High school football reaches its peak Thursday, when families gather to watch gridiron heroes in the morning and unite for turkey and tradition in the evening.
It is Thanksgiving, and Eastern Massachusetts football is set up for a quality postseason with some Turkey Day drama.
In Division 1, the question posed at the beginning of the season has gone unanswered thus far: who, if anyone, can beat Everett? In 10 tries, the Crimson Tide has run the table in Patriot-like fashion, their closest game a 20-7 victory over Xaverian.
Everett plays for the Greater Boston League title tomorrow against high-flying Cambridge. The teams have played for the league title on Thanksgiving almost every year since 2003 (2005 a rare exception), and Everett has won them all. This year, the Crimson Tide will have to withstand the aerial attack of Ray Doucette (24 passing touchdowns to lead Division 1), Josh Adams (9 touchdown receptions to lead Division 1), and Jesse Sparks (7 TD catches, second in Division 1).
Everett has rolled over all other GBL foes, defeating Somerville by 27, Arlington by 30, Waltham by 31, Medford by 28, and Malden by 42.
Cambridge (7-3) posed the most legitimate threat to Everett's dominance early in the season, but the Falcons suffered a disappointing 37-6 loss to BC High in October and a 14-point defeat at the hands of Waltham earlier this month. So the Falcons might be in for a long Thanksgiving against the likes of Isaac Johnson (verbally committed to Boston College), Joe Conti, Jesus Crawford (7 touchdown receptions), J.W. Forte, and Justin Spinelli.
Johnson has scored 20 touchdowns, second in Division 1, and would have more if not for Everett's weekly blowouts. Conti has already set a Crimson Tide record for passing touchdowns in a season with 15. Crawford emerged this season with two touchdowns against Leominster in the season opener and has recorded at least one touchdown in seven of 10 games.
The other Division 1 leagues already have their playoff representatives.
In the Big Three, it will be No. 4 Brockton, which hasn't lost since the opening-day, 35-33 stunner at BC High. Brockton will play Waltham and then match up with No. 6 Dartmouth in the playoffs. The Indians are the Old Colony juggernaut with running back Jordan Todman, who enters tomorrow fourth all-time rushing in the state.
Todman trails Bishop Fenwick's Bobby Tarr, who passed Todman with 312 yards against Cardinal Spellman Nov. 9. Tarr has 5,450 career yards (third all-time) with Todman close behind at 5,320. Tomorrow, Tarr and Fenwick play Austin Prep while Todman and Dartmouth take on Fairhaven.
The winner of the Greater Boston League will face BC High, the Catholic Conference champion with a perfect 10-0 record. After upsetting Brockton, the Eagles haven't slowed down, taking the conference title with a 24-0 win at St. John's Prep Nov. 10. The Eagles, who take on Catholic Memorial tomorrow, are one of two undefeated teams in Division 1, and the other (Everett) could be headed their way if it can get by Cambridge.
The annual Catholic Conference showdown (St. John's Prep vs. Xaverian) takes a back seat tomorrow, not the end St. John's hoped for in its 100th year of high school football.
There will be an individual race settled tomorrow as well. Walpole's star sophomore tailback/kicker Ryan Izzo leads EMass in scoring with 188 points. Greater Lawrence back Nate Adames is second with 182, followed by Tarr at 180 and Todman with 174.
In Division 1A, the race for the Atlantic Coast title is tight, just like it's been all season. No. 15 Marshfield was the clear front-runner until Plymouth North beat the Rams. Now, three teams - Marshfield (8-1), Dennis-Yarmouth (7-1), and Plymouth North (7-1) - are jammed at the top, and Thanksgiving will decide which one moves on. Marshfield plays Duxbury, Dennis-Yarmouth takes on Nauset, and Plymouth North matches up against crosstown rival Plymouth South in perhaps the biggest divisional game of the year.
Weymouth, at 10-0, has already claimed the Bay State title in Division 1A and will play Walpole, the Division 2 Bay State champion. Walpole is 9-2 against Weymouth on Thanksgiving, and with both teams ranked in the Top 20 (Weymouth No. 7 and Walpole No. 13), it should be one of the holiday's best games, even if nothing is at stake.
There is a logjam on top of the Dual County League, with three teams (Wayland, Lincoln-Sudbury, and Acton-Boxboro) tied with one conference loss. An elaborate tiebreaker involving the first-half point differential for each team will determine the DCL champion tomorrow.
Drama in the Merrimack Valley Conference was drained by Chelmsford's win over Dracut, but the Lions square off against Billerica in the annual matchup, and after last year's result (a 53-51 overtime victory for Chelmsford) it should be a heated game despite the lack of playoff suspense.
In Division 2, Walpole (Bay State Herget), Bishop Feehan (Eastern Athletic), and Mansfield (Hockomock) have all secured playoff spots. But the fourth Division 2 league, the Middlesex, will declare a champion on the last day of the regular season when Melrose hosts Wakefield. If Melrose wins, the Red Raiders are champs. And with Wakefield 3-7 overall it seems likely. But . . . Melrose hasn't beaten Wakefield since 1992.
If Melrose loses, then Woburn will go if it beats Winchester on the new synthetic turf at the high school. The Tanners haven't had a true home game since 2003.
In Division 2A, there is just one conference up for grabs. The Northeastern Large (Gloucester), the Patriot League (Hingham), and the South Coast Conference (Seekonk) have all been locked up. But the Cape Ann Large has yet to play itself out. Masconomet has a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a win over North Andover. If
In Division 3, it's a similar story. Three conferences have champions with the Catholic Central Large (Arlington Catholic), Northeastern Small (Swampscott) and South Shore (Abington) set. Holliston needs to beat visiting Westwood to claim the Tri-Valley crown for the final berth.
East Boston (9-0) and Greater Lawrence (10-0) have claimed playoff spots in Division 3A, and both teams have earned it with undefeated seasons. In Cape Ann Small, Newburyport and Amesbury will decide the champion. Newburyport stands at 4-0 in the league while Amesbury is 3-1. Newburyport hit a speed bump in its last game, a win over Lynnfield, when quarterback Joe Clancy, who leads Division 3A with 17 touchdown passes, was ejected with 4:30 to go after an altercation with a Lynnfield linebacker. By MIAA rule, Clancy has to sit out the next game. In Mayflower Large, Blue Hills has had a firm grip most of the season, but a slipup against South Shore Nov. 4 leaves the possibility of a four-way tie.
Brighton and Pope John are in the Division 4 playoffs. Georgetown or Manchester Essex will get a chance to join them when they square off for the Commonwealth Small crown. Georgetown is 4-0 in the league, and Manchester Essex 3-1. In Mayflower Small, West Bridgewater and Holbrook square off, with the winner going to the playoffs.
Some historic Thanksgiving rivalries in Eastern Mass. include the Needham-Wellesley matchup, with the Bay State foes playing their 120th Thanksgiving game, with the Raiders leading the series, 58-52-9. Boston Latin and Boston English meet at Harvard for the 121st time.
In Central Mass., Fitchburg (9-1, 2-0 league) and Leominster (7-3, 1-1) will play their 124th game to decide the Division 1 North champion.
