4-2)
The Skinny: The defending ISL champs put their undefeated record on the line in a road game. Gov’s 40-6 win over Brooks last week kept its point-per-game average above 41 points a game as Tate Jozokos and Eli Morrissey continue their assault on opposing defenses. Mustangs junior running back Drew Jacobs continued his breakout season with four touchdowns last week in a throttling of Belmont Hill.

Barboza: Opposing teams better hope they have Jacoby Jones or Ellis Hobbs returning kicks for them because it’s a 108 yards or bust with Justin Yoon kicking off. Still, Gov’s offense takes over. Governor’s, 31-24.

Hall: The Governators haven’t lost a game since Jim O’Leary took over in 2011. How crazy is that? Governor’s, 30-20.

WAYLAND (5-3) AT CONCORD-CARLISLE (4-4) (
The Skinny: Wayland looks for the inside track in the Dual County League’s Small division, entering the game with one of the league’s stingiest defenses (10.6 points allowed), and two versatile targets in senior wideout Mark Bonner and junior tailback Robert Williams. C-C, the defending league and Super Bowl champs, lost Tim Badgley in the preseason, but running backs Evan Boynton and Shayne McCloskey have picked up the slack.

Barboza: Yeah, I went with the Patriots winning a long time ago, in fact before we learned Badgley would be out for the year. It’s political season, so consider me a swing voter here. Wayland, 14-7.

Hall: I have the feeling this game is going to be possession-based. In that case, give me the better defense. Wayland, 10-6.

LOWELL (6-2) AT ANDOVER (8-0)
(The Skinny: Lowell has been on an offensive tear the last four games, going 3-1 and averaging 43 points per game over that span. Cam Latta has spearheaded the surge, but can he outduel Andover’s C.J. Scarpa? The 5-foot-8 senior hasn’t thrown an interception since Oct. 6, meanwhile the Golden Warriors are averaging over 370 yards of offense a game.

Barboza: Calculators ready? Andover, 46-38.

Hall: Remember the 88-80, eight-overtime game between these two in 2010? Let’s do the honorable thing here and move the venue to the Tsongas Center. Andover, 45-40.

NORTHBRIDGE (7-1) AT AUBURN (8-0) (
The Skinny: Auburn, one of the state’s stingiest defenses (5.1 points per game), holds first place in the SWCL A division, and can put a vice grip on it with a win over the Rams. Offensively, the Rockets have rode one of the state’s biggest lines to bull their way to over 2,000 yards rushing and over 2,700 yards of total offense, led by quarterback Drew Goodrich and Tyler Desjardins. But Northbridge quarterback Matt Phelan (1,344 passing yards, 11 TD; 673 rushing yards, 19 TD) will be one of the more slippery athletes the Rockets will have seen all season long. Can they contain him?

Barboza: Again, more than the score, I’m wondering what the line would be set at on these occurrences: how many times the Rockets venture to pass versus the Rams keeping it on the ground. Think it’s a push, but … Auburn, 31-27.

Hall: Classic clash of philosophies here: Jeff Cormier’s power running scheme versus Northbridge guru Ken LaChapelle and his pioneering run-and-shoot. Give me the team with the better line, in a physical battle. Auburn, 20-13.

BC HIGH (3-4) AT XAVERIAN (2-6) (
The Skinny: What would you have said if we told you back in August these two teams would be meeting in November with a combined 10 losses? But that’s what we have here, as the two Catholic Conference foes will fight to stay alive in a conference that St. John’s Prep is favored to take a hold of. If linebacker Luke Catarius is a go for BC High, that should provide an interesting matchup for Xaverian and its talented skill corps of Austin DeCarr, D.J. Pagliuca and Hunter Taute. The key matchup will be in the interior, where two close friends and Division 1 commits will square off – Xaverian defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (Michigan) versus BC High guard Jack McDonald (Virginia).

Barboza: Going with my preseason Catholic Conference pick in this one for whatever that’s worth – though it’s still probably worth more than Facebook stock. BC High, 21-17.

Hall: Give both teams credit here, they’re still fighting hard. But at this point, the Eagles have a little bit more momentum. BC High, 21-10.

BARNSTABLE (7-0) AT BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM (5-3)
The Skinny: Once again, these teams engage in a winner-takes-all battle for the Old Colony League crown in this week’s Game of the Week. Some elements to watch entering this one will be to see how the Red Raiders secondary is able to shake off a lackluster performance last week against Billerica. Similarly, B-R had its troubles with La Salle Academy and its spread attack a couple weeks back, so we’ll see how the Trojans’ secondary is able to deal with Barnstable quick and nimble wideouts. Let’s not overlook the running backs in this one, however. Hayden Murphy figured prominently into last year’s win by Barnstable in this game and Trojans sophomore sensation Brandon Gallagher (12 TDs) will be one to watch for years to come.

Barboza: Because it’s what Dan Buron wants us to do anyway, and for the fact I think the Red Raiders repeat. Barnstable, 30-24.

Hall: Any time you have an NFL veteran coaching the secondary, you have to think things will shore up after a bad week. Barnstable, 35-28.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Presidential election is weeks away, so we’ll be bombarded with talk of swing voters until the ballots are cast.

At Assabet Valley Regional Tech on Friday morning, the fate of the vote for a new football playoff proposal for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association too might have been decided by a number of souls who were undecided till the last minute. The motion set before a general assembly of all MIAA charter schools passed somewhat comfortably 161 ‘Yeas’ to 131 ‘Nays;’ some straw polls going in had the vote at a “too close to call.” It was just the second time in MIAA history that such a measure for a statewide vote had been called.

Some, like Bridgewater-Raynham football head coach and athletic director Dan Buron, still felt conflicted on the morning of the vote. In recent years, Buron and the remaining schools of the Old Colony League (Barnstable and Dartmouth) have seen their conference ravaged by departures. The statewide craze of swapping ships has mirrored a bit of what has occurred in NCAA football. Looking through that prism, both the MIAA’s current football playoff system and the Bowl Championship Series share a fatal flaw – both leave much to be desired, namely the fact neither recognize a true champion through a playoff system.

Upon entering the auditorium Buron resolved in his mind to vote against the measure. He still had reservations about how non-playoff contending teams would fill their schedule in the weeks leading up to the season’s end at Thanksgiving.

After seeing the plan’s detail of having non-playoff teams entered into a sectional pool of teams with similar records and the presentation of the particulars on Friday morning, Buron adjusted his stance.

“It’s time for a change,” Buron said. “I think the football committee did a good job of listening to the vote last time and changing up some things.”

In his time as Trojans’ head coach, the years more numerous than he’d care to see printed in a news report, Buron’s seen plenty. He’s also seen plenty of winning, but he’s also seen plenty of fine seasons dashed by a slip-up in one game. As currently constituted, playing in a three-team league essentially means you’d better win those two games, or your Black Friday activities revolve around sales at department stores, not football.

Yet, Buron would never be the type of coach to complain about that fact. Instead, he continues to take on all comers in Eastern Mass. The Trojans added Catholic Conference power and current third-ranked MIAA squad St. John’s Prep to their schedule this year. B-R lost a competitive, spirited game, 20-7.

Buron takes those lumps in order to have his teams’ peaking when those penultimate league games come. But now, with the approval of the playoff restructuring, teams like B-R will have all that much more incentive to take on a murderer’s row schedule. They’ll receive power ranking points for doing so – win, lose or draw. And, while teams will still aim to win a coveted league title, they can also play for an ultimate prize, even if there’s a blemish on their regular-season slate.

“I hope in two year’s time we really sit down and take a look at how it’s worked out and change it if it needs to be changed,” Buron said of the plan’s built-in two-year option on his way out the door.

“Then, if it’s fine, we’re fine. But I’m looking forward to it.”

That’s change we can all believe in.

La Salle Academy (R.I.) running back Josh Morris has been nursing a sprained ankle for much of the season, but it hasn't hampered his recruiting situation.

Yale head coach Tony Reno recently told Morris he'd like him to join the Yale program next season.

“I started to build a good relationship with Yale last spring,” Morris said. “I visited and camped there last summer. The Yale head coach kept calling me every week during the season to make sure I was still interested and letting me know he was still interested in me.

“Last Thursday he told me: You have an offer from Yale.”

Morris, who was the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior, has offers from four other FCS schools: Brown, Bryant, Monmouth and Valparaiso.

Morris is being recruited primarily as a running back, but he could also play slot receiver or defensive back for Yale. Morris said he'd prefer to play offense in college.

“I like the ball in my hands,” he said. “Yale offered me as an athlete – that's what [Reno] said. They would probably put me at a position based on whatever else they get in their class.

“I really do like the Ivy League. It's hard to pass up an Ivy League education, but I'm keeping my options open to see what else might be out there.”

Morris injured his ankle during a victory over South Kingstown on Oct. 5. He scored three touchdowns in a 41-24 triumph over Bridgewater-Raynham the following week, but said he's been playing at less than 100 percent since the injury.

“I haven't missed any games, but it's been lingering,” Morris said.

Morris rushed for 1,278 yards and 16 touchdowns on 134 carries last season. He also caught nine passes for 175 yards, and averaged 39.8 yards per kickoff return.

He's run for 613 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games this year.

New Hampshire may be the next school to offer Morris, who has generated interest from several Patriot League and Colonial Athletic Association schools.

“A lot of schools are on the cusp [of making a scholarship offer] right now,” Morris said. “My senior film could determine whether schools pull the trigger [on an offer] or not.”

Decision time: Tabor Academy's Tevin Montgomery, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive lineman, said he will announce his college choice on Dec. 1 at his school. He has narrowed his choices to Boston College, Vanderbilt and Virginia.

“But I don't know if I'm going to make a big scene,” Montgomery said. “I might just call the school and let them know.”

Montgomery, a three-star recruit, is the top-ranked uncommitted player from Massachusetts in the Class of 2013. He also has offers from Temple, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rutgers, Maryland and Missouri.

Catching a Crook: Worcester Academy quarterback D.J. Crook is generating plenty of interest, but is still waiting for his first scholarship offer, according to Worcester Academy coach Tony Johnson.

“He's got interest from Holy Cross, Princeton, Dartmouth and a few others from the Patriot League – Lafayette and Colgate,” Johnson said. “And there are a few schools interested from the MAC, like Akron and Massachusetts.

“You know how it works. He's gotta get that one offer, and then a few more come in quickly. I think he's done enough.”

Crook played a Barnstable High School before choosing to spend a postgraduate year at Worcester Academy. He missed four games because of a fractured thumb during his senior season.

Big man not on campus: Four-star offensive lineman John Montelus was scheduled to take his official visit to Notre Dame last Saturday, but had to postpone the trip when Everett High School's game against BC High was postponed from Friday night to Saturday because of heavy rain.

Montelus, the No. 1 prospect from Massachusetts in the Class of 2013, said he will reschedule the trip. Montelus committed to Notre Dame following the team's spring game in April. He is the only New England player ranked in the ESPN 300 (No. 292).

Back in motion: Ansonia (Conn) High School running back Arkeel Newsome has gained 884 yards through six games this season.

Newsome, a junior who has scholarship offers from Connecticut and Massachusetts, led the nation in rushing last year, when he set a Connecticut record by gaining 3,763 yards.

Newsome's playing time has been limited this year because Ansonia is 6-0 and has won all six games by at least 28 points. Ansonia has scored at least 35 points in each of its six games.

Recruiting information regarding high school or prep school players in New England can be sent to Roger Brown at rbrown@nhfootballreport.com.

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -– The enormous gust of wind that blew over the Bridgewater-Raynham football field late Saturday afternoon wasn’t a meteorological phenomenon.

Rather, it was Trojans coach Dan Buron exhaling after his team held off Xaverian and posted a 32-27 non-league victory.

And “held off” is the operative phrase.

After the No. 21 Trojans (4-3) seemingly put the game out of reach, when Jordan Cohen threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Murphy for a 32-20 lead with 2:22 remaining, the Hawks (1-6) needed just over a minute to reduce their deficit when Austin DeCarr threw a 20-yard scoring pass to A.J. King and Kyle Darrow kicked the extra point.

Not surprisingly, Xaverian then attempted an onside kick. But much to Buron’s chagrin, Xaverian’s Ryan McLean smothered the ball at his team’s 42 with 1:40 remaining.

DeCarr (24-48, 290 yards, TD) then passed his team to a second-and-goal at B-R’s 5 with four ticks of the clock left. But DeCarr’s pass for what would have been the winning touchdown fell incomplete in the end zone which allowed Buron to breathe.

“That’s a good football team,” Buron said of Xaverian. “I don’t care what their record is. We play a tough schedule but one that’s not nearly as tough as the one they do. And they’ve been in every game so I knew they weren’t going to quit.

“I’m proud of the kids. I’m a little upset that we didn’t get the onside kick but we have to work on those things. It’s different in practice.”

To a certain extent, this was a different B-R team than the one that was waxed 41-24 on October 12 by Rhode Island Division I power La Salle Academy.

“We played with a little more intensity today than we did last week,” Buron said. “I don’t know what the reason was for that. I thought the week prior to that we played with a lot of intensity and emotion against St. John’s Prep.

“That’s a good team and we came out on the short end but I was proud of the kids. We didn’t look like the same team (against La Salle). But today we looked more like the team we had in our first five games.”

Double trouble: One reason the Trojans prevailed was that they were proficient both on the ground and in the air.

Brandon Gallagher led the ground game by rushing for 90 yards and one score on 21 carries.

Jordan Cohen was superb at quarterback as he completed 13-of-19 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns –- each to Murphy who snared eight balls for 150 yards.

“I thought Jordan played well today and hit the open receivers,” Buron said. “What they were giving us was the flat and he hit the flat all day which opened up some other things.”

One of the “other things” that was opened up was room for Gallagher to slice through Xaverian’s defense.

“Gallagher is a tough running back who runs hard,” Buron said. “When the blocking’s there he’s going to get extra yards. When there isn’t any blocking, he’s still going to get extra yards. Very rarely does he go backwards.

“He’s a strong runner and is only a sophomore so he’s only going to get better. But I’d like to credit the offensive line, too. I thought they played well in the second half against a much bigger defensive front.”

How do you spell shootout? After a scoreless first quarter during which each team lost a fumble, B-R’s Aaron Conrad recovered another Xaverian fumble on his team’s 14.

B-R then covered 86 yards in eight plays with Gallagher busting into the end zone from the 5.

Xaverian countered with an eight-play, 64-yard drive which Shayne Kaminski capped by scoring on a 25-yard run that made B-R’s lead 7-6.

B-R, seemingly in an eye blink, upped its lead to 12-7 when Cohen connected with Murphy on a screen pass that covered 20 yards for a score.

But DeCarr displayed his best passing of the game after the ensuing kickoff when he completed all five of his attempts for 80 yards which led to Kaminski running it in from the 2 for a 13-12 lead at halftime.

The Trojans got even late in the third quarter when Conrad intercepted a DeCarr pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown that gave B-R an 18-13 lead at the break.

But a short Xaverian punt gave the Trojans excellent field position, at their 40, and Cohen zipped a 17-yard touchdown pass to Murphy on the first play of the fourth period for a 25-13 advantage.

Buron’s sentiments about Xaverian being a team that doesn’t quit almost came back to haunt him when the Hawks’ D.J. Sperzel recovered a fumble on B-R’s 49 -– which led to a five-yard scoring run by Harry Walsh that pulled the Hawks within 25-20 with 5:02 left.

“Everybody on our schedule can beat us,” Buron said. “That’s the problem with playing a tough schedule so we have to come to play. Most every game we’ve been in has come down to the wire so we have to prepare for it.”

BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM 32, XAVERIAN 27
XB (1-6) 0-13-0-14 – 27
BR (4-3) 0-12-6-14 – 32

Second quarter
B – Brandon Gallagher 5 run (run failed)
X – Shayne Kaminski 25 run (Kyle Darrow kick)
B – Ryan Murphy 20 pass from Jordan Cohen (pass failed)
X – Kaminski 2 run (pass failed)

Third quarter
B – Aaron Conrad 33 interception return (pass failed)

Fourth quarter
B – Murphy 17 pass from Cohen (Kevin Wadsworth kick)
X – Harry Walsh 5 run (Darrow kick)
B – Murphy 23 pass from Cohen (Wadsworth kick)
X – A.J. King 20 pass from Austin DeCarr (Darrow kick)

FRIDAY
NO. 23 NEEDHAM (5-1) AT NO. 6 WALPOLE (6-0)
The Skinny: The Rockets received some help in the Bay State Carey race from Natick last week when the Red Hawks came away with a win at Weymouth. However, Needham will need to capitalize on that break with a win over the Herget’s other undefeated entrant. Rockets running back Mike Panepinto continues to be one of the great breakout stories on the year while the Rebels will need to shuffle the deck a little with the loss of Mike Rando, who’ll be out several weeks with an ankle injury. Of course, the Rebels counter with one of the more consistent and underrated linebacker units in the state, led by Cam Hanley and Steve Thulin.

Scott Barboza: Even sans Rando, the Rebels still have enough horses in the barn. Walpole, 26-21.

Hall: Losing Mike Rando, for however long a period of time, hurts. But this Rebels defense is still talented enough to get the job done and slow down Team Panepinto. Walpole, 20-7.

NO. 11 KING PHILIP (6-0) AT MANSFIELD (4-2)
The Skinny: This much anticipated Kelley-Rex matchup features one of the state’s premier defenses against a recharged Hornets offense. Brett McEvoy anchors the Warriors defense, which has surrendered just six points a game through the first six weeks, along with Joe Johnston. Kyle Wisnieski has held down the quarterback position admirably in his first year as starter, but hasn’t stared into a defense quite like that of the Warriors. If he has time to throw, Mike Hershman and Brendan Hill provide big-time targets. Let’s not forget that last year’s installment of this battle was the coming out party of KP quarterback John Dillon, who nearly lifted the Warriors to victory in a second-half comeback bid.

Barboza: Defense wins in big games, right? It’s been a while that the Warriors last had Mansfield’s number, but this is the year. KP, 20-14.

Hall: Can't have any pudding if you don't eat your meat. Mansfield, 24-21.

Wakefield (6-0) at Burlington (5-1)
The Skinny: Depending on how Stoneham does this weekend, this one's for at least a share, possibly sole possession of the Middlesex League's Freedom Division (can we just call it Small to alleviate any confusion?). Burlington has had some injuries, but still boast the league's top rushing attack led by Marcus Odiah and Anthony Cruz. They'll meet a Wakefield defense that features a number of playmakers and hasn't allowed a point in 11 quarters. With Dan Cardillo (ankle) gone, there's no real superstar for Wakefield -- but sophomore receiver Bruce Brown will be one to watch, coming off a 124-yard performance last week in a shutout of Wilmington.

Barboza: I’m calling this a split decision. My fan section vote goes to the Red Sea. But the action on the field is dictated differently. Burlington, 8-6.

Hall: This one will be close, and the Warriors might not solve Burlington's rushing attack, but they'll make a big stop late. Wakefield, 17-10.

Mashpee (4-2) at No. 25 Abington (6-0)
The Skinny: This is a battle for sole possession of first place in the South Shore League, with both teams sitting tied atop the league standings at 3-0. The undefeated Green Wave have been getting some terrific defense all season, and feature one of the more unheralded versatile athletes in senior Babila Fonkem. Mashpee stumbled out of the gates, with losses to Nauset and Austin Prep in the first month, but has rebounded with a three-game win streak. Leading the attack have been running backs Malik Lee and Jared Taylor, as well as emerging quarterback Cody Bingham-Hendricks.

Barboza: Fonkem provides the highlight reel plays running and on special teams, but Brian Kilmain and Jack Malafronte give the Green Wave balance. They’re the difference. Abington, 28-20.

Hall: For the first time in three years, I managed to get through our picks on video and our podcast without mentioning my parents are Abington High Class of '79 (self high-five, folks). Don't get it twisted, though, that has nothing to do with why I've soured on Mashpee since the preseason. Abington, 28-17.

NO. 2 EVERETT (5-1) AT BC HIGH (2-3)
The Skinny: The Eagles are finally starting to heal, with starting quarterback Brendan Craven seeing action last week against Marlborough and running back Brandon Owens getting back into the mix. While they’re still missing a couple key cogs on defense, Owens will help bolster BC High’s run defense against Everett’s double-wing-based ground attack. The Crimson Tide also have been nursing some injuries in recent weeks, but Jalen Felix returned for last week’s game at Xaverian and Jakarrie Washington ran for three scores. Gilly De Souza, the glue that holds Everett’s secondary together, continues playing with an ankle injury and didn’t see the offensive side of the ball last week, but he’s remained rock steady (as he has since freshman year) in the kicking game.

Barboza: BC High is pumped and ready for this one, but De Souza provides the game-winning boot late. Everett, 17-14.

Hall: Won't be fooled again. Everett, 24-10.

SATURDAY
XAVERIAN (1-5) AT NO. 21 BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM (3-3)
The Skinny: This one has the potential to please fans of power football. The Hawks could go heavy in the backfield with Hunter Taute with Mike Brennan doubtful for this weekend’s game after a late injury in last week’s loss to Everett. Or, the Hawks could air it out behind Austin DeCarr whose hit on touchdown passes of 30-plus yards in each of the last two weeks. The Trojans will look to pound the ball behind breakout sophomore running back Brandon Gallagher and a physical offensive line anchored by Joe MacInnis. Senior quarterback Jordan Cohen also gives B-R the opportunity to strike downfield while rolling out of the pocket.

Barboza: I went with the Hawks last week and promptly was served some humble pie by Everett’s offensive line postgame. I’m sticking with my gut this week. Trojans have controlled this matchup in the last two seasons. B-R, 21-17.

Hall: Historically when the game slows to a ground-and-pound stalemate, the odds favor the Trojans. B-R, 20-10.

No. 18 Leominster (4-2) at No. 20 St. John's of Shrewsbury (4-2)
The Skinny: Back at the start of the season, we pegged this as must-see action to circle on one's calendar. It's still one of the games of the year in Central Mass., and we could even see a rematch come playoff time, but let the facts stand. Leominster and St. John's quickly fell from the Top 10 in the last several weeks; Leominster looked shaky in an upset loss to Wachusett and win over Algonquin, while St. John's has surrendered 100 points total in the last two games.

Barboza: That Pioneers defense tightens some, but just not quite enough to stop the Blue Devils. Leominster, 34-28.

Hall: If there's anything we've learned in the last two weeks, it's that if you can run on St. John's, you can go all Barry Switzer and "hang half a hundred on 'em". Leominster, 40-35.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- According to La Salle Academy coach Geoff Marcone, he’s given senior quarterback Anthony Francis “the keys to the car.”

The car in this case is a Mercedes and Francis used it to run No. 17 Bridgewater-Raynham off Cronin Field en route to a 41-24 non-league victory Friday night.

In the process, Francis completed 14-of-21 passes for 279 yards and one touchdown (sans interceptions) and carried the ball 13 times for 68 yards and two scores.

Add up the numbers and it shows that Francis accounted for 347 yards of total offense.

“We’ve given Anthony the keys to the car,” Marcone said. “That’s a tribute to him. He can check in and out of plays. If he sees that a run play’s not there, he’s got the authority this year to check out of it and into something that he likes … something that we prepared for. And he did that a little bit tonight.”

What Francis has done a lot of this season is improve his passing – which wasn’t a process that happened when he showed up for fall practice.

“His passing every year, from his sophomore year to his senior year, he’s grown immensely,” Marcone said. “He worked hard in the off-season on his release and his mechanics.

“When summer came that’s all we focused on, his mechanics … little things like staying square to the target, making your reads and if you don’t like something don’t force anything. That’s what he’s been doing.”

Spreading the love: Francis, for his part, gave credit to his teammates.

“It’s not just me,” he said. “It’s the people around me. They give me the opportunity to make plays and they make plays. They make me better as a person.

“We worked all off-season. Coming off a tough loss last season (17-14 to Hendricken in the Division I Super Bowl), we have that fire in our bellies to get better.”

The Rams did their best New England Patriots imitation on the game’s first possession when they ran a no-huddle offense and covered 85 yards in 15 plays with Francis eventually wedging over from the 1.

After the Trojans went four-and-out, La Salle made it 14-0 at the first intermission when Francis capped a 54-yard drive by running four yards up the middle.

Francis’ ability to run adds another dimension to La Salle’s offense.

“He’s a big, thick kid who has pretty good speed,” Marcone said. “People don’t realize how quick he is. And he is a dual threat.

“If we feel we can run with him, and the defense is giving us that, then that’s what we’re going to do. I think last year they thought he could just run and they tried to pack in the box. This year we told him we have to be able to throw when the time comes for that and he’s done that.”

After Francis’ second score, Connor Weathers recovered an onside kick, which led to a three-yard touchdown run by Josh Morris (20-82-3) five seconds into the second period for a 21-0 lead.

The Trojans finally caught a break when Devin Morris recovered a fumble on La Salle’s 28 and Brandon Gallagher (17-103-2) covered that distance on the first play with 3:50 left in the half. But Morris, who was the 2011 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year, countered with a 16-yard TD run.

Then B-R’s Ryan Martin stunned the pack house when he returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards – untouched – for a score that sliced his team’s deficit to 27-14.

B-R then forced La Salle to punt and that stand paid off when Kevin Wadsworth kicked a 35-yard field goal at the buzzer.

Gallagher brought the Trojans right back into contention when he reeled off a 24-yard run with 4:47 left in the third, a touchdown that made it 27-24.

But just when it appeared B-R had the Rams on the ropes, they bounced off when Francis connected with Tyneil Cooper for an 84-yard touchdown pass.

La Salle applied the clincher when Francis passed his team down the field to a point where Morris was able to bust over from the 3 for a 41-24 lead.

Making a statement: Even though non-league games don’t figure into Rhode Island teams’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs, the victory was important for the Rams from the standpoint of gaining regional respect.

“I’d say this was a pretty big game,” Francis said. “We’ve played them the last couple of years and lost. We felt this was an opportunity to make a statement about who we are this year and what we’re about. So, this was a pretty big deal for us.”

LA SALLE 41, BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM 24
B-R (3-3) 0-17-7-0 - 24
LSA (6-1) 14-13-7-7 – 41

First quarter
L – Anthony Francis 1 run (Drew Chretien kick)
L – Francis 4 run (Chretien kick)

Second quarter
L – Josh Morris 3 run (Chretien kick)
B – Brandon Gallagher 78 run (Kevin Wadsworth kick)
L – Morris 16 run (kick failed)
BR – Ryan Martin 90 kickoff return (Wadsworth kick)
BR – Wadsworth 35 field goal

Third quarter
BR – Gallagher 24 run (Wadsworth kick)
L – Tyniel Cooper 84 pass from Francis (Chretien kick)

Fourth quarter
L – Morris 3 run (Chretien kick)