DISQUS

John Stark · 1 month ago

Couple of intriguing matchups coming up. Unbeaten CM will become a Top 5 EMass D1 team this week and visits BG Friday night. Not sold on CM's relatively weak schedule thus far. Look for a BG beat down as the Granite State flexes it's muscles.

And you get the sense that the North @ Salem game could be 63-56. Couldn't agree more that NH #2-6 is a complete pick-em, especially after Londonderry's win last night. Hec, do you get the feeling that there's no difference between the top of NH D1 and top of NH D2, except that BG is heads and shoulders above everybody?

Name · 1 month ago

Goodmorning, After blogging all week about how much of a bad team Andover was. I couldn't have been so wrong. Methuen loss last night was ugly. Chelmsford came out in the 2nd half and you would wouldn't believe that this was the team that loss to lawrence last week. They looked like world champs. H.L. I can see how hard it is to pick a Fan.4 week in and week out. I was wrong about you and your picks. Salem N.H. team is the best team in the Merrimack Valley and Southern NH area. They know how to win and keeping them as your # 1 is the right thing to do. I did like that a MVC team had the big write up in the sports page today. If they would had put your # 1 team the Salem Devils of N.H. that would have been great also. Because that team and players should be showcase and get 1st billing from the writers and the eagletribune.

CentralFan · 1 month ago

Hector
I mentioned a year ago that CC had most of their talent on the bench. Some of your bloggers called it sour grapes, probably a disgruntled parent. Pre season Pundints were afraid to give this team their do, very few starters coming back. Pre season scrimmage against Xavarian was eye opening. Well here we are! How do you come from nowwhere and become a top twenty team.
Maybe there were not ready. Ya sure!
MVC second half should be very entertaining. Looks to me like Andover and Central in a prime Turkey Day matchup with possible playoff implications. Can't wait till Friday night

John Stark · 1 month ago

Central Fan, I was thinking the same thing about the Raiders and Thanksgiving. However, they have a meat grinder of a schedule the last three weeks prior to then. While the QB has been getting a lot of ink, this is a multi-pronged offensive attack that has scored more and more points each week. My sense is that Chelm. and Billerica rely very heavily on one kid. Good that Thanksgiving is at Lawrence Stadium. Meanwhile. they need to take care of biz, especially against a Lawrence team whose season would be made with a win vs. CCHS.

heycentralfan · 1 month ago

what talent were you referring to that was sitting on the bench? id love to know who you think shouldve been starting over the kids from last year.. your answers could get very entertaining

CentralFan · 1 month ago

Sorry, not the forum for names, just overall observations. Obvious though, a little help from the bench last year may have made the team better overall. Let's move on !

Name · 1 month ago

Very quiet around here. Waiting for the big game. BG vs CM. Good luck to BG. All of N.H. is counting on you.

DK · 1 month ago

BG and CM on Fri - North and Salem on Sat. Both North and Salem put up 56 and 49 points on South. Lowell put up 6. Didn't lowell beat lawrence who beat chelmsford, who did chemsford beat ? I won't say it. Don't forget Pinkerton vs. Brockton Sat as well.

Name · 1 month ago

How balance is the MVC. You have to be ready to play come friday night. Pinkerton vs. Brockton is this weeks Methuen vs Haverhill. BG vs CM now thats the game this week in N.H.. Any game in the MVC is the game of the week. I'm hoping BG is all what everyone say they are.

John Stark · 1 month ago

CM (Herald #5) has played the most obscure schedule in EMass, while beating no one of consequence. BG has been planning for this one since the steamroll of Pink BG 42-14

Brockton is always brimming with talent, though you get the feeling that the team is not as strong as some past years. Pink. fighting for respect as they might not be Top 4 in D1. Brockton 21-17 (and if it's this close it speaks well of NH football)

Salem will run it down North's throat, while North passes it over Salem's head. Salem 35-28

Game of the week in the MVC Andover 21 Chelmsford 19

Other thoughts???

Name · 1 month ago

CM (Herald #5), I agree with you. But herald writers must know what they are talking about. I don't agree with you about the Andover vs Chelmsford game. I do like Chelmsford to win that game. Pinkenton is having a down year and I like Brockton to beat them just like Salem and BG has.

MaTransplant · 1 month ago

Name, you start to make a little sense and than you have to make a stupid comment that Pinkerton vs Brockton is this week's Methuen vs Haverhill? Just explain a little.
Brockton Pinkerton will be closer than BG over CM. Brockton will probably win unless some of the players on Pinkerton from last year are still pissed off enough about losing by a point from blowing a 20 - 7 half time lead. (28-27)

david1997sa · 1 month ago

You will see.

Name · 1 month ago

I don't need any help david97sa. But thank you.

John Stark · 1 month ago

Just scanning Herald's Top 7 in D1 and local implications:
1. Xaverian: Central gave them all they could handle in preseason scrimmage. But scrimmages are scrimmages.
2. Brockton: We'll see Saturday in Derry. I think this will be a fairly close game.
3. Everett: Dracut, who has two MVC losses, beat them like a drum three weeks ago.
4. Central Catholic: Lot of games to be played, but you have to like what you've seen so far.
5. CM: Not sold. Welcome to New Hampshire Friday night, though weather could be a factor.
6. Billerica: Too much reliance on one player, and we saw what happens when he's out vs. Tewks.
7. Chelmsford: Third MVC team in the Top 7. These guys at #7 shows how explosive Lawrence can be on any given day.

Name · 1 month ago

Pinkenton is having a down year. Blow out in the making. Dracut, who has two MVC losses, will rebound. CM vs BG. Weather, they both have to play in it. No factor. CM by 10 or more.

Ma transplant · 1 month ago

Name, have you seen any of the teams play? Very possible with your predictions but just wondering.

Name · 1 month ago

Predictions. Yes, thats right. BG will not beat CM. I like them to win by 10 or more. I'm sure you like BG by 21. Weather should not be a factor. They both have to play in it. No excuses. Pinkenton ( CC of N.H. ) has been blown out by Salem and BG. That tell me Pinkenton ( CC of N.H. ) is having a down year. Salem and BG are the only real teams that Pinkenton ( CC of N.H. ) has played. I see a blow out. If I'm right, I'm sure blogging will come to a end. If I'm wrong, N.H. will feel like King Kong that they beat a top # 5 team from Ma.. Even if BG has Ma. kids on it's team.

John Stark · 1 month ago

Name, I'll go out on a limb here and predict that the point differential of the CM-BG game will be twice that of Brock-Pink. Keep in mind that the team that you believe is #1 in the area (Salem) needed OT to beat a tough Timberlane team. BG beat Timberlane 47-6 in a game that was not as close as the final score woud suggest. And trust me, nobody from NH will be immitating "King Kong" if BG wins, largely because wins over Mass. schools are not at all unusual in recent years.

Name · 1 month ago

Salem knows how to win. That is why they are # 1.. Until they lose they should be # 1. Also Salem plays by the rules. Not like BG and Pinkenton ( CC of N.H. ) when it comes to players on there team.

Football Fan · 1 month ago

Name, what rules are being broken?