Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking: Playoff matchups good sign for new MIAA plan

Ten local football teams wondering how they?d do … eight fell along the way and then there were two.With apologies to whomever wrote the “Ten Little Indians” ditty, this is where we are today. We?re in Week 3 of the sectional playoff rounds, and we still have two teams alive.Bishop Fenwick successfully navigated both Austin Prep and an injury to its premier back (Rufus Rushins) last Friday, and will play Northeast Regional this Friday (7) at Donaldson Field. The winner goes on to the state semifinal next week (at a site to be determined).Marblehead is that other team that has survived. The Magicians fought off a game Masconomet team last Friday at Piper Field, 19-7, and they?ll go on to play at No. 1 Tewksbury Saturday at 1:30.The true measure of whether this entire playoff system has achieved its desired results can be found in the sectional finalists in all six divisions. If the objective was to get the best teams into the post-season, let?s see how we did, by division.Division 1 went pretty much according to Hoyle, with Everett and Central Catholic, the two top-rated teams, making the final. The only upset — if you can call it that — was Lowell beating St. John?s Prep. You might be inclined to make the case that injuries and other in-house issues decimated the Eagles, and that, whole, they were clearly one of the top two teams in the division. Perhaps. But the fact is those things did happen, it affected The Prep, and, by the time the seeds were drawn, the Eagles had slipped to the No. 4 spot.In Division 2, the top four seeds played last week in the regional semifinals, with No. 1 Haverhill and No. 3 Waltham surviving (with the Hawks having a real battle with No. 2 Reading). So obviously, if you go by results, this one was done right as well.Division 3 Northeast sees No. 1 Tewksbury hosting No. 2 Marblehead Saturday. The only blip on the Hoyle radar here was No. 6 Masco crushing No. 3 Danvers last week. But again, we have the two best teams — by ratings — going against each other this week for the sectional title.Division 4 has a No. 1 (Pentucket) up against a No. 3 (Bedford). Along the way, No. 5 Watertown defeated No. 4 Triton, but otherwise things went pretty much according to plan. Ditto Division 5, where No. 1 Fenwick is hosting No. 2 Northeast Regional Friday (7). As with Division 3NE, a No. 6 (Manchester-Essex) defeated a No. 3 (Brighton). Otherwise, things have gone the way a chalk-happy For-Entertainment-Purposes-Only office NCAA pool would go.Division 6 would have to be the upset special, as No. 4 Latin Academy upset No. 1 O?Bryant (20-6) last week to gain one final spot. No. 2 St. Clement has the other.So to recap, the lowest of the eight seeds to reach the final was Boston Latin in Division 6. Otherwise, all the top seeds are in, with 2s and 3s playing them this weekend. Overall, you?d have to say that — on this count, at least — the rating system and its playoffs have achieved their objective. And this is coming from someone who isn?t exactly a big fan.Fenwick won Friday night because it has depth. Rufus Rushins couldn?t play due to an elbow injury so coach Dave Woods relied more on Charlie Maistrellis and Robbie Carillo to pick up the slack.And of course it doesn?t hurt when you have quarterback Nick Bona calling signals. He may be among the elite players on the North Shore this season.As for Marblehead, thank Brooks Tyrrell, who is right there with Bona in the elite category.All victories are team victories, but you know what they say about all things being equal. Some are more equal than others. Tyrrell ran for 263 yards and scored all three touchdowns for the Magicians.Here is this week?s lineup. Friday?s lone playoff game has Northeast at Fenwick (7). Non-playoff games: Greater Lowell at St. Mary?s (6); Lawrence at Peabody, English at Cambridge, Classical at North Andover, Medford at Revere, St. John?s at Methuen, Gloucester at Masconomet, Dracut at Salem, Lynnfield at Watertown and Winthrop at Ame