Tuesday Morning Quarterback: Some Lynn teams still alive

Considering all four Lynn teams took it on the chin Friday night, it?s amazing to discover that as of Monday ? and without considering the possibilities that might arise from this week?s results ? two of them would be in the playoffs if they started now.Classical sits at the No. 7 spot in Division 2 despite its 2-4 record; and St. Mary?s is tied at sixth in Division 5 despite having lost its last three games.It goes without saying, though, that it would behoove both teams ? Classical Friday night at home against Revere; and St. Mary?s Saturday vs. Arlington Catholic ? to wrap up the regular season with wins.Classical?s position would seem to be better, as there?s exactly one point that separates the Rams from Lynn English, which is ninth. The gap is smaller in Division 5, where Madison Park and St. Mary?s are tied with 9.33 points, with Greater Lawrence at No. 8 (8.80) and Austin Prep ninth (8.50).Tech is at No. 9 in Division 6, having missed an opportunity to qualify automatically by losing last week to Mystic Valley.However, the Tigers still have a shot. They?ll get a healthy uptick if they beat Chelsea Saturday night, and, as coach James Runner notes, “a lot of the teams right above us have tough games this weekend. It could still work out for us.”uDivision 4 is rather curious. Swampscott is tied at eighth with Hamilton-Wenham and has done a terrific job of salvaging its season. A win over Beverly Saturday could give the Big Blue the second spot in the Northeastern Conference/Large, and an automatic bid.Saugus is 5-2, and because the Sachems have gone independent for this season, they will have to qualify as an at-large. They should be all right ? they?re a shade over four points better than the both Swampscott and Hamilton-Wenham. They?re also off this week, as are Gloucester and St. John?s Prep (No. 1 at the moment in Division 1).uElsewhere, Winthrop holds down the No. 1 spot in Division 4 North and Peabody is No. 4 in Division 1; and Danvers is No. 6 in Division 3 Northeast. We lump these together because the NEC/Small has a rather curious situation brewing.Winthrop travels to Danvers Friday night and this is no given. The Falcons have won three straight, and appear to have left their early-season woes far behind. The Falcons suffered losses to Marblehead, Beverly and Peabody. A win over Winthrop, coupled with a victory by Peabody over Salem, would give all three teams a 4-1 league record. Also, should this happen, all three teams would be 1-1 against the other two ? which would indicate a tiebreaker is in order. This is why nobody from the NEC/Small has qualified automatically even though Winthrop is 6-0 and Peabody 5-1.uThere has been no shortage of excellent performances by athletes other than Brooks Tyrrell of Marblehead and Bishop Fenwick?s Rufus Rushins (which isn?t to say they haven?t both been phenomenal as they certainly have).But this isn?t a two-person area. Peabody?s Doug Santos has had some huge games, and Saugus has the proverbial double-headed hydra in Dan Cacciola and quarterback Justin Winn.Winn, in particular, has come on strong for the Sachems, who ? with five wins ? are having one of their best seasons in over a decade.Also, Lucas Harris of English has pretty much carried that team. He was immense in the game English won (over Saugus) and was a one-man wrecking crew last Saturday against Beverly. However, the Panthers had a team full of wrecking crews ? and needed them all to respond to him.Then there?s Ollie Eberth of St. John?s Prep ? a transfer from Andover and a real find for first-year coach Brian St. Pierre. Eberth threw six touchdown passes against Catholic Memorial two weeks ago, and tossed two more against BC High. The Prep?s Jake Burt, a BC commit, has had a season at tight end worthy of his status ? and receiver Owen Rockett completes the troika.uTwo games to keep an eye on this weekend: St. Mary?s at Arlington Catholic; and Chelsea at Tech. The Cougars have had are 4-2 and seem save in Div