Boston Herald

Everett-Xaverian tilt the stuff of legends

- By DAN VENTURA Twitter: @BostonHera­ldHS

Al Fornaro knows exactly what Theluxon Pierre is going through.

Fornaro took over the Xaverian football program from a coaching legend in Charlie Stevenson last year and overcame a slow start to lead the Hawks to their fifth straight Division 1 Super Bowl. Pierre gets to do the follow-the-footstepso­f-a-legend routine when he makes his coaching debut on the Everett sideline, replacing John DiBiaso.

The two will exchange pleasantri­es firsthand tonight when Everett begins its quest for a three-peat with a visit to the Hawk Bowl in Westwood. The teams met twice last year with Everett winning both games, including a 35-10 conquest in the Div. 1 Super Bowl. An interestin­g historical note regarding Everett: A win tonight would give the program 800 victories.

The Everett-Xaverian contest is one of 80 games on the docket tonight. A huge Hockomock League crossover contest pits two-time Div.2 Super Bowl champion

King Philip against Div.3 Super Bowl finalist North Attleboro. King Philip owns the state’s longest current winning streak at 25 and a victory would be coach Brian Lee’s 100th, making he and dad John Lee the sixth father-son tandem in state history with at least 100 wins apiece.

Div. 2 Super Bowl finalist Lincoln-Sudbury opens the season with a tough test from Western Mass. contender Springfiel­d Central. BC High opens the Jonathan Brillo era with a home tilt against a dangerous Mansfield squad. Two other games worth following are Mashpee at Nantucket and North Andover at Woburn.

DiBiaso will make his

Catholic Memorial coaching debut tomorrow night when the Knights take on defending Div. 3 Super Bowl champion St. John's (Shrewsbury) at Assumption College in Worcester. In other games tomorrow, Waltham travels to Newton North, Wellesley hosts East Bridgewate­r and Swampscott welcomes a visit from Greater Lawrence.

 ?? STAFF FILE PHOTO BY NICOLAUS CZARNECKI ?? HIGH FIVES: Xaverian’s Mike Saliba tries to escape a tackle from Everett’s Mike Sainristil (5) and Robby Riobe during last year’s Division 1 Super Bowl. The teams meet again in tonight’s season opener in Westwood.
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY NICOLAUS CZARNECKI HIGH FIVES: Xaverian’s Mike Saliba tries to escape a tackle from Everett’s Mike Sainristil (5) and Robby Riobe during last year’s Division 1 Super Bowl. The teams meet again in tonight’s season opener in Westwood.

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