With two weeks to go until the high school football pairings are announced, it’s time to take a look at the rankings in all eight divisions. We’re paying particular attention to Division 3, as Classical and English, both undefeated, are ranked 1-2 respectively, but let’s take it group by group.
To make this easy to understand, each team has its own point value, which is based on its own record and its strength of schedule (taking into account wins and losses of opponents, and whether those opponents are in upper or lower divisions).
Division 1
There’s actually a pretty good race going on between Everett and Central Catholic, both of which are 5-0. The Crimson Tide are first with an 18.25 rating and the Raiders are second at 17.80.
Of the teams in our area, St. John’s Prep is fifth (10.76) and Malden ninth (3.72, well behind the last team that’ll make the cut (if the seeds were drawn today): Acton-Boxborough.
Division 2
Unless No. 8 Woburn crashes and burns, there’s little chance for Peabody to move up. The No. 9 Tanners have a 5.80 rating, 3½ points behind the other Tanners.
North Andover and Masconomet are duking it out for second and third, with Lincoln-Sudbury right now the top seed.
Medford rests at No. 11, well behind the pack.
Division 3
As we mentioned, Classical and English are 1-2 here. Before this week, the Bulldogs were actually third behind 4-1 Tewksbury. But their victory over previously-unbeaten Swampscott picked them up some serious points. Now, all the Big Blue have to do is keep on winning so that their point value doesn’t go down.
If things remain what they are, and both teams keep winning, they’d face each other in the North final, a mere week-and-a-half before the Thanksgiving Day game. I’m not sure yet how I feel about that, but it is what it is. We’ll get through it.
Elsewhere in the Division, Danvers is rated fifth and Malden Catholic eighth. There are some tough teams in this division, including Billerica. Beverly sits at No. 9, a point-and-a-half behind MC.
Division 4
This is a case where an undefeated team (Marblehead) is actually third, behind 4-1 Wilmington. This seems bizarre until you realize that the Magicians played three straight games against teams with but one victory each, and a fourth (Malden) with none. And opening-week foe Dracut only has two. That doesn’t do much for your overall rating.
Sitting on top of Division 4 is Melrose, most assuredly aided by its opening-week win over Masconomet.
Also in play is Gloucester at No. 4. Revere ninth, but well behind No. 8 Wakefield.
Division 5
Lynnfield and Swampscott are in a flat-footed tie at No. 1, both with 14 ratings, despite the Big Blue’s loss last week to English.
This is the opposite of the Marblehead situation. English sits two divisions higher than Swampscott, and even though the Blue lost, the Bulldogs’ point value is still high. So in terms of rankings, it wasn’t a terrible loss.
Saugus is ninth, but just over a full point behind No. 8 Bedford.
Division 6
Again, the vagaries of the ratings system put Salem — which is having its best season in more than a decade — in the seventh spot despite its 4-1 record. And once again, this has to do with opponents’ point value. Should Salem manage to beat English and Classical in its final two games, the Witches would catapult to the top echelon.
Elsewhere in Division 6, Bishop Fenwick is 10th and Winthrop 11th.
Division 7
To the surprise of no one, St. Mary’s is No. 1 here, more than two points up on Lowell Catholic. There’s no doubt that the last two weeks’ victories over Cardinal Spellman and Arlington Catholic had much to do with the distance the Spartans have put between themselves and Lowell.
Mystic Valley is No. 11.
Division 8
Lynn Tech, 5-0, is second, a fraction of a point behind Cathedral, which has a loss. A win Saturday over Northeast Regional, which is in Division 6 and has a 2-3 record, might help move the Tigers up to the top.
Not only is this the Year of the Quarterback on the North Shore, with the likes of Keith Ridley, Calvin Johnson, Colin Frary, Matt Mortellite and Matt Severance leading the way, it’s also the the year of the young quarterback. Both Revere and St. John’s Prep have turned their offenses over to youngsters. Calvin Boudreau, a freshman, has filled the gap behind center in Revere, and helped the Patriots win their first game of the season Friday night in beating Medford.
And sophomore Matt Crowley came in to relieve Mike Yarin, who was injured, three weeks ago when St. John’s Prep lost to Everett. Crowley was so impressive that coach Brian St. Pierre decided that the future was now, inserting Crowley as the starter and moving Yarin to wide receiver.
The Prep is 2-0 since, and Crowley hooked up with Yarin Friday night at Catholic Memorial for a touchdown. He’ll have his biggest test yet when the Eagles play at BC High Friday night.
There must be something about quarterbacks named Matt.
