Class leaders start right up
WEEK 1 PREVIEW
Everett would love to start the 2017 season the way it ended the 2016 campaign.
The Crimson Tide open defense of their Division 1 Super Bowl title tomorrow afternoon when they host Xaverian in a rematch of last year’s bowl contest, a game won by Everett, 21-7. The game also marks the head coaching debut of Xaverian’s Al Fornaro, who takes over for Charlie Stevenson.
Fornaro has been involved with the program for nearly four decades, many of them as a defensive coordinator. It’s no surprise he is quick to point to Everett’s defense as an underrated component.
“Everyone talks about Everett offense and rightfully so, but their defense is always solid,” Fornaro said. “Look at them this year with (Duane) Binns and the kid with all the college offers (defensive back Lewis Cine). They play hard and tough football, they are good to the ball.”
While Everett appears to be the favorite on paper, don’t try to convince coach John DiBiaso of that. He has always held the Xaverian program in the highest esteem and nothing has changed.
“I think this is a very good rivalry with two teams striving for excellence,” DiBiaso said. “We have a great deal of respect for them and I know they feel the same way about us. If you look at our games, you’d have to go back a long way to even find a personal foul.”
Even though Xaverian has just five players who played in last year’s game, they are looking forward to the challenge of competing hard when they walk onto the field at Everett Memorial Stadium.
“Our kids are very excited,” Fornaro said. “We know we are going up against the state champions, but these are the games we like to play. All I am looking for is to see our kids compete hard and play with great intensity.”
The Xaverian-Everett tilt is just one of several spicy nonleague contests set for tomorrow afternoon. Brockton will travel to No.9 Lexington seeking to slow down Minutemen quarterback Sal Frelick, whose brilliant play led his team to the Middlesex Liberty title last year. Hamilton-Wenham will host Bishop Fenwick in what should be an aerial show pitting H-W quarterback Billy Whelan and Fenwick’s Cory Bright.
The marquee matchup tonight is in Duxbury, where the third-ranked Dragons open defense of their Super Bowl title by squaring off against No.10 BridgewaterRaynham. The teams met last year with Duxbury jumping out to a 35-7 lead before winning, 42-21.
North Attleboro will be looking to snap host King Philip’s 13-game winning streak when the teams meet in a Hockomock League crossover tilt. Another good crossover matchup takes place in Millis where the Mohawks will take on Tri-Valley League power Holliston. Even more to the south, Old Rochester faces Wareham in a battle of two of the top backs in the area (Old Rochester’s Harry Smith and Wareham’s Issac Nascimento).
Andover would like to erase the memories of last year’s 61-39 loss to BC High, a game in which the Eagles scored all their points in the first three quarters. The Golden Warriors will get that chance tonight when they host a BC High team ranked fourth in the initial Sweet 16.