Mike and Mike's Marquee Matchups
Michael Grossi and Mike Carraggi of The Boston Globe pick this weekend's high school football games. Think your high school football knowledge is mightier than that of the Mikes? Feel free to agree, disagree, or pick your own games in our comments section.
Falmouth at Marshfield
Grossi – This game has the makings of a classic. With a win, Marshfield all but wraps up the Atlantic Coast League title. A Falmouth win moves the Clippers one step closer to the league title. The real question is whether or not the Falmouth defense can get Marshfield off the field. The Rams like to have long, sustained drives that eat up clock. Falmouth needs stops on third down, so it can get the ball in the hands of its explosive triple-option offense. I think the Rams take this one 27-21 because they've been in this type of pressure packed situation before.
Carraggi – Falmouth has been facing questions all year of whether or not they are legit. It doesn't get more legit than taking down a Rams team that was a preseason favorite to take the Atlantic Coast League. Give me the hungry Rocky over the experienced Apollo any day.
Lynn English at Gloucester
Grossi – Except for Masconomet, Gloucester has swatted away all of its opponents with ease. Lynn English has posted gaudy numbers out of its spread attack. The Bulldogs only loss came to Beverly , which Gloucester shut out 41-0. That is why I think Gloucester takes this one 34-19.
Carraggi – Gloucester's offense is downright scary. It has scored 33 points per game this season en route to a perfect 7-0 start. And it still looks up to Lynn English's 34 ppg. The difference, as is with most championship teams, is defense. And when the Fishermen need a big stop tonight to win in a shootout, they'll get it.
King Philip at Mansfield
Grossi – Mansfield has its back against the wall. The Hornets need a win to stay alive in the playoff race. Assuming Franklin wins its next three games (which it should), King Philip needs to beat Stoughton and either Mansfield or Foxboro to make the winner of the Warriors Turkey Day game against Franklin the league champ. Also, a win over Mansfield could solidify King Philip’s standing as a top team. I don’t think that will happen. I think Mansfield takes the game 33-25.
Carraggi – What does King Philip have to do to be respected? Maybe a win against Mansfield? Nope. Followed by one over Xaverian? Meh. Then beating the New Orleans Saints? Close. Fine, King Philip, beat the 2007 Patriots, then we'll talk. Prediction: Mansfield 1,000,000, King Philip 0. (Translation: King Philip lost a good team, which even the best teams do at times. They have throttled mostly every other team. What more can they do? King Philip shuts up the doubters tonight....or at least some of them.)
Natick at Needham
Grossi – This game pits two unbeaten teams against each other. Natick hasn’t been challenged at all this season. The Red and Blue score nearly 41 points a game and gives up only 7 points a game. Needham has the best chance so far to give the Red and Blue a game. The Rockets will have to have their best day defensively to have a chance. However, I think Natick is too much, on both sides of the ball, for Needham and takes this one 34-7.
Carraggi – Too much is being made out of the records in this one. Natick wins, and to quote the great Stan Lee, “'nuff said.”
St. John’s ( Shrewsbury ) at Xaverian
Grossi – This game is, unofficially, for the title of best team in the state. Both teams are similar in terms of scoring. Both score around 30 points per game and both give up around 10. St. John’s ( Shrewsbury ) has a terrific quarterback, a big receiver and a space eating defensive tackle. Xaverian will have to be hitting on all cylinders in this game. Xaverian’s tough schedule has to catch up to it some time and I think that is this week. I’ll take St. John’s ( Shrewsbury ) 21-17.
Carraggi – Bob Holmes would have you think Xaverian is overrated because a hellacious schedule and enormous expectations may finally be bogging down the Hawks (who still win.) Don't let him fool you, he just wants Reading to be No. 1. To spite him, Grossi, and everyone west of 495, Xaverian pulls this one out.
Carraggi - 4-1 (4-1 last week)
Grossi - 3-2 (3-2 last week)
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Look for updates from:
- Bob Holmes: A Reading resident (Go Rockets!) and Boston College graduate, Holmes is the Boston Globe High School Sports Editor. We remind you now that his weekly picks are often made in jest so everyone just calm down when he picks against Everett for 11 straight weeks.
- Mike Carraggi: An Everett native (Go Tide!), Mike attends Eastern Nazarene college and is entering his second year with the Globe. He'll focus on Division 1 this fall, which means he'll spend a lot of time in his hometown, which Forsberg thinks is cool because the Tide have that Fried Dough cart.
- Emily Wright: A Hyannis native (Go Barnstable Red Raiders!), Emily is a senior at Emerson College and has been with the Globe since the end of July. She'll cover Division 1A and will be the first intern we've trusted to navigate her way to Dennis-Yarmouth or any other school on the Cape.
- Mike Grossi: A Lexington native (Go Minutemen!), Mike attends Northeastern and has been with the Globe for two months. He'll cover Division 2 and 2A and unsuccessfully lobbied to include Lexington in the preseason Top 20.
- Jonathan Raymond: A native of Benicia, Calif. (a suburb of San Francisco), Jonathan attends Northeastern and has been working at the Globe since the end of June. He will be focusing on Division 3 and is likely woefully underprepared for covering a game in a foot of snow.
- David Carty: A native of West Bridgewater (Go Wildcats!), David is a senior at Emerson College and has been working at the Globe for a year. He'll cover Divisions 3A and 4 because, "small school ball is in my blood."
- The bench: You'll also catch updates from our regional contributors, including Globe North's Julian Benbow and South's Monique Walker. Correspondent Brendan Hall will have updates from the Globe West coverage area and will often try to sneak in Central Mass. news.
