Football: St. Mary’s looks to keep rolling against Amesbury

The St. Mary’s football team has enjoyed all the comforts of Manning Field en route to its 3-0 start this season. If they are going to get to 4-0, however, the Spartans are going to have to do it on the road this week.St. Mary’s hits the road for the first time this season and does it against Cape Ann League/Small team Amesbury on Friday (7).”We need to play well this week,” St. Mary’s coach Matt Durgin said. “Amesbury is a tough, physical team and it’s our first time going on the road. We need to come ready to play and be focused.”The Spartans have steamrolled past their first three opponents this season to the tune of 126-31, averaging 42.0 points a game. They were at full song last week in a 36-0 win over North Reading.St. Mary’s held the Hornets to just two first downs and 92 yards of offense while the offense racked up 311 yards, 258 of those coming on the ground.”We are very fortunate to have some good backs and our fullbacks have done a nice job,” Durgin said. “We hope the kids handle being on the road well. It’s kind of out of the routine a little bit.”Three of those backs – Nick Day, Ryan Barrows and Todd Collier – have each recorded a 100-plus yard rushing game with Day scoring twice last week and catching a touchdown pass as well from Jonathan Capano.”Jonathan is coming along and improving each game. He has thrown the ball a little better and we need that going forward,” Durgin said.The Spartan defense will also get a tough challenge from the hosts, who have beaten a talented Triton team this year and lost to North Andover and East Boston the last two weeks.”Our defense has played well but we need to keep improving,” Durgin said. “Amesbury had a good win over Triton and has faced a couple of tough teams as well.”Winthrop at ClassicalAt Manning Field (7), the Rams (2-1) come in off a big win against defending NEC South champion Marblehead that saw them rally from a 14-0 deficit by scoring the game’s final 28 points.Quarterback Nick Grassa rushed for 107 yards and the game-winning touchdown while the Classical defense held the Magicians to just 134 total yards and returned an interception for a touchdown to ice the game.They will face a Winthrop team that is struggling at 0-3 and comes in off a 36-0 blanking at the hands of Gloucester last week.English at DanversAt Dr. Deering Stadium (7), the Bulldogs (2-1) got into a quick 7-0 hole last week against Beverly before exploding for 33 unanswered points to take an easy win. Quarterback Tyllor McDonald once again was at the center of the offense for English, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for over 100 yards and two more scores.The much-improved English defense continued to play well, holding the Panthers to 161 total yards and only seven first downs. This week they face a Danvers team that comes in at 0-2 after dropping a 24-15 game to Revere last Friday.Malden Cath. at PeabodyAt Lee Field (7), the Tanners (1-2) continued to play well last week, nearly overcoming a 16-point deficit to stun Swampscott before losing 30-28 in overtime.Peabody trailed 22-6 heading to the fourth quarter before Jason Hiou threw a touchdown pass to Nick Allen and Brady Doyle, filling in for an injured Nat Gaye, scored late to bring the Tanners back.The task gets no easier for the Tanners this week as they entertain a 2-1 Lancer team that is riding high off back-to-back wins over Medford and Somerville.Hamilton-Wenham at FenwickAt Donaldson Field in Peabody (7), the 0-3 Crusaders look to get their ship righted against a very talented Hamilton-Wenham club out of the Cape Ann League.Fenwick comes in off a 42-21 loss to Lynnfield that saw the Crusaders knocked to the canvas by the Pioneers early. Their task will not be any easier this week against the Generals under coach Andrew Morency.H-W sits at 3-0 after defeating Newburyport, Triton and Pentucket.St. John’s at BrocktonAt Marciano Stadium (7), the Eagles’ (2-1) murderous non-conference schedule continues this week against the No. 2-rank