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WESTWOOD, Mass. -- Add another candidate to the Game of the Year list with Saturday's Top 5 matchup between No. 2 Duxbury and No. 4 Xaverian.

We stopped by the Hawk Bowl on Wednesday to take a look ahead to this weekend's matchup and get the view from Xaverian:

Captains Ryan Farrell and Kevin Painten



Head Coach Charlie Stevenson

WESTWOOD, Mass. -- Over the years, Xaverian has won many games with field position and defense.

Saturday at the Hawk Bowl, the hosts dominated both facets of the game in the first half then turned on its offense for a 31-0 rout of Brockton.

No. 4 Xaverian started five first-half possessions on the Boxer side of the field and forced four turnovers - two fumble recoveries and two interceptions - to build a 17-0 halftime edge.

The Hawks have now won five straight in the storied series (leading 15-13 all-time), the longest win streak by either side since the Boxers took the first six when the rivalry was renewed in 1988. It also marked the program’s first shutout win over No. 14 Brockton and largest margin of victory.

Senior kicker Jules Murphy consistently pinned the Boxers back inside their own end and the defense took care of the rest. Brockton gained a total of 116 yards against the Xaverian first-team defense and ran a total of eight plays from scrimmage in Hawk territory.

The Xaverian (3-0) offense, which sputtered at times in the first half and struggled to gain 75 yards against an active Boxer front, found its rhythm in the second half and compiled 197 yards in the final 22 minutes. Senior quarterback Chris Calvanese completed 7-of-12 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown and the Hawks marched 93 yards on 17 plays entirely on the ground to finish off the scoring when Hunter Taute plowed in from a yard out with 2:55 to play.

This one wasn’t pretty for the Boxers (1-2), whose offense was shut out for the second time in three games. The last time Brockton has been shut out at least twice in the same season was 1969.

Some quick-hitters on Xaverian’s historical drubbing of the reeling Boxers:

MURPHY’S MUSCLE
The Hawks always seem to have good kickers and Murphy certainly can add his name to the list of scholarship-level boots that includes Jon Barker (Syracuse) and Paul Asack (Duke). You can make the case that Murphy was Xaverian’s MVP, although coach Charlie Stevenson gave the game ball to junior guard Ray Gobbi, who is from Brockton. Every single one of Murphy’s kickoffs either went inside the 5-yard line or the end zone. He had a 57-yard punt that helped set up Xaverian’s first touchdown, a drive that started on the Brockton 32. He was also perfect on four PATs and drilled a 38-yard field goal that may have been good from 50. On Xaverian’s final drive, Murphy kicked a 26-yarder but was roughed by a Brockton player and was groggy coming off the field. The Hawks, clearly enraged by the vicious hit on the defenseless player, sent their offense back on the field and went for the score, Taute’s 1-yard run. Murphy came back out, pounded out the PAT and then boomed the ensuing kickoff to the very back of the end zone, where Brockton’s Jesse Monteiro ran it out to the 15. That kickoff may have drawn the loudest ovation from the Hawk sideline.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Stevenson said after the game he isn’t quite satisfied with the offense yet, which struggled to move the ball in the first half before breaking out in the second. But he has to be impressed with where his defense is at the moment. Start with the defensive line, where junior tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. pretty much demands a double team and fellow tackle Kevin Painten and ends Matt Stapleton and Colby Enegren are no slouches. He recovered a fumble on one of two bad exchanges that he forces simply because he is so quick off the snap that it creates a panic-snap from the center. Then you have to account for middle linebacker Hunter Taute, a 6-foot-2, 235-pounder with great feet who is as comfortable in coverage as he is sticking running backs up the gut. And then you have an entirely-new secondary that hasn’t missed a beat despite losing UNH-offered safety Ryan Farrell to injury. Calvanese plays back there now and is doing an excellent job, but can you imagine how good this defense - which has given up 12 points in three games - would be if they had him? Scary. Seniors Zach Maiuri and Mike Warren are also playing terrific in that almost completely inexperienced defensive backfield and sophomore outside linebacker Shayne Kaminski already looks comfortable in a varsity uniform, making an interception in the first half.

SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS
The Boxers looked bad Saturday, but there may be hope for the offense if the Boxers can cut out the turnovers. Ball security as a whole was woeful. An improvement in that area alone will do wonders for a unit that has not shown the big-play ability that the program is known for. The defense actually played well in the first half considering how badly its back was against the wall. Still, the overriding challenge for coach Peter Colombo is to somehow keep the morale on this team from falling apart. If this squad has any senior leadership it needs to step up now and keep this season, filled with so much promise in August, from falling apart before October, as the Boxers travel up to Danvers next week to face a just-as-desperate St. John’s Prep team.

Brockton (1-2) 0 0 0 0 - 0
Xaverian (0-3) 7 10 7 7 - 31



First Quarter
X - Zach Maiuri 4 run (Jules Murphy kick)

Second Quarter
X - Hunter Taute 3 run (Murphy kick)
X - Murphy 38 FG

Third Quarter
X - DJ Pagliuca 47 pass from Chris Calvanese (Murphy kick)

Fourth Quarter
X - Taute 1 run (Murphy kick)

Xaverian went into Thanksgiving last year with a chance to win the Catholic Conference for the second straight season to defend their Division 1 EMass Super Bowl crown.

Then St. John’s Prep came to the Hawk Bowl and pushed Xaverian around up and down the field, throwing just one pass on a spiked ball, to the tune of a 21-12 victory that sent the hosts home to watch their heated rival go to Gillette Stadium instead of them.

This year, the target is not placed squarely on the back of the Hawks, who check in behind fellow Catholic Conference members BC High and Catholic Memorial as the No. 7 team in the state. With the depth and talent in the Catholic Conference this year though, the Hawks could finish anywhere from first to fourth.

“The Catholic Conference is as strong as it’s been in 10 years,” said one rival assistant coach during the off-season.

That same coach said, “I wouldn’t be surprised to see the ‘X’ shock people (and win the Division 1 Super Bowl).”

Given Xaverian’s history, with four Super Bowl titles in the 1990s under coach Charlie Stevenson and another in 2009, that would hardly be a shock. But for the first time in at least 25 years, the top two favorites heading into the preseason for Catholic Conference play include neither Xaverian or St. John’s Prep.

That is something that Stevenson is smiling about as his team is up at camp in New Hampshire preparing to “shock people.”

The Hawks may not be coming into this season as the favorites, but that doesn’t mean the target on their backs have gone anywhere.

This year, that target will be in the crosshairs of non-league teams like preseason No. 5 Brockton in Week 3, a 23-20 double-overtime loser to the Hawks at Clapboardtree Street a year ago; No. 2 Duxbury, a Division 2 juggernaut capable of playing with anyone and in the state; Bridgewater-Raynham, the No. 8 team in the state and owners of a victory over Xaverian last year; and No. 9 St. John’s of Shrewsbury, a Central Massachusetts powerhouse that has beaten Xaverian just once in the modern era but come closer and closer in the last several years to the point where it is more of a rivalry.

Then, of course, the final three games of the season bring out the same quote by every coach in that league: “every game is a championship game.”

For Xaverian, the Hawks travel to BC High, host Catholic Memorial, then visit the Prep with a chance to earn a little payback in Danvers.

Stevenson knows that stretch isn’t going to be easy to win. But, deep down, everyone knows if the Hawks do, it’s not going to come as a “shock” to anyone.

XAVERIAN AT A GLANCE
Coach: Charlie Stevenson (18th season, 151-47-3)
Last Year: 8-3
Key returnees: Chris Calvanese, QB, Sr. (14 passing touchdowns, 3 rushing); Ryan Farrell, WR/S, Sr.; Kevin Painten, OL/DT, Sr.; Colby Enegren, FB/DE, Sr.; John Warner, TE, Sr.; Andrew Malin, OL, Sr.; Hunter Taute, MLB/FB, Jr.; Matt Stapleton, DE, Jr.; Maurice Hurst Jr., DT/FB, Jr.; Ray Gobbi, OL, Jr.
Strengths: Quarterback, Offensive line, Defensive line, Fullback
Weaknesses: Inexperience at wide receiver, tailback, secondary and linebacker.
Outlook: Calvanese comes back for his second year as a starter and Stevenson will find ways to take advantage of both his considerable running and throwing talents. This is one of the better and more experienced offensive and defensive fronts that Xaverian has had, although the former doesn’t compare to the 2009 edition that powered the Hawks to the Division 1 Super Bowl. The defensive line though will be stout with the likes of Stapleton and Enegren at end and Painten and Hurst at tackle. Farrell has been injured and is out indefinitely, which is a huge loss on both sides of the ball. Without him, the Hawks have zero returning starters in the secondary, made worse by the fact that they lost two of the best cornerbacks in the state to graduation in Joe Colton (Avon Old Farms) and Nick McDaniels (Merrimack). Taute is a potential Division I prospect at either fullback or inside linebacker and will need to hold down the fort in a depleted linebacking corps. Colton’s loss at tailback is huge, as well, as Stevenson has nice young talent there but not at the level where Colton was a year ago. Whether or not this team can fill those holes will determine how well the Hawks do in the always-rugged Catholic Conference.

WESTWOOD, Mass. – There wasn’t one particular thing you could identify that was better than the rest in No. 6 Xaverian’s 28-0 win over No. 9 BC High.

In sum, they were all pretty darn good.

On offense, the Hawks implemented an old school Patriot-like scheme with quarterback Chris Calvanese distributing the ball among seven receivers while throwing for 108 yards on 8 of 11 pass attempts, including two touchdowns. That was supplemented by the ground game efforts of Joe Colton (one touchdown), Chris Tamasi and Calvanese, who also ran for a touchdown.

On defense, Xaverian bottled up explosive Eagles running back Preston Cooper. While not allowing the shifty junior to hit the edge with speed, the Hawks linebackers routinely swarmed under and held Cooper to just 35 rushing yards. Without establishing the run, BC High was forced into more passing situations from longer downs and distance. Xaverian also had three takeaways.

All in all, a good day at the Hawk Bowl.

“We had probably our most complete game of the year,” Xaverian head coach Charlie Stevenson said. “We really needed it because they’re a very good opponent.”

Calvanese got the Hawks (7-2, 2-0 Catholic Conference) started on the game’s opening drive with the longest play of the day. The junior signal-caller tabbed his own number and rumbled 51-yards to the end zone one minute and 40 seconds in.

BC High (4-4, 1-1) held Xaverian off the board for the rest of the half until Hawks receiver Tommy Jenkins made a circus catch in the back of the end zone on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Calvanese just 17 seconds before halftime.

“That was all Tommy [Jenkins], on that play,” Calvanese said. “He made an unbelievable catch.”

The Hawks widened their lead in the second half on Colton’s 8-yard touchdown with 1:14 remaining in the third. The score came with the benefit of some good field position after Matt Stapleton forced an Eagles fumble that was recovered by Tamasi.

“I thought the eleven guys we had out there today did a great job,” said Tamasi, who had a forced fumble in addition to his fumble recovery. “They didn’t score a point against us, so it doesn’t get much better than that. I couldn’t be more proud of those guys today.”

Stapleton left his imprint on the game again, hauling in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Calvanese.

Ryan Farrell iced the game for Xaverian with an interception with less than a minute remaining.

No. 9 BC High 0 0 0 0 -- 0
No. 6 Xaverian 7 7 7 7 -- 28

First quarter
X Chris Calvanese 51-yard run (Jules Murphy kick)

Second quarter
X Tommy Jenkins 24-yard pass from Chris Calvanese (Murphy kick)

Third quarter
X Joe Colton 8-yard run (Murphy kick)

Fourth quarter
X Ryan Farrell 11-yard pass from Chris Calvanese (Murphy kick)

The MIAA regular season is almost over, and we’ve gotten a chance to see a lot of talented football players showcase their skills over the past few months. You probably already know the names and teams to look out for, but we're taking sometime today to look at a number of under-the-radar underclassmen who haven’t gotten a ton of attention so far, but - given their talent level - that won’t last very long.

(Listed in alphabetical order):

Lucas Bavaro, OLB/S, 5-11, 162, St. John’s Prep, Class of 2013
Yes, Lucas is the son of Mark Bavaro, who went from Danvers High to Notre Dame to the NFL as an All-Pro tight end. Lucas isn’t the same type of player, but he has a bright future ahead of him. Bavaro is a fluid athlete who can both be an asset in pass coverage and against the run. His best attribute is his instinctual nature as a play develops. He simply knows where the ball is going to be before it gets there. He delivered one of the biggest hits we’ve seen all season in a game against Mt. St. Joseph’s (Md.), where he laid out a Gaels’ receiver in the right flat. Expect to see a lot more of that in the future.

Christopher Burke, LB, 6-2, 200, Gloucester, Class of 2012
There aren’t a whole lot of Fishermen who start that aren’t seniors, but Burke is a player who has earned his spot among a truly spectacular defense on the North Shore. Burke is like everyone else on the Gloucester defense in that he can run fast and hit hard. Burke has good size and the potential to add weight to his frame. He plays well in space and is an aggressive player on both sides of the ball (he also plays on the offensive line). There are many reasons why it is tough to run the ball on the Fishermen, and Burke is a big reason why.

Kenny Calaj, RB/WR/OLB/DB, 5-11, 180, Everett, Class of 2013
As you can see by the number of positions that are listed next to his name, one of the biggest strengths to Calaj’s game is his versatility. Last year, Calaj started at cornerback as a freshman. This year, Calaj plays closer to the line of scrimmage and no one has been able to get the edge to his side all season. People who have seen Everett this season and watched their defense have noticed Calaj, but we’re curious to see what happens next year when he will be more of a factor on an offense that will have to replace receivers Matt Costello and Manny Asprilla. Whatever happens, Calaj will be fun to watch the next few seasons.

Luke Catarius, FB/LB, 6-0, 210, BC High, Class of 2013
The last time BC High won a Super Bowl, it had a player a lot like Catarius on its roster named Tyler Horan, now a baseball player at Virginia Tech. Another player Catarius reminds us of is former North Attleborough star and current starting fullback for UConn, Anthony Sherman. On offense, Catarius is a punishing lead-blocker and runner between the tackles. Defensively, he’s just always around the ball, and if he’s able to get his hands on the ball-carrier, then he’s going down. On top of that, Catarius plays with the type of enthusiasm and intensity you like to see in a player.

Lincoln Collins, WR, 6-3, 170, BC High, Class of 2013
Collins is a little bit more of a project than most of the other players on this list, but he has gotten better each time we’ve seen him. His ceiling is pretty high. He reminds us a little bit of former Xaverian and current University of New Hampshire wide receiver Kevon Mason at the same stage. The biggest difference between the two is that Mason didn’t start until his senior year and by that time Mason was a lot faster than Collins is now. Collins isn’t a burner, but he has shown good hands and has the size to be a mismatch against most defensive backs at this level. The more he plays and gets bigger and stronger, the more it will be harder to ignore his ability.

Casey DeAndrade, RB/S, 6-0, 175, East Bridgewater, Class of 2012
DeAndrade may play at a smaller school, but he is good enough to play at any of the bigger schools around here. DeAndrade is just a playmaker on either side of the ball. He possesses good speed and knows what to do with the ball in his hands. Defensively, he’s the type of player that can cause receivers to play with alligator arms. DeAndrade has a solid build and looks more filled-out than his listed weight of 175 indicates.

Lucas Depina, WR/S, 6-1, 190, Brockton, Class of 2012
The Boxers seem to have a bevy of tall, speedy athletes on the perimeter this year, and Depina is one of the best of the lot. Depina doesn’t start on defense yet, but when he does get in you can see his vast potential at the safety position. Depina is every bit of 190 pounds and pursues well to the ball in the run game. Overall, his game is a little reminiscent of former Boxer safety/wideouts Nate and Darren Thellen. Brockton’s depth has limited Depina’s playing time a bit this season but shouldn’t overshadow his ability.

Colby Enegran, FB/DE, 6-2, 225, Xaverian, Class of 2012
As a sophomore, Enegran battled injury problems and wasn’t able to get much varsity experience. This year, Enegran has been able to stay healthy and has gotten better with each viewing as a starting strongside defensive end for the Hawks. Enegran has good strength and can be overpowering for offensive tackles at this level. He hasn’t gotten many reps at fullback, but he is a bear on that side of the ball as well.

Ryan Farrell, S, 6-1, 190, Xaverian, Class of 2012
The Xaverian coaches have been high on Farrell for a while, and this fall we’ve been able to see why. Farrell is a thickly-built, aggressive player who could be just as comfortable playing outside linebacker. Like DeAndrade, Farrell is the type of player who can be intimidating for opposing receivers going over the middle. Just a physical, aggressive player, Farrell has his best playing days ahead of him.

Ray Gobbi, G, 6-0, 288, Xaverian, Class of 2013
A native of Brockton, Gobbi is the type of mauling interior lineman that the Hawks used to lack for much of the last decade. While Gobbi at times has had some typical struggles of a sophomore starting on varsity against the Hawks’ difficult schedule, you can see why he’s earned a spot on the front five. Gobbi’s strength at this point is his run-blocking, and one can expect to see him make huge strides each year under one of the best offensive line coaches in the state in Dennis Lozzi.

Kurt Hunziker, MLB/FB/H-back, 6-3, 215, Masconomet, Class of 2012
Hunziker has been a starter at Masco since his freshman season, and he looks like a man among boys sometimes. Hunziker is listed at 215 pounds, but he looks a lot more like 225 or 230. Hunziker moves well for a player his size and is a punishing tackler. He patrols the middle of the field well in the passing game but that’s not his strength. Overall, Hunziker is light on his feet and an intimidating player at this level who also flashes good ball skills when needed.

Giovanni Hyppolite, DT, 6-0, 240, Brockton, Class of 2012
The height and weight listed here is taken off the Brockton program but doesn’t look very accurate. Hyppolite may be 6-feet tall, but he is closer to 270 than 240. The Boxers are extremely deep at defensive tackle, but Hyppolite is one of the more essential pieces of that unit. Hyppolite plays with great leverage and quickness of the snap and has been able to get into opposing backfields all season. With another year of strength and conditioning, this already productive tackle will be even more so next season.

Ryan Kelley, LB, 6-2, 205, Brockton, Class of 2013
Kelley has been injured for most of the season, but he won a spot at inside linebacker early on and when he returns it will be a big boost to the Boxer defense. In a program with a lot of young talent, Kelley may have the most potential out of anyone. Kelley runs well and has the frame to add a lot of good weight. Kelley is one of the more complete linebackers in his class in terms of his overall versatility and it will be interesting to see how effective he is the rest of the season coming off his injury.

Jack McDonald, OT, 6-4, 255, BC High, Class of 2013
We talked to BC High coach Jon Bartlett at the Xaverian passing league this past summer about who some of the candidates are to start on an offensive line that lost four starters, and he raved about the progress McDonald made. McDonald didn’t start at the beginning of the season but he does now, and he simply doesn’t look like a sophomore. He has good length and we can only imagine how big and strong he will be by the time he’s a senior. BC High always produces quality linemen and McDonald looks to be the next in a long line of great ones.

Gordon McLeod, WR, 6-0, 170, BC High, Class of 2012
Another player Bartlett was very optimistic about in that same conversation at the Xaverian passing league was McLeod. As a sophomore, McLeod was integral in his team’s Thanksgiving Day win over Catholic Memorial. McLeod will need to keep adding weight as he still looks a little skinny, but there’s no denying the speed he has. Truly one of the most underrated skill players in the state, McLeod has the speed to be a vertical threat to go along with very good hands.

Jameson McShea, TE/DE, 6-4, 230, BC High, Class of 2012
Like a few players on this list, we’ve put the height and weight that is listed on the roster, but we wouldn’t be surprised if McShea is closer to 245 or 250 based on what we saw at the Everett game. If we had to compare McShea to a recent player from around the area, it would be former Eagle and University of Virginia standout Jack Shields. McShea has good hands and is a load to bring down once he gets a head of steam. But, like Shields, we wouldn’t be surprised if McShea isn’t converted to an interior offensive lineman at the next level.

John Montelus, OT, 6-4, 245, Everett, Class of 2013
When we talked to Everett coach John DiBiaso this past summer, he compared Montelus to Gosder Cherilus at the same stage. Cherilus went from Somerville to Boston College to the Detroit Lions, so it’s pretty high praise. Montelus is the type of tackle prospect that major college programs covet because of his long arms and excellent footwork. Everett offensive line coach Mike Milo is one of the best you will find anywhere, not just in the state, and expect him to draw every bit of potential out of this promising tackle.

Alex Moore, RB/DB, 5-11, 176, St. John’s Prep, Class of 2013
This is another player who looks a lot bigger than his listed height and weight on the St. John’s Prep roster. Moore is part of a young secondary at the Prep, but he could just as easily be an outside linebacker like classmate Lucas Bavaro. His speed and physicality jump out at you in person. He is simply an impressive looking athlete who can bury a ball-carrier when he gets to him. He will get a look at the starting tailback job when Tyler Coppola graduates but his position at the next level is likely on defense.

Kevin Painten, OL/DT, 6-0, 250, Xaverian, Class of 2012
Yet again, we wouldn’t be surprised if Painten were a little heavier than his listed weight. Overall, Painten’s best quality is his footwork. He plays a lot like Brockton’s Hyppolite, using his low center of gravity to get the best of opposing linemen. Painten is a two-year starter at offensive tackle, but his height will keep him on the interior at the next level. Xaverian will have a very good offensive line next year and Painten is a big reason why.

Hunter Taute, FB/ILB, 6-2, 225, Xaverian, Class of 2013
Like Brockton’s Kelley, Taute has been injured most of the season but he is just getting healthy now. The Xaverian coaches are very excited about Taute’s potential on both sides of the ball. A bowling ball of a player, Taute is a lot like Catarius. Right now, Taute is mostly getting reps at fullback but the Xaverian coaching staff wants him to eventually get time at middle linebacker, as well.

Jonathan Thomas, CB, 5-7, 137, St. John’s Prep, Class of 2014
Thomas looks a lot more thickly-built than 137 pounds. Either way, it’s impressive that Thomas has been able to crack the starting lineup and play at the Prep as a freshman. Thomas has had to cover the likes of Albert Louis-Jean, Matt Costello and Richard Rodgers this season and held his own. Obviously, Thomas will need to get bigger, but we can see Thomas being a force by the time he’s a senior.

John Warner, TE, 6-7, 225, Xaverian, Class of 2012
Warner is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. Obviously at this stage Warner’s best attribute is his height, and he used it well this past weekend when he leapt for a jump ball in the end zone for a touchdown against St. John’s of Shrewsbury. If Warner hits the weight room hard this offseason and works on his speed, he will be able to have his pick of schools by this time next year.

Jakarrie Washington, WR/RB/CB, 5-10, 160, Everett, Class of 2013
Everett has speed all over the field, and one of their fastest players is this talented sophomore. Right now, Washington plays wide receiver, but we wouldn’t be surprised if he went the same route as teammate Manny Asprilla and eventually saw time at cornerback. Washington is also someone who will make an effective running back at this level, as he possesses outstanding speed and change-of-direction skills.

SHREWSBURY, Mass. -– No. 2 St. John’s of Shrewsbury came into yesterday’s non-league game with No. 13 Xaverian averaging 41 points per game.

In the second half against the Hawks, though, the Pioneers didn’t manage a single point.

Spurred by that terrific defensive effort, Xaverian ended a two-game losing streak with a 20-16 win over the previously unbeaten Pioneers. The Hawks (6-2) now enter next week’s pivotal showdown with BC High with a little momentum.

"They've been scoring a lot of points, and I wasn't sure we'd be able to contain them as well as we did," Xaverian head coach Charlie Stevenson said.

"They’re a good football team," St. John’s (7-1) coach John Andreoli said. "We want to play these kind of games. They’re going to go down to the wire and they’re going to be the type of game where the littlest thing can have a huge impact."

St. John’s led, 16-13, at the half, before a Nick McDaniels interception set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Xaverian’s Joe Colton (111 yards rushing). Jules Murphy’s extra point completed the scoring, but not before the Hawks twice turned the Pioneers over on downs in Xaverian territory, once in the third and once in the fourth. The second came when Ryan Farrell and Chris Tamasi tackled Cal verbal commit Richard Rodgers (101 yards receiving, but just 17 in the second half) two yards shy of the first. The Pioneers never seriously threatened again.

Chris Calvanese threw for 148 yards and two scores for the Hawks, as he looked in the direction of receiver Mike Muir (96 yards on eight catches) early and often. John Warner and Muir caught first-half touchdowns from Calvanese.

Rodgers kicked a 37-yard field goal and caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dan Light (141 yards passing, 103 rushing). Light’s 1-yard sneak with four minutes left in the first half helped give the Pioneers a 16-7 lead before Calavanese’s toss to Muir made it 16-13 going into the break.

Here are a few quick thoughts from what was a terrific high school football game between two of the best in the state:

• Stevenson has a lot of confidence in Calvanese, and the junior signal-caller rewarded him with a solid all-around effort on a windy day. Calvanese completed 13-of-21 passes with one interception on a ball that was overthrown. That set up the Rodgers 27-yard touchdown reception, but other than that, Calvanese made smart decisions with the ball and put it in tight spaces when need be. You can’t really coach poise, but Calvanese has it, as the St. John’s defense hurried him into some sticky situations and he didn’t blink.
• Xaverian just might have the best secondary in the state. The Hawks made two interceptions and allowed just one touchdown through the air to an offense that has been putting up video-game numbers against everyone else on its schedule. The combination of Colton and McDaniels at the corners is superb, and safeties like Farrell, a junior, and Muir, make it so difficult to go over the top against this team. There were several times that Light had all day to throw, and he eventually just escaped the pocket and tried to pick up yards because there was no one open. Against a team with a set of receivers like St. John’s has, that’s quite an accomplishment.
• Is there a more underrated player in Central Massachusetts than Pioneers’ senior John Vassar? Probably not. Vassar only carried the ball four times for 37 yards, but that’s not where his biggest impact on the game was. Vassar was everywhere on defense, just everywhere. He made two sacks and several other key tackles that prevented what would have been first downs. Listed at 5-feet, 10-inches tall and 200 pounds, Vassar is a thickly-built player who packs a wallop when he arrives at the ballcarrier. He may not be the most highly-recruited player, but wherever he plays at the next level, expect him to be a productive one. He’s just a pure, instinctive athlete who can do a lot of things well on a football field.

Xaverian (6-2) 7 6 7 0 -- 20
St. John's (S) (7-1) 9 7 0 0 -- 16

X - John Warner 9 pass from Chris Calvanese (Jules Murphy kick)

S - Richard Rodgers 27 FG

S - Rodgers 27 pass from Dan Light (kick failed)

S - Light 1 run (Rodgers kick)

X - Mike Muir 2 pass from Calvanese (kick failed)

X - Joe Colton 5 run (Murphy kick)