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Longmeadow makes quite a splash, entering this week's MIAA boys' lacrosse Top 25 poll at No. 11 while making its season debut.

The Lancers crack the rankings this week after notching a Top 25 victory over Central Mass Power Algonquin. However, they weren't the only Western Mass. squad entering the poll this week, as South Hadley -- only a half-game behind Longmeadow in the Wheel standings at 5-0 -- also makes its season debut at No. 22.

(Editors note: Rankings do not reflect Tuesday's results or the adjustment in records made in accordance with Foxborough's forfeited win over No. 12 Reading.)

A BIG WIN
Aside from Longmeadow, the team covering the most ground this week is Dover-Sherborn. The Raiders hop up 10 spots to No. 15 after a huge 6-3 win over Tri-Valley League rival Medfield -- showing why they're to team to beat (again) in Division 3. Now, we could have been more harsh on the Warriors, but we still believe Medfield is the team to beat in Division 2, so we're keeping them in the Top 10 at No. 7 -- for now. Also drawing a significant boost from a conference win last week is Andover, which moves up seven spots to No. 16 after a thrilling overtime victory over Merrimack Valley rival Billerica.

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 boys basketball poll this afternoon. To find the complete poll, CLICK HERE.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Poll does not reflect Monday's results)

Some notes and observations about this week's poll:

Debuts for Westford, Algonquin: Two teams make their debuts this week, in Westford Academy (24) and Algonquin (25). For the former it's the Grey Ghosts' first appearance of the 2012-13 season. For Algonquin, it's an historic first, the Tomahawks' first foray into the Top 25 in our poll's three-year history. Stigmatized by a perceived weak schedule, the 8-0 Tomahawks had a dominant showing on Friday against a quality Fitchburg squad, winning by 20 points. They're also speared by a breakout campaign by 6-foot-6 sophomore post player A.J. Brodeur, who is one of Central Mass.'s leading scorers with 17 points per game.

City loses another squad: Hard to believe just a month ago, there were six Boston City League teams in the poll, following Dorchester's surprise upset of Madison Park. Both those teams quickly fell out in the ensuing weeks, and now Charlestown joins them on the list of teams dropping out. It was a less than inspiring week for the Townies, who barely skirted by Latin Academy, then finished the week out with losses to West Roxbury (56-50) and St. Peter-Marian (74-66).

New Mission (2), Brighton (12) and East Boston (15) are the three Boston City League teams representing this week.

Historic week for St. Peter-Marian: In a week that few saw coming, St. Peter-Marian knocked off Catholic Memorial, St. John's of Shrewsbury and Charlestown in a span of six days. For that effort, the Guardians shot up the poll, from No. 25 to No. 14, this week. How long that lasts, however, remains to be seen. The Guardians took one on the chin tonight from unranked Whitinsville Christian, 64-49. The Crusaders themselves sit on the outside looking in, getting notice in the "Last 10 out" section this week.

MVC dominance: For the first time this season, all four of the Merrimack Valley Conference teams in the poll sit in the Top 10. Central Catholic remains No. 1 for the third straight week, followed by Andover (7), North Andover (9) and Lowell (10), the latter of which dropped eight spots following an upset by North Andover on Friday.

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

Merrimack Valley - 4
Boston City League - 3
Catholic Conference - 3
Central Mass. Conference - 2
Hockomock - 2
Mid-Wach A - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Bay State - 1
Big Three - 1
Dual County - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1

We're hours away from kickoff to Tuesday's MIAA football semi-final playoff games across the state, so we're previewing the action with five things to keep an eye on during tonight's action.

High Schools editors Scott Barboza and Brendan Hall break it down here:

BRENDAN HALL:

THE HEAT IS ON
The race is on Tuesday night for the state’s lead in rushing touchdowns. Currently, Holy Name’s Quron Wright trails Plymouth South’s Dylan Oxsen, 34-33, though Wright has more overall touchdowns than the breakout junior tailback. Barring something crazy, nobody figures to catch Wright for the state’s lead in rushing yardage – he’s over 2,000 headed into the Naps’ Division 2 Central playoff game with Nashoba.

Watching the two, it’s a bit of a contrast in styles, and not just because of the offenses they run (Holy Name with the vaunted double-wing; South with a modified pistol). The generously-listed 5-foot-7 Wright is as Lilliputian as they come, but he accelerates into his cuts, builds up to top speed quickly, and evades direct hits with his low center of gravity (watch highlights HERE). Oxsen isn’t as fleet-footed as Wright, but his combination of above-average leg strength and low pad level – coupled with a very downhill-oriented running scheme – make him a bowling ball (watch highlights HERE).

Both teams figure to be underdogs in their matchups. Nashoba rolled to an easy victory over the Naps in their late-September meeting, while South’s EMass Div. 2A opponent, Natick, averages over 420 yards of offense and features one of the state’s most dynamic passing attacks.

AIR RAID
All season long, we’ve jokingly called the Merrimack Valley Conference “Death by 1,000 Shallow Crosses”. Based on some of the scores the league produced this year, we think it’s somewhat justified.

Looking at MVC Large champ Andover, you probably figure these guys could run underneath routes in their sleep. But that is to take away from the deceivingly-quality arm strength of quarterback C.J. Scarpa (watch highlights HERE). Seemingly everybody’s favorite sub-6-foot gunslinger at 5-foot-8, he has a quick release and can gun it downfield with the best of them.

As much attention as Andover’s receivers draw in the short passing game – particularly, speedy waterbug Cam Farnham – the Golden Warriors are known to ably execute “pick plays” aimed at releasing Will Heikkinen or Andrew Deloury into open space, or simply take the top off of the defense.

But that is all to say, the Warriors haven’t seen a defense quite like the one they’re facing Tuesday night in Catholic Conference champion St. John’s Prep. The Eagles have playmakers all over the field, and feature one of the state’s best back sevens in linebacker Sean Smerczysnki, cornerback Gerald Kahari, rover Lucas Bavaro and safety Alex Moore.

On the other side of the ball, Moore and junior Jonathan Thomas make up one of the state’s most feared backfield, if not the best. Last week, both Moore and Thomas were named two of the five finalists for our Mr. Football Award.

The Warriors are in for their biggest prize fight of the season here against a Prep defense. We’re all interested to see how this passing attack fares against a ball-hawking defense with a plus-10 turnover differential.

THROWING DARTS
No Division has been quite as unpredictable as Central Mass. Division 1. Shrewsbury upended cross-town rival St. John’s 51-46, then a month later delivered a last-second 33-32 upset of Leominster, en route to finishing 9-2 and with the top overall seed in the power rankings.

Wachusett, meanwhile, took a 46-14 beating in Week 4 at the hands of St. John’s, only to upset Leominster and Shrewsbury in the following weeks. On Oct. 26, however, they took a surprise 21-20 loss to a Westborough squad that finished 1-10.

We know St. John’s can score points with anyone – Andrew Smiley’s record-setting campaign in his first year starting at quarterback is testament. But how do you explain surrendering 51 points to Shrewsbury, 40 to Holy Name and 39 to Milford?

Leominster appears to be just as enigmatic. This is a team that gave Everett and Brockton everything they could handle, and delivered a thrilling last-second victory over St. John’s. But this is also a team that needed a second-half rally to overcome 2-9 Algonquin, and seemingly let many underdog teams hang around.

Quite frankly, I won’t be surprised by anything that transpires in this division.

* * * * *

SCOTT BARBOZA:

MANIFEST DESTINY?
The are a couple of interesting storylines to watch in the Division 1A semifinals where Everett meets Masconomet and Barnstable tries to pay back Lincoln-Sudbury.

First, while the Crimson Tide will be heavily favored over the Chieftains, one element worth watching will be Everett’s start. The Crimson Tide will be well-rested after not playing a Thanksgiving Day game this year. While the time off certainly will help heal injuries, Everett now hasn’t seen live action in more than two weeks. And, after closing out their regular season schedule with three straight Greater Boston League games, you can argue the Crimson Tide haven’t played a full game since their Oct. 20 win at BC High.

Of course, if the Crimson Tide advance, they could face the lone team to hand them a loss in more than two years – Barnstable. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders will be looking to exorcise a demon of their own in Lincoln-Sudbury, who dealt Barnstable a 14-13 upset loss in last year’s semifinal.

While you would expect neither the Crimson Tide nor Red Raiders to come out flat on Tuesday, but if either is eying a potential rematch on Saturday, the game we’ve been dying to see might not happen at all.

DUXBURY PUTS IT ON THE LINE AGAIN
After Mt. Greylock lost a few weeks back, Duxbury has laid claim to the longest active winning streak in MIAA football. They’ll put a 37-game unbeaten streak on the line when they face Hockomock League Kelley-Rex winner Mansfield at Bridgewater-Raynham. The Dragons would have a 39-game streak and a string of three-straight Super Bowl championships if they complete this year’s run. But while we’re exploring what could be, let’s go back to what almost was.

In last year’s Division 2 semifinal against King Philip, the Dragons potent spread attack was ground to a halt by the Warriors’ swarming defense. Duxbury escaped with a 7-0 win over KP in their run to a second-straight Super Bowl, but in the days following their win over the Warriors, Duxbury head coach Dave Maimaron remarked that it had been the toughest battle his teams had faced during the entirety of the streak.

While Mansfield might not have the pedigree of last year’s KP group the Hornets present their own problems – primarily on offense. The Dragons will not have seen a playmaking duo quite like Mansfield wide outs Brendan Hill and Mike Hershman, and running back Robbie Rapoza is hard to tackle when breaking into the second tier of the defense. The Hornets will certainly have their work cut out for them if they are to upset the Dragons’ third straight Super Bowl bid, but it’s not impossible.

ANDOVER, Mass. -- C.J. Scarpa isn’t the biggest, fastest or even your most prototypical quarterback when you first take a look at him.

But if you make a short list of the best quarterbacks in Eastern Mass., you would be hard-pressed not to find his name at the top or right near it.

Scarpa was brilliant in the second half of Andover’s 22-19 victory over Central Catholic (9-2) on Thanksgiving Day at Lovely Stadium. The 5-foot-9-inch, 162-pound senior quarterback finished the day 16-of-29 for 233 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

In the second half alone, Scarpa was 12-of-17 for 128 yards and he was near picture-perfect on the first drive of the second half that basically sealed the victory, and the Merrimack Valley Conference tiebreaker, for the Golden Warriors when he picked up his lone rushing touchdown of the day.

The quarterback-head coach relationship has grown over the past couple of years between E.J. Perry and Scarpa, and this game was a perfect example of that.

“Early in his career we used to have discussions,” Perry, whose team will take on St. John’s Prep in the first round of the Div. 1 playoffs, said of his quarteback, “and now I have trust.”

Scarpa showed the ability to connect on the long ball — like when he struck with Cam Farnham for a 77-yard touchdown in the first half — and the medium to short distance throws. The dink-and-dunk nature of taking what the defense gave him was on display on the Golden Warriors 15-play, 80-yard drive on their first possession of the second half.

Scarpa came out and divvied the ball to Will Heikkinen, Andrew Deloury, and Jack Sylvester out of the backfield. He connected with Heikkinen for an 8-yard connection on a crucial fourth-and-2, and five plays later he used his legs to get in the end zone for the 21-13 lead.

Perry went to a little bit of trickery on the extra point attempt as Scarpa pulled the hold back and fired it to a wide open Jake Flaherty for the two-point conversion pass and the 22-13 lead.

“Just getting the balls to the guys out quick,” Scarpa said of the second-half tempo. “Our tempo was obviously spectacular (on that drive). It was awesome to get the tempo up, because we knew if we did they would get a little bit tired.

“[The coaching staff] probably called 100 percent of the plays [on that drive]. I just improvised.”

When he needed to make connections late in the fourth quarter he did, connecting on two third-and-longs to keep the drive going and keep the Raiders from getting the ball back.

MISSED CHANCES FOR RAIDERS
This game came down to two chances for the Raiders’ offense inside of red zone that never surfaced into touchdowns.

Ryan Doherty blocked a Golden Warriors punt and set up the Raiders inside the 20-yard line. The offense couldn’t generate a first down and had to settle for a 39-yard field goal off the foot of Thomas Jenoski.

The Raiders took the opening kickoff inside of Golden Warriors territory, and again, the offense couldn’t get across the goal-line and had to settle for a 30-yard field goal from Jenoski.

Two opportunities inside the red zone and the Raiders settled for six points instead of potentially 14. In a 3-point game, those situations need to be capitalized on.

“It’s a weird game,” said Raiders coach Chuck Adamopoulos. “I thought we played well defensively and I thought offensively we did some good things at times. We just didn’t do enough to win a game like this.”

ANDOVER 22, CENTRAL CATHOLIC 19
Central Catholic (9-2) 3 – 7 – 3 – 6 - 19
Andover (10-1) 7 – 7 – 8 – 0 – 22

CC — Thomas Jenoski 39 FG
AN — Cole Organisciak 9 pass from C.J. Scarpa (Oliver Eberth kick)
CC — Ryan Doherty 14 pass from Michael Milano (Jenoski kick)
AN — Cam Farnham 77 pass from Scarpa (Eberth kick)
CC — Jenoski 30-yard FG
AN — Scarpa 9 run (Jake Flaherty pass from Scarpa)
CC — Michael Barry 25 pass from Milano (kick failed)

With hours remaining until kickoff to Thanksgiving rivalries across Massachusetts, we're taking a look at the action in our weekly preview with editors Scott Barboza and Brendan Hall.

Aside from the historical rivalries, such as Malden vs. Medford and Needham vs. Wellesley which both celebrate their 125th anniversary this year, there's plenty on the line this Thursday with several playoff spots decided. We took a look at some of those CAL/NEC, Bay State, Merrimack Valley, and Catholic Conference games and more:

(Video produced by Greg Story)

LOWELL, Mass. -- Central Catholic's season could look a lot different right now, and Chuck Adamopoulos would probably be the first one to tell you.

The Raiders took an early season test against St. John's Prep and failed, rather miserably at that, with a lopsided loss and a probably a lot of empty feelings after they could muster next to nothing offensively against one of the premier defenses in the state.

There are usually one of two ways a team can go after a demoralizing loss like that; keep digging youself deeper and deeper, or pick yourself out of the funk.

It's easy to say that Adamopoulos's crew took road No. 2 after defeating Lowell last night, 42-34, for its sixth victory in a row at Cawley Stadium on the road. The Prep game was the turnaround for the Raiders, and now they find themselves right at the top of the heap in the very crowded Merrimack Valley Conference.

"In that [Prep] game, I thought our defense actually played pretty solid," said the Raiders head coach, whose team moved to 7-1 on the year. "We just went three-and-out all day and our defense really got tired. I think we only had three offensive plays in the fourth quarter. We had fumbled twice in the fourth quarter. But I saw enough in our line that day that I felt good about that. Michael [Milano] showed a lot in our scrimmages that we didn't panic about that game.

"I thought we learned a lot from that game. The next week we had North Andover, who is a good team, and we were down in the first half. I think we had a hangover from the Prep game. We rallied and had a really good second half and we just kind of used it as a springboard from there."

SECONDS TO SPARE
Things were almost going too swimmingly for the Raiders last night, and all it took was a holding call that negated a drive to wake up the home team. Lowell bounced back from a 20-7 hole to score 14 unanswered points after Cam Latta (four touchdown passes) found Alex Kasirye for a 21-20 lead.

The referees said there were two or three more seconds on the clock despite the scoreboard posting all zeroes after a Raiders punt right before halftime. Adamopoulos argued that the teams should be in the locker room for the half, but it's lucky those extra seconds stayed with the referees.

Latta tried throwing a pass to the right flat and D'andre Drummond-Mayire picked it off and took it 45 yards the other way for the 28-20 lead after a Milano two-point conversion rush.

"We caught a break on that last play with the interception for a touchdown," said Adamopoulos. "It kind of changed the way we were going into the half. We were definitely down at that point."

CHANGING HANDS
Lowell would take back the lead in the third quarter lead after Ngaiiva Mason sprinted 44 yards for the 34-28 lead. But Milano avoided the rush on a fourth-and-17 and found Cody Demers in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.

Lowell would have several more chances to get points on the board, but the Raiders defense forced Latta into incompletions on nine of his last 10 throws, including an interception by Ryan Doherty to end the game.

CENTRAL CATHOLIC 42, LOWELL 34
Central Cath. (7-1) 20 - 8 - 0 - 14 -42
Lowell (6-2) 7 - 14 - 13 - 0 - 34

CC - Michael Barry 30 pass from Michael Milano ( Thomas Jenoski kick)
LO - Jack Galvin 46 pass from Cam Latta (Zach Noel kick)
CC - Milano 1 run (Jenoski kick)
CC - Cody Demers 25 pass from Milano (kick failed)
LO -Galvin 34 pass from Latta (Noel kick)
LO - Alex Kasirye 25 pass from Latta (Noel kick)
CC -D'andre Drummond-Mayire 45 INT return
LO - Kasirye 67 pass from Latta (Noel kick blocked)
LO - Ngaiiva Mason 44 run (Noel kick)
CC - Demers 34 pass from Milano (Jenoski kick)
CC - Santino Brancato 34 run (Jenoski kick)

CHELMSFORD, Mass.- Conventional football wisdom will tell you that if a team loses its placekicker to an injury, many aspects of the team’s performance will change: field goals and extra points get exponentially tougher, and kickoffs are no sure thing, which could give a team quality field position to start drives.

That wasn’t the case Friday for Andover. It scored two quick touchdowns in the first, and successfully converted the ensuing two-point plays, which put Chelmsford back on its heels and forced it to play catch-up the rest of the game.

The Lions could not catch up, eventually falling 42-22 to its Merrimack Valley Conference foe.

Andover’s (8-0) Mark Zavril, the team’s usual kicker, watched from the sideline in street clothes while his team rolled in its first league game of the season.

“We might have gone for the two, even if our kicking game was there, because we’ve been working on that,” Andover head coach E.J. Perry said. “We’re about 65-70 percent with the two-point and when you do the numbers, it’s almost better to go for the two. We also like to flip the numbers so we get a two-score advantage. They came toe-to-toe in the first quarter, but then we opened it up and made the twos and did a nice job.”

Chelmsford (4-4) was caught off-guard on the kickoff after the first Andover touchdown when the Golden Warriors sent a squib up the middle and recovered the loose ball. It scored a minute and a half later to put the Lions behind by 16.

Chelmsford quarterback John Campsmith (11-of-22, 138 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) answered on the next drive when he hit Greg Johnson on a 34-yard bomb down the right sideline. Johnson, a speedy wide receiver, split bracket coverage and outran both defenders to get the ball and get in the endzone.

In the end, the Andover no-huddle, spread offense proved to be too much for the home team to handle. C.J. Scarpa finished the game 14-of-23 for 203 yards and 3 touchdowns, each to a different receiver. He also had a two-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.

--- While the Andover offense, and many other offenses in the Merrimack Valley for that matter, are known for their propensity to put up points, its defense also made a mark on the game Friday.

After allowing Campsmith to run for a first down on a third and 12 in the first quarter, it seemed like momentum had swung into Chelmsford’s favor and the game could’ve been well on its way to a shootout. Then on the next play, Campsmith tossed a bubble screen out to his wide receiver, but the ball bounced in the dirt. The receiver thought it was an incomplete pass, but because it was a sideways pass, the ball was live. Seeing this, the Andover defense jumped on the ball, killing the drive and Chelmsford momentum.

Andover scored on its opening driving after halftime, creating a 20-point deficit. On the first play of the ensuing Chelmsford drive, Chas Haseltine picked off Campsmith. The offense scored on its next possession, which turned what was a two-possession game at halftime into a four-possession game in two and a half minutes of game time.

“The defense doesn’t really get talked about a lot because our offense is so good,” Scarpa said. “Our defense is one heck of a defense. They kept us in that Xaverian game (a 15-13 victory), and we just knew our defense was pretty good. We practice as hard as we can against them, and they give us great looks and we give them great looks.”

--- Friday marked the first game in a four-week stretch when Andover plays league opponents. While it came into the latter part of the season undefeated, the team and the coaching staff know now is put-up or shut-up time for them.

“We told them coming in, ‘We’re starting 0-0, congratulations on being 7-0, but it’s time to go to work,” Perry said. “If you were in the huddle, one of the kids jumped in and said, ’1-0,’ and I like to hear that from our players.”

The team does feel confident, with the season steadily moving towards Thanksgiving and the playoffs.

“Eight-and-oh is great, but as everyone knows now, we’re 1-0 in the MVC, so we’re basically 1-0,” said Cam Farnham (3 catches, 22 yards, 1 TD). “We know if we win out, we’re going to the playoffs. We’ve got Lowell, Billerica, Central, and honestly, I think our conference is very tough but I think if we keep coming together as a team and keep battling hard, I think we’ll be in good shape.”

--- Andover’s quarterback C.J. Scarpa is anything but conventional. At 5-foot-8, he looks more like a scat back than a quarterback. Stand next to him, and you can not help but wonder how he can read the field beyond his offensive linemen. However, after Friday, he has tossed over 20 touchdown passes and is a senior captain of a team considered very much capable of winning the Merrimack Valley Large.

“Being 5-8 makes me me, so I just take it as it is,” he said. “I’m not going to try and be anyone I’m not. I’m 5-8, so be it. My parents aren’t tall, so I just take it how it comes.”

NO. 13 ANDOVER 42, CHELMSFORD 22
AND --- 16 6 20 0 --- 42
CHE --- 8 0 7 7 --- 22

1st quarter
A - Andrew Deloury 37-yard pass from CJ Scarpa (Deloury 2-point pass from Scarpa good)
A - Will Heikkinen 21-yard pass from Scarpa (Heikkinen 2-point pass from Scarpa good)
C - Greg Johnson 34-yard pass from John Campsmith (Johnson 2-point pass from Campsmith good)

2nd quarter
A - Scarpa 2-yard run (Scarpa 2-point pass to Deloury no good)

3rd quarter
A - Jack Sylvester 12-yard run (Deloury 2-point pass from Scarpa good)
A - Cam Farnham 10-yard pass from Scarpa (Nolan Leblanc kick no good)
A - Brandon Marti 8-yard run (Leblanc kick no good)
C - Connor Brimley 4-yard run (Charles Calenda kick good)

4th quarter
C - Johnson 8-yard pass from Campsmith (Calenda kick good)

NO. 23 CENTRAL CATHOLIC (6-1) AT LOWELL (6-1)
The Skinny: Both teams enter with a 1-0 MVC record, coming off their first league games last week. Lowell rolled over Billerica 56-34 while Central Catholic slipped past Chelmsford 28-21. Cam Latta has picked up where R.J. Noel left off at quarterback this year for Lowell at quarterback, throwing for 12 touchdowns and running for seven more. Central Catholic running back Santino Brancato leads the Raiders with eight touchdowns on the season, none bigger than his final score last week with 41 seconds remaining which was the game-winner over Chelmsford.

Scott Barboza: This will be high-scoring, but relatively tame by MVC standards. Central, 34-28.

Brendan Hall: Because Lowell can score in bunches, and because it's the MVC, take the over. Central Catholic, 38-31.

NO. 13 ANDOVER (7-0) AT CHELMSFORD (4-3)
The Skinny: After a hot start, Chelmsford is trying to snap a three-game losing streak and risk falling behind in the competitive Merrimack Valley Conference's large division. They'll have their hands full against one of the state's most prolific offenses, averaging nearly 400 yards and 39 points per game, between quarterback C.J. Scarpa and receivers Andrew Deloury, Will Heikkinen and Cam Farnham.

Barboza: I think the Lions will try to play ball control for a while, but that can only last so long against the high-octane Andover offense. Andover, 42-31.

Hall: Do you see a recurring theme with our MVC picks? Offense, offense, offense. Andover, 40-35.

LINCOLN-SUDBURY (6-1) AT WESTFORD (6-1)
The Skinny: Like several other key league matchups this weekend, this matchup can potentially put one team in the driver's seat for the Dual County Large title. It's no secret what L-S brings to the table, but workhorse Chris Giorgio is among the league's toughest running backs. Westford counters with jack-of-all-trades athlete Justin Mount, who fills multiple roles on both sides of the ball.

Barboza: Picked the Warriors to win the DCL Large in the preseason and I'm not about to step back now. But the Warriors get it done by a chin. L-S, 14-13.

Hall: Flip a coin in this one. I landed on the Ghosts. Westford, 24-17.

NO. 9 BROCKTON (4-3) AT NO. 14 LEOMINSTER (5-2)
The Skinny: Each of these teams received a boost in different ways last week. The Boxers saw the return of their starting quarterback and emotional leader Auggie Roberts in a drubbing of Big Three rival Durfee. Meanwhile, a Blue Devils offense that has had its troubles in recent weeks, shook off the rust to muster a gut-check, two-minute drive to pull out a last-second victory at Central Mass. rival St. John’s of Shrewsbury, led by quarterback Garrett DelleChiaie. Now, both teams meet in a non-league, late-season measuring stick game to see just how far these offenses have come. Not to mention, both teams can really lay the lumber on defense.

Barboza: Blue Devils ride the wave of momentum. Leominster, 28-20.

Hall: It won't be a shutout, but it won't be as shocking an upset when the Blue Devils take two straight for the first time in...help, anyone? Leominster, 21-14.

HINGHAM (6-1) AT NO. 6 DUXBURY (7-0)
The Skinny: An eagerly awaited battle for the inside edge at the Patriot League Keenan division title, the competition should be as fierce at the tailgate as it will be on the field when the Dragons put their Eastern Mass. best 33-game winning streak on the line. A stout Duxbury defense, led by Mr. Football Award challenger Marshall McCarthy will have its hands full with the Harbormen’s wing-T and backfield led by Ricky Sullivan.

Barboza: The Dragons run their streak to 34 games, but it won’t be without difficulty. Duxbury, 13-7.

Hall: As usual, the Dragons will pull something together in the second half and do just enough to win. Duxbury, 20-17.

NEEDHAM (5-2) AT NO. 10 NATICK (7-0)
The Skinny: After a solid start to the season, Needham is now looking to avoid a two-game losing skid and dropping three of its last five. What better an opponent to try to snap the skid than against one of the state's prolific offenses, led by quarterback Troy Flutie (1,477 passing yards, 19 TD, 4 INT; 555 rushing yards, 7 TD) and receiver Brian Dunlap (41 catches, 784 yards, 11 TD). Needham is also coming off a 31-0 shutout loss to a Walpole squad that was missing its top running back to injury.

Barboza: No chance the Red Hawks aren't undefeated setting up a winner-take-all against Walpole. Can't wait. Natick, 31-17.

Hall: Every time we predict a high-scoring affair involving a Bay State team, it never goes as planned. So I'm going with something fairly pedestrian. Natick, 21-12.

NO. 19 MANSFIELD (5-2) AT NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH (4-3)
The Skinny: The Red Rocketeers will need a win to keep pace with Mansfield (2-0) in the Kelley-Rex division race. The X-factor will be the availability of senior running back and defensive back Alex Jette. While it’s expected Jette will play, the extent to which he’ll be able to contribute is very much up in the air. Still, North is readily able to move the ball on the ground thanks to a physical offensive line anchored by left tackle Eric Beckwith. Mansfield got off to a great start in last week’s blowout of King Philip and the Red Rocketeers’ secondary will have its hands full with playmakers Brendan Hill and Mike Hershman. The Hornets have seen junior linebacker Alexander Ruddy (team-leading 55 tackles, 8 TFL) embrace a larger role this year.

Barboza: In each of the team’s last four meetings, the AWAY team has collected the victory. Not about to buck the recent trend. Mansfield, 26-21.

Hall: Per tradition, the away team wins this one with an epic possession in the final five minutes. Mansfield, 20-13.

NO. 22 KING PHILIP (6-1) AT ATTLEBORO (4-3)
The Skinny: King Philip was soundly delivered a rude awakening a week ago at Mansfield, in a 46-33 loss, and now looks to avoid falling behind in the Hockomock's Kelly-Rex division by extending Attleboro's losing streak. The skid currently stands at three games for the Bombardiers after a 4-0 start, and can't seem to get over the hump -- take, for instance, Malique Clark's nearly 300-yard rushing performance in a 44-41 loss to Franklin last week. An Attleboro win would surely create even more confusion at the top of the division.

Barboza: Warriors defense gets back on track, but it won't be easy against Clark. KP, 21-14.

Hall: I'm all for chaos when it comes to Hockomock bracketology. Get out your TI-83's, folks. Attleboro, 30-20.

WAKEFIELD (6-1) AT STONEHAM (7-0)
The Skinny: It's been a long time since Stoneham has had this good of a start, but the Spartans still face questions about a perceived weak schedule. This is their chance to prove doubters wrong, with defensively-sound Wakefield coming off a 33-0 shutout loss to Burlington.

Barboza: In a word, "SPARRRTAAAHHHHHH!" Stoneham, 20-16.

Hall: Because what the heck, I love rolling the dice, and I want to keep my boss and resident Stoneham-ite Dave Lefort happy. Stoneham, 17-13.

MILTON ACADEMY (3-2) AT BELMONT HILL (3-2)
The Skinny: The Mustangs and Hillies are looking to break free from a logjam of 3-2 teams in the middle of the ISL standings. Milton Academy is led by junior Drew Jacobs, who already has four multi-touchdown games this season. The Mustangs also have one of the biggest offensive weapons in the ISL on the foot of place kicker Justin Yoon.

Barboza: Yoon’s foot provides the difference. Milton Academy, 13-10.

Hall: Let me preface this by saying Justin Yoon can kick for anyone any day of the week. Belmont Hill, 14-10.

ROXBURY LATIN (4-1) AT BB&N (3-2)
The Skinny: Its hopes of an undefeated season no more, Roxbury Latin looks to get back on the saddle and stay in contention for the ISL championship and a NEPSAC Bowl berth. A win here over the Knights, with its solid line and elite target in Wake Forest-bound tight end Brendan O'Neil, would bolster those odds. And the Foxes have the horses to do it, led by Boston College-bound quarterback MacKay Lowrie.

Barboza: Knights can take advantage of the matchup along the line of scrimmage. They'll win the point of attack battle. BB&N, 28-27.

Hall: I'll never count out a John Papas-coached team as long as the guy is in the business, but Latin can win track meets. Roxbury Latin, 35-30.

ANDOVER, Mass. -- It all slipped away so quickly for North Andover.

For a half, it felt like the Scarlet Knights were going to have a pleasant introduction to the Merrimack Valley Conference. Then Andover outscored them 36-7 in the second half, on its way to a 50-35 come-from-behind victory.

North Andover opened up the scoring with a 17-play, 7:09 drive that set the tone for the quarter.

On the first play of Andover’s next possession, C.J. Scarpa was intercepted at his own 32-yard line, swinging the momentum back to the other team.

The Scarlet Knights (0-1) took control on the first play of their drive when quarterback Casey Walsh threw a bubble screen to the right to Robert Shkliew, who then threw it down the sideline to Tyler Whitley for the touchdown.

It had the makings of a long night for Andover (1-0), until Cam Farnham used his 4.5 40-yard dash speed to take the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown. In the blink of an eye, the entire complexion of the game shifted.

“On the opening kickoff, the hole was wide open, I just kind of hesitated a little bit,” Farnham said. “On the second kickoff, my blockers were phenomenal. I just saw a hole, and I wasn’t going to get caught there.”

That marked the third touchdown scored by both teams in just 26 game seconds. The action was fast and furious, and that was just the first quarter.

North Andover came back with a 5:23 touchdown drive, but again, Andover answered back, this time in less than a minute when Scarpa (14-of-23, 248 yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions) hit Andrew Deloury for a 47-yard touchdown.

Down by two touchdowns and kicking off after half, the game could have gotten away from the Golden Warriors. However, it was able to stall Walsh and the Scarlet Knight offense, forcing a punt.

That marked the beginning of the Andover onslaught, showing a much more put-together team than the one that was shown in the first half.

“I think the whole team was almost too confident in what we had done,” Scarpa said. “We, the five captains, did a great job of getting everyone together.”

The coaches staff knew the two touchdown differential was not insurmountable, and told its’ team as much at halftime.

“Going in at half, none of us really sulked, none of us really got down,” said Farnham (4 catches, 82 yards, 2 TD receptions, 3 overall). “Coach [E.J.] Perry brought us all in together, shut off the lights, said, ‘Hold each other’s hands, visualize winning this game.’ And we came out flying. Our defense was phenomenal and our offense made some big plays. We’re very happy with the outcome of this game.”

SUMMER LINGERS ON
Many associate the start of September with the start of a new school year, as well as the unofficial start of fall. With that, it is assumed the temperature will drop, but that was not the case Friday.

The humid air lead to fatigue and cramping for players on both teams. It was evident in the second half when things began to unravel for North Andover.

In the first half, Walsh had time in the pocket to survey the defense and make a throw he needed to. In the second half, he was constantly under pressure from the Andover defense and forced into making throws he didn’t want to make.

Defensively, it seemed like the Andover receivers could get behind the defense at will by outrunning the defensive backs and make catches for long gains. Four of Scarpa’s five touchdown passes came in the second half. He also completed eight passes of 10 yards or more in the second half.

“I didn’t anticipate fatigue being a factor until around 5:00 p.m.,” Perry said. “It was still hot and muggy, so I knew that was bad.”

Farnham caught a bomb from Scarpa after giving a defensive back a stop-and-go double move down the right sideline that he was never able to recover from.

“All I had to do was run straight,” he said. “C.J. [Scarpa] made an unbelievable throw, literally right in my hands, and that’s all she wrote.”

HOWDY NEIGHBOR
Friday marked North Andover’s first game back as a member of the Merrimack Valley Conference. It was previously a member of the CAL/NEC conference. Even though it was their first league game against each other in quite some time, the two teams are more than familiar with each other.

It was the first game of the season for both teams, so there was already anxiety on both sides. Still, this game carried a little something extra.

“It carried a little more for us,” Scarpa said. “But that was a great team, they gave a great effort.”

“Absolutely it meant a little more,” Farnham added. “I mean, it’s North Andover, they’re five minutes down the street. It’s one of our biggest games besides the Turkey Bowl against Central Catholic. Just playing your rival the first game, it really means a lot more to you.

“Our practices were a little longer, and we really just had to get down to business. It’s just such a big game for us, and we’re all emotionally and physically drained, but coming out with a 'W' opening week, is awesome.”

LITTLE BROTHER TAKES BIG STAGE
One of the biggest questions, if not the biggest, entering this season for North Andover, was how would Casey Walsh be replacing his brother Brandon as full-time quarterback. He had experienced game action last season, but was never the starter for a full season.

He was 21-of-31 for 206 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also added eight carries for 44 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

He threw 13 completed passes to start the game; his first incompletion did not come until the third quarter.

Perry came away impressed with the junior.

“Casey did a tremendous job in the first half,” he said. “I told him at the end of the game that I thought he was better than his brother, and I love Brandon, and I love Casey. But he was poised, and he did a nice job.”

The Andover defense had to make schematic adjustments from the first half to the second, which helped the team make its second half comeback.

“They were getting to the edge, and we just had to make sure the linebackers were getting in the right positions,” he said. “So we had them go to the outside more, and we just had to contain Casey.”

ANDOVER 50, NORTH ANDOVER 35

AND - 7 7 14 22 -- 50
NA - 14 14 7 0 -- 35

1st quarter
NA - Casey Walsh 1 yard run (Ryan Quinn kick good)
NA - Tyler Whitley 32 yard pass from Robert Shkliew (Quinn kick good)
AND - Cam Farnham 80 yard kick return (Mark Zavrl kick good)

2nd quarter
NA - Walsh 1 yard run (Quinn kick good)
AND - Andrew Deloury 41 yard pass from CJ Scarpa (Zavrl kick good)
NA - Glen Hartford 2 yard run (Quinn kick good)

3rd Quarter
AND - Cam Farnham 65 yard pass from Scarpa (Zavrl kick good)
NA - Matt Iannone 30 yard pass fromm Walsh (Quinn kick good)
AND - Farnham 10 yard pass from Scarpa (Zavrl kick good)

4th Quarter
AND - Deloury 4 yard pass from Scarpa (Zavrl kick good)
AND - Casey Walsh Safety
AND - Jack Sylvester 30 yard pass from Scarpa (Zavrl kick good)
AND - Zavrl 72 yard run (Extra point no good)

DANVERS, Mass. – A master and his disciple squared off Wednesday at St. John’s Prep as the Eagles and Haverhill got together for an afternoon scrimmage.

Here are a couple of parting thoughts from the day’s action:

SHOWING SOME TOOTH
The Hillies, led by former Prep standout Tim O’Connor who played under Prep head coach Jim O’Leary, although unranked in the preseason, will be a team to watch in the Merrimack Valley Small this year. They presented some matchup problems for Prep on defense, working out of a pistol spread formation.

Once a program on the verge of oblivion, O’Connor’s helped turn it around in a hurry, with good numbers and a crop of athletes. The Hillies are led by Tommy Morgan, a long and lanky quarterback who showcased a good throwing motion while set in the pocket Wednesday, along with fine footwork. Running back Chance Brady is a downhill runner who provides an unexpected punch out of the spread look.

One worth watching closely this season will be sophomore wide receiver Jordan Javier. The Lynn English transfer will provide matchup problems to many this season with a 6-foot-2 frame and speed to boot. Javier made several high degree of difficulty catches over Prep defenders and will be a force throughout the season.

MATCHUP GAME
O’Leary admitted Haverhill was a good tune-up for the Eagles’ impending game with Dracut, a similar squad out of the Merrimack Valley Small. While Prep was game for the challenge, there was still room for improvement in O’Leary’s mind.

“We’re ahead of where we were last year. We were coming off a Super Bowl season, with an experienced, veteran team, and then we had to rebuild a little bit. We certainly had the pieces with three-year starters like Lucas [Bavaro], Alex [Moore] and Johnny [Thomas] and Gerry [Kahari], those guys have been here through that, but we took our lumps along the way.”

The Eagles got several big plays in the scrimmage from some of their veterans.

Bavaro started strong, picking off a Hillies pass on the first set. The physical safety read the quarterback’s eye, undercutting an out route and rumbling the other way for a pick-six. The Eagles also got a consistent pass rush from Tucker Mather, who disrupted several plays from his defensive end position.

PULLING AS ONE
Another thing to watch at Prep for the upcoming season will be the work of the offensive line. While young, the line is big and has accrued some playing time during last year. Working in front of talented backs like Moore and Thomas, the Eagles’ O-line will be the fulcrum to a successful season in the Catholic Conference.

“James Fagan is the only senior we have on the line,” O’Leary said. “Now, a lot of those guys played last year as sophomores or even freshmen last year, but they’re coming along. They have good size, they have good athleticism, they run well.”

North Andover High senior guard Morgan Lumb has verbally committed to the University of Hartford for the 2013-14 season, the Scarlet Knights' Athletic Director Jon Longley wrote in a tweet to the Boston-area media earlier tonight.

Lumb is a three-year starter for the Knights, who reached the quarterfinals of the Division 2 North tournament this past winter. She averaged 16 points per game last season, and is a two-time Cape Ann League All-Star.

The Knights are moving into the Merrimack Valley Conference this season, where they are expected to contend in loaded league that should be one of the state's fiercest, between Andover, Central Catholic and Billerica.

BOSTON -- It took a couple trips through the lineup, but the Chelmsford High softball team eventually got going in a big way.

A home run and a pair of triples sparked a four-run fifth inning that broke open Friday’s MIAA Division 1 North first round game at Daisy Field, as the Lions beat host Boston Latin, 9-1.

Chelmsford (16-6) had a 2-1 lead going into that fifth inning, when first baseman Janelle Levesque, the team’s No. 9 hitter, roped a one-out triple to the left-center alley. Shortstop Abby Johnson followed with a grounder to Wolfpack shortstop Mary Demoura, and Levesque just beat the throw home to make it 3-1.

Second baseman Clancy Taylor laced an RBI triple to score Johnson, and center fielder Alex Burgess capped the rally with a home run to deep center.

Latin (15-6) pitcher Caitlin Berry had allowed just one hit in the first four innings. Chelmsford head coach Bruce Rich said his team may have been trying to do a little too much at the plate early in the game.

“We tell the kids a homerun is basically an accident. All you’re trying to do is hit line drives,” Rich said. “The kids leveled their swings out, and I think they became more disciplined as the game went on.”

Burgess stroked a ground rule double and scored in the Lions’ three-run seventh.

“She’s explosive,” Rich said. “She can play small ball, and then she can turn around and kill a ball. It was nice to see her play a great game.”

After going 0-for-2 in her first two at-bats, Burgess said she got a little inspiration from the crowd before hitting her homer.

“I kept hitting little foul ball pop-ups, and then I heard someone’s dad say, ‘Stop getting under it,’ and I got really mad and just hit it,” she said.

Both teams struck for a run in the first inning. Johnson reached first on an infield error to start the game and went for third on Taylor’s sacrifice bunt, drawing a bad throw that allowed her to score.

Demoura led off the bottom of the first with a single to right, stole second and advanced to third on center fielder Bridget Walsh’s ground ball back to the pitcher. Wolfpack catcher Paige Mulry followed with a sacrifice fly to knock in Demoura and tie the game, 1-1.

Lion righthander Meghan Rich settled in after that, going five strong innings for the win. She gave up four hits and walked three while striking out two. Kaela DeAngelis pitched two innings of hitless relief, as Chelmsford’s 1-2 punch was effective against a Boston Latin team that impressed the Lions’ coach.

“They were tough; that’s a good-hitting team,” Bruce Rich said. “I know they’ve hit the ball all year, and they’ve beaten some good teams. I thought they played some good defense. Their shortstop (Demoura) was phenomenal today; she’s an outstanding player.”

Left fielder Erin Carpenter put the Lions ahead for good with a two-out triple in the second to score designated hitter Abby Desrosiers, who reached on an error to start the inning.

The Lions flashed some leather in the sixth with a well-executed double play. Taylor fielded the grounder cleanly and flipped it backhand to Johnson, who made the quick turn to throw out the runner at first and end the inning.

Desrosiers – who had the game-winning hit in the eight inning of Chelmsford’s 4-3 preliminary round win over Medford Thursday – had a two-run single in the seventh to make it 8-1. Right fielder Jen Janiak knocked in Desrosiers with a single through the hole to left, scoring the game’s final run.

Taylor, Burgess and Carpenter all had two hits for Chelmsford. Demoura went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Wolfpack, who also got a double from DH Courtney Hoban and a single by Walsh.

Chelmsford is one of eight Merrimack Valley Conference teams to qualify for the state tournament. Six are in Division 1 North, and that doesn’t include Dracut, one of the best teams in the state.

“I think that our league being better this year, more competitive this year, is making us better in the postseason,” Rich said. “I’m just happy we haven’t seen a team from our league in this tournament so far.”

The Lions endured a 2-5 stretch toward the end of the regular season – including a 5-1 loss to the Middies – but have won five in a row since then. Burgess, one of 11 seniors on the team, hopes to add a few more to that streak.

“Even though we had a rough season, this is what matters now,” Burgess said.

IN RAIDER NATION, FUTURE IS NOW
The knock on Barnstable the last few years has never been that they've been short on talent, but rather they always seemed a year away.

One five-yard touchdown scamper in overtime, from a floppy-haired sophomore named Hayden Murphy, has suddenly changed everything about that perception. Since junior Nick Peabody took over for the injured D.J. Crook at quarterback, the Red Raiders are 3-1, and a point-after field goal in overtime from being 4-0, led by their youth movement on defense and some above-average speed at the skill positions.

All of it came to a head on Friday night in Hyannis, when the Raiders (5-4, 3-0) emerged with a 26-20 overtime win over previous No. 3 Bridgewater-Raynham to win the Old Colony League outright and punch their first ticket to the playoffs since 2002.

"I just wanted it so bad for the kids," first-year head coach Chris Whidden said following the game. "They've done so much, so much off the field as a team, and they worked so hard in the offseason, I just felt like they deserved it so much."

The Raiders will face Dual County Large champion Lincoln-Sudbury in a Tuesday night playoff following their Thanksgiving showdown with archrival Falmouth. By all accounts, this figures to go a lot more swimmingly than the Raiders' last appearance, a 42-6 stomping by a St. John's Prep squad that saw two kids go to the NFL, another get drafted 17th overall by the Padres, and another go on to play hockey at Boston University.

This time around, the Raiders have speed in all sorts of places, and smart coach in the young Whidden. Witness the B-R game, in which he made a few tweaks on his defensive line to free up hawking linebackers Andrew Ellis, Bryan Hardy and Ryan Litchman, allowing them to get to the sidelines quicker and contain those outside power sweeps that has been the calling card of the Trojans for so many years.

Offensively, speedsters like Murphy have their best days ahead of them. But just as integral to the turnaround has been the emergence of running back Theo France. We've long mused that, given more carries, the senior will prove his worth. Off the field, France is reportedly a workout warrior; and Friday night, it showed, racking up nearly 160 yards on the ground to keep the Trojans honest.

HANGIN' WITH MR. COOPER
You might have thought the loss of Preston Cooper would be catastrophic for BC High.

As tight end Jameson McShea put it, "He was our offense."

However, the Eagles have gotten along just fine without Cooper because of Deontae Ramey-Doe's hard-nosed running out of the backfield in the last two weeks. The rangy senior running back put in a huge 206-yard, two-touchdown performance against No. 13 Xaverian at a windswept Viola Stadium on Friday night, powering the Eagles to an important Catholic Conference win.

And, while Ramey-Doe admits he could never hope to replace Cooper, he's understanding his new role as a feature back within the Eagles' offense.

"Coach [Jon Bartlett] has told me that he doesn't expect me to be Preston," Ramey-Doe said after Friday's victory. "I just have to run the way that I know that I can run."

What that means is the Eagles have a versatile runner who's tough enough to run in between the tackles, but also fast enough to run on sweeps to outside behind BC High's hulking line, as they exhibited on Friday night.

"We just want him to run hard," Bartlett said, "and he did that.”

Of course, Ramey-Doe didn't do it alone. He had his biggest fan on the sideline for Friday's game, none other than Cooper, himself. After scoring his first touchdown of the game, Ramey-Doe ran over to Cooper with a high five, saying, "That one's for you."

LIONS HOLD STRONG
With Lowell quarterback R.J. Noel working his magic again and wreaking havoc with his arm and his feet, Chelmsford was playing for their lives in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's game at Cawley Stadium. The Red Raiders came back to tie the Lions, 14-14, and for all intents and purposes had gained momentum. Not only had Chelmsford lost the lead, they also lost BC-bound linebacker Tim Joy on the game-tying PAT by Lowell. A bad night had just gotten worse.

Then, the Lions offense took over behind running back Eddie Sheridan (168 yards, 2 TDs).

Chelmsford marched down the field on two straight series and the Lions' defense tightened, including Lou Ferrer's huge fourth-down stop. So the Lions escaped and inched closer to a Merrimack Valley Large title.

"My favorite part of the game is getting that one yard," Sheridan said. "I love it."

BAY STATE CAREY WIDE OPEN
Several weeks ago, Needham was in the driver's seat to claim the Bay State's large division title. A few key injuries later and a last-second win by Framingham (22-21) last week and the Carey is ripe for the picking.

Flyers quarterback Greg Finley connected with Mike Stearns on a 4-yard touchdown pass with one second remaining to lift Framingham to an improbable comeback win that's thrown the league race into limbo.

Framingham, Needham and Weymouth now all stand at 6-2 in league play. Needham holds an advantage over Weymouth in their head to head record, but with the loss to Framingham, the Flyers can sneak by with a win over the Wildcats in Framingham Friday night. Meanwhile, Needham hosts Newton North on Friday.

FAMILIAR FOES
To think of the last time a team besides Natick or Walpole represented the Bay State Conference's Herget division in the playoffs, you have to go all the way back to 2002, when a Kyle Beatrice-led Swampscott squad torched division champ Norwood 51-22 in Division 3. That's a decade-long run that, following Friday night's showdown in Walpole, is about to get longer.

The Hockomock League has Mansfield-North Attleborough. The Dual County League has Acton-Boxboro versus Lincoln-Sudbury. In the Bay State, the premier matchup year in and year out is Natick-Walpole, and this year's installment should be no different.

From Reshaude Goodwin to Billy Flutie to Ryan Izzo and Scott McCummings, the rivalry has always featured premiere Division 1 talent going at it. This year's installment will be more of a youth movement, with a strong junior class leading Walpole's stout defense that hasn't allowed a point since its lone loss of the season, to Needham in Week 7.

Natick, also 8-1, battles Walpole's youth with uber-youth. Their starting quarterback, sophomore Troy Flutie (yes, Darren's kid), is on track for 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 rushing. Their leading receiver, freshman Brian Dunlap, is closing in on 1,000 receiving yards and is one of the state's leaders in touchdown receptions (12). Running back Nick Lee, a junior, is 33 yards short of 1,000.

SOUTH SHORE SHOWDOWN
Of all of the league championships up for grabs on Friday night, one of the most underrated has got to be the one going down in Mashpee, where the Falcons will host No. 19 East Bridgewater in a battle of unbeatens, for the South Shore League's playoff berth.

By now, East Bridgewater's superstar, UNH-bound running back Casey DeAndrade, is a household name for his breathtaking speed. Some have even gone as far as to call him one of the best to come through the league in the last two decades. But flying under the radar has been Mashpee senior running back Jordan Keli'inui.

A patient runner with a long frame, live hips, and a compact yet powerful frame at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, he's paved his way to over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, one of the leading scorers in Division 4. (Check out his highlights here)

This could be a high-scoring affair -- even by the down-tempo South Shore League standards.

LOWELL, Mass. -- Lowell had a chance to tie Saturday night's game with No. 6 Chelmsford late in the fourth quarter and they needed one yard to continue their drive, but that did not occur. Instead, Lions junior defensive lineman Lou Ferrer stuffed Ngaiiva Mason for no gain, giving the Lions the ball back and a chance to go ahead two touchdowns. Despite giving up one more, this defensive stop gave Chelmsford the cushion they needed to ride out the rest of the 28-22 win over its Merrimack Valley Conference rival.

“It was gut check time for us at that point,” Chelmsford head coach Bruce Rich said.

In the third quarter, Chelmsford fumbled the ball on the opening drive and had a three-and-out series while Lowell was able to get on the board with 9:08 left in the third and again on the first play of the fourth quarter, tying the Lions 14-14 and showing signs of a potential upset. Chelmsford then took two straight drives into the end zone, one 4:06 (54 yards) and the other 2:21 (71 yards).

Lowell was able to score with six seconds left to bring them within eight and R.J. Noel’s PAT rush brought it within 6, but a failed onside kick allowed Chelmsford to cruise.

“We’ll take a win,” Rich said. “I don’t care who it is in this league … they’re hard to get.”

GRAPPLING FERRER
The 5-foot-11, 290-pound junior came up with a huge tackle late in the fourth to get the ball back for the Lions, but Rich is used to seeing Ferrer tackle opponents. As a wrestler for Chelmsford, Ferrer has plenty of practice grabbing and slamming guys down to the mat. Rich thinks that he transfers some of those skills well into football.

“Lou plays low,” Rich said. “He’s very, very good in clinches and he knows how to get by people. Again, he plays low, he’s an immovable object, so he kind of spear heads that front line and the other guys are making plays off of him.”

PLENTY O' PENALTIES
Aside from the usual off sides, pass interference and false start penalties, roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness penalties were flying fairly frequently for both teams.

“The game got a little chippy, there was some extra stuff going on,” Rich said.

When asked if they were discussing chemistry after the play was dead, Ferrer made it clear that the Lions and Red Raiders were not talking about bonds or the periodic table.

“It was a lot of talking back and forth going on after the plays… A lot of penalties on us but we kind of stuck in there and played hard."

Rich was not so convinced that the players were aware of their surroundings due to the energy at Cawley Stadium and chalked it up to adrenaline.

“It was such a physical game; I don’t think the kids heard the whistle every time.”

GIVE ME SOME MORE
The Chelmsford offensive line opened up holes late in the fourth quarter to allow running backs Eddie Sheridan and Colby Emanouil the space they needed to get the first down, but in each case on fourth and one, Sheridan and Emanouil got more than they needed. They knew that a one score lead against Lowell wouldn’t be enough to secure the win, so the backs and the linemen gave a little more than expected to pull out the win last night.

“Our line blocked real well tonight,” Rich said. “They bought 7, 8, 9 guys, they were coming all night long. I thought we picked up many of their stunters.”

Sheridan, (2 rushing TDs) appreciates the feeling of getting the ball down the stretch in a tight situation and getting the necessary yardage.

“That’s my favorite part of the game, just getting that yard, I love it.”

Sheridan admitted that like any team, the lineman and the running backs go back and forth with barbs, but when it counts, in the fourth quarter marching down the field, there is no contention in the Lion pride – they are hunting together.

“We’re a family. We play hard and finish hard.”

CHELMSFORD 28, LOWELL 22
C (8-1) 0 - 14 - 0 - 14 --– 28
L (5-4) 0 - 0 - 7 - 15 –-- 22

C – Colby Emanouil 15 run (PAT failed)
C – Eddie Sheridan 13 run (Sheridan pass from Emanouil)
L – Gilberto Brown 40 pass from R.J. Noel (Connor McHugh kick)
L – Noel 11 run (McHugh kick)
C – Sheridan 2 run (Charlie Calenda kick)
C – Emanouil 41 run (Calenda kick)
L – Brown 9 pass from Noel (Noel rush)

ANDOVER, Mass. -- It has been a season of ups and downs for the Andover Golden Warriors.

Come into the season ranked on the ESPN Boston Top 25, then lose to Tewksbury in the third game of the season. Win two after that, then lose to Chelmsford by 20 points. Get a 39-point victory over Methuen, then lose to Dracut by 16 points after giving up six turnovers.

They were able to send things back in a positive direction Friday with a 44-28 victory over No. 20 Billerica.

Andover did not actually come out of the gate well. The defense gave up a 31-yard Nick LaSpada touchdown pass to Matt Clifford on Billerica’s opening drive. On the ensuing offensive possession, Andy Coke lost a fumble at midfield, giving the Indians the ball back with great field possession.

After forcing a 3-and-out, the Golden Warriors (6-3) drove 72 yards down the field for the first of Andy Coke’s two rushing touchdowns of the night to tie the game at 7. He finished with 24 carries for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns.

On the second play of the second quarter, Freddie Scribner intercepted LaSpada and took it back 35 yards to put his team ahead. Billerica (7-2) answered on its next possession when LaSpada connected with Clifford for his second touchdown pass of the game.

C.J. Scarpa made his presence felt in the middle of the second when he finally came in to play quarterback. On 4th-and-8 from the Billerica 46, he dropped back to pass and looked right, but no receivers were open. Under pressure, he rolled back to the left, still searching for an open receiver. He saw Ken Miyachi was behind a defensive back and made a hand motion for Miyachi to take off towards the endzone. Scarpa hit him in stride for a 46-yard touchdown pass.

LaSpada had an interesting play of his own in the third quarter when he hit Mark Duncan on a short curl route next to the right sideline. After making the catch, Duncan kept his legs moving and eventually broke away from the defensive back and sprinted down the right sideline. He got into the endzone for a 92-yard touchdown reception, which kept it a one-score game.

It would not be enough however, as Andover broke away in the second half for the decisive victory.

-- Andover was able to get consistent pressure on LaSpada and slow down the Billerica rushing attack as a whole. LaSpada finished with just eight carries for 19 yards while running back Byron Ramirez had 11 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown. This was about three-quarters the production the two had the previous week in Billerica’s victory over Lowell. In that game, Lowell chose to put an extra defender in the box to take away the run. Friday, Andover chose to play its base defense with two safeties high, but send a varying package of linebackers so that even though LaSpada couldn’t run, he still would not have a lot of time to throw. “We match up well against them,” Coke said. “We have a really good secondary and our linebackers are more athletic, coverage-type guys, so I think we matched up well against them. They were able to run the ball well at first but, then our big boys stepped up.” LaSpada was 14-of-21 for 306 yards, but was forced into throwing 3 costly interceptions.

-- While it is not at all surprising to see Andy Coke get a majority of the carries in a game for the Golden Warriors, it is surprising to see him under center for a whole quarter. That is how Andover started the game Friday. Quarterback C.J. Scarpa spent the whole first quarter on the sidelines trying to stay loose in the bitter cold while Coke had 11 carris for 83 yards and a touchdown in the opening frame. “They threw down the stakes last year when they said it was going to be LaSpada vs. Coke,” Andover head coach E.J. Perry said. “Andy showed the cream always rises to the top and he just did a phenomenal job. It was his overall play, he connected on passes, played defense and got an interception.”

It was part of the gameplan to get Coke that integrated into the game that early. “I think our offense runs a little smoother if we score quickly with me at QB and then let CJ get his confidence up and get going and let him do what he does best and that’s torch a D.”

-- Andover was like many of the other schools in the state whose practice week was cut short due to school cancellations from the power outages from the weekend storm. However, it did not seem to effect the Golden Warriors on either side of the ball. In fact, Coke credited the team’s familiarity with Billerica and the confidence the team gained from its victory over the Indians last year for his team’s success Friday. “We had a lot of confidence coming into this game,” he said. “Last year we had a real convincing win over them that was one of our building blocks to winning the MVC title. I think football is a sport where its whoever comes out harder on Fridays. A good Monday through Thursday definitely helps but if you can just get two days in and get everything down and come out mentally ready, and come out ready to hit, I think that’s the most important part of this game.”

ANDOVER 44, NO. 20 BILLERICA 28
ANDOVER (6-3, 1-1) - 7 15 7 15 -- 44
BILLERICA (7-2, 1-1) - 7 7 14 0 -- 28

1st quarter
B - Matt Clifford 31-yard pass from Nick LaSpada (Steve Trask kick good)
A - Andy Coke 12-yard run (Mark Zavrl kick good)

2nd quarter
A - Freddie Scribner 35-yard interception return (Zavrl kick good)
B - Clifford 21-yard pass from LaSpada (Trask kick good)
A - Ken Miyachi 45-yard pass from CJ Scarpa (2-point conversion good)

3rd quarter
B - Mark Duncan 92-yard pass from LaSpada (2-point conversion failed)
B - Byron Ramirez 2-yard run (2-point conversion good)
A - Cam Farnham 80-yard kickoff return (Zavrl kick good)

4th quarter
A - Coke 6-yard run (Zavrl kick good)
A - Will Heikkinen 25-yard pass from Scarpa (2-point conversion good)