Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking: Several games this weekend could prove crucial

With the truncated regular season, we have a few games this weekend that could go a long way toward determining league races … even though it?ll only be early October when they?re played.One of those games will take place Thursday (6) when Classical travels to Peabody. Judging by the early returns, Peabody is a team to contend with in the Northeastern Conference/Small … and possibly beyond that.Mark Bettencourt, in his second year on the sideline, has Peabody off to a 3-0 start, and none of the games have been close, including last Saturday night?s 35-19 win at Danvers.If Peabody?s resurgence is a surprise, it shouldn?t be. The Tanners may have struggled last year, but there were signs all over the place that with a year of seasoning, this team would be ready for prime time. Doug Santos has been the mainstay thus far for Peabody, with five touchdowns and 269 rushing yards against English in Week 2; and three touchdowns and 239 yards a week later against Somerville.Classical is 2-1 (but 2-0 in the league), with the loss coming against a Marblehead team that looks as strong as any around. The Rams have two key skill players, Devin Crayton and running back Micah Dublin (a real find). They lost starting quarterback Eli McConney, but backup Matt Lauria filled in admirably in last week?s win at Salem.It would be tempting to just concede the title to whichever team wins that game, but that would not be a good idea, as neither team has played Winthrop, and the Vikings are also undefeated, with wins over Saugus, Swampscott and Revere. Winthrop may be the smallest school in the Northeastern Conference, but as we?ve seen many, many times, that doesn?t mean much. The Vikings have made a habit of outplaying the big boys time and again.Of course, with the new system, this could all be irrelevant. All three teams look as if they?re primed for post-season play whether nor not they win their leagues. But a league title still means something to the individual schools, even if it no longer matters when determining a state champion.From hereon out, the Catholic Central League will feature big games every week from now until the end of October. Both Fenwick and St. Mary?s won their league openers last weekend — the Crusaders against Arlington Catholic and the Spartans over Austin Prep — but there?s no rest for either. Cardinal Spellman will visit Donaldson Field in Peabody Friday while Archbishop Williams is at Manning Field.Of the six teams in the CCL/Large, Arlington Catholic seems to be the odd team out at the moment (meaning it?s the one that struggles more than the other five). As for the rest of them, any one of them could beat the other in any week.Saugus and St. John?s Prep came down to earth last weekend. Before the season started, if you saw Saugus on English?s schedule, you?d have probably concluded it was a very winnable game. After all, the two programs are in completely different places.But after English got off to an 0-2 start while Saugus successfully ran the ball all over creation, you wondered.But it went English?s way, and the Bulldogs got a much-needed win over the Sachems. And they have a chance to climb back to .500 in a rare night game Thursday at Blocksidge Field against Swampscott.And much like English the week before, the Big Blue are desperately in need of a win, as they?ve started the season 0-3, including last week?s Brooks Tyrrell show at Marblehead (seven touchdowns!!).The Prep had a pretty daunting first four games, on the road against Bridgewater-Raynham and Brockton; at home against defending champion Central Catholic; and back on the road last Saturday in Everett.After winning their first three, The Prep was the talk of the state, as new coach Brian St. Pierre had the Eagles off to a great start and had them as high as No. 2 in the EMass polls behind Catholic Conference rival Xaverian.But Everett proved to be The Prep?s undoing — as it so often has in the past.So now, the 3-1 Eagles are in Malden Friday ni