Football: Last regular-season weekend will settle playoff picture

The high school football team with the most to gain (or lose) isn’t playing this weekend.Saugus has wrapped up the regular portion of its schedule, and the Sachems will have to wait until Sunday morning before they know whether they’ll be traveling to parts unknown for playoff purposes or to play out the string.It all goes back to Saugus’ decision, as it re-entered the Northeastern Conference – to play an independent schedule this year in football and rejoin the NEC in total in 2015.Lo and behold, the Sachems have been a resounding success playing their schedule, but even though they are 5-2, and would appear to be safe, a lot of this is going to depend on what happens Friday and Saturday. If there are enough automatic bids (first- or second-place finishes within leagues) it could push the Sachems out of the running.One of the potential flies in the ointment is Swampscott. The Big Blue are in Division 4 – same as Saugus. If the Big Blue beat Beverly Saturday (and they are home), then they’d get an automatic bid for having finished second in the NEC/Large. That’s why last Friday night’s win by the Big Blue in Gloucester was huge.At any rate, the Friday night schedule includes Revere at Classical, Marblehead at English in the second of two regular-season Manning Field doubleheaders; Winthrop at Danvers (which could be a big game, depending on how it comes out); Fenwick at Wiliams, Ipswich at Lynnfield and Peabody at Salem.Marblehead at ClassicalAt Manning Field (5), simply put, the Rams need to win. And so does Revere.It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the Rams, with back-to-back losses to Winthrop and Danvers throwing an impediment into their post-season hopes.Currently, Classical sits at No. 7 in Division 2, and seems to be looking good. However, a win wouldn’t hurt, and the same goes for the Patriots. Revere is currently seventh in Division 3 Northeast, with Somerville and Gloucester nipping at its heals. The Fishermen are all done until the postseason, so nothing can change there. But a loss could hurt the Patriots.Marblehead at EnglishAt Manning Field (7:30), it’s been a nightmare season for the Bulldogs, who have won once – at Saugus – and have had a couple of excruciating defeats in the last three weeks … one at the hands of Swampscott and the other to Gloucester.Last week, Lucas Harris put on a show for the Bulldogs, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Beverly.Marblehead, 6-0, had a bye last week, but the Magicians have been rolling through their schedule with ease. Led by Brooks Tyrrell, Will Millett and Spencer Craig at quarterback, the Magicians look like one of the most formidable teams in Division 3 Northeast.Winthrop at DanversAt Dr. Deering Field (7), this could end up as a pretty fascinating finish if the right things happen. Should the Falcons spring the upset (and should Peabody defeat Salem) there would be a three-way tie for the top spot in the NEC/Small, which means all three teams are automatically in.Of course, Winthrop has been rolling along with a 6-0 record. But Danvers has won its last three, over Revere, Salem and Classical. A Danvers win – along with a Peabody win – would give the Falcons, Tanners and Vikings 4-1 records in the NEC/Small.Peabody at SalemAt Bertram Field (7), as stated above, a win coupled with a Danvers victory over Winthrop makes for a three-way tie and an automatic bid. Peabody is 5-1, and has certainly turned it around after a very difficult decade. Salem is still looking to give coach Matt Bouchard his first win.Ipswich at LynnfieldAt Lynnfield High (7:30), the Pioneers hope to finish strong after running off six straight wins thus far. They are currently third in Division 4, and have clinched a spot no matter what happens Friday thanks to their win over Hamilton-Wenham last week.Fenwick at WilliamsAt Williams (Braintree) (7), a win would make it 23 in a row for the Crusaders. It would also solidify them as the No. 1 seed in Division 5 North, and keep their hopes alive for a seco