I grew up in the football-crazed town of North Attleboro. The expression “kings of the school” couldn’t have been more true.
Oh, I wasn’t one of them (picture more of a Peter Parker), but I loved those guys.
The reason I’m sharing is because they were all my friends, and I knew how hard they worked behind the scenes.
The North Shore is the exact same way. These kids work very, very hard. I remember covering a baseball game at Fraser Field back in April. Across the parking lot at Manning Field, football players from Lynn were giving it their all on a random Saturday.
It just doesn’t stop around here.
Well, come Friday night, they get to show the fans what they’ve been working on. Some got bigger, others got faster, and others, well, we don’t even know.
Let’s take a look at some players who could be poised for strong seasons.
I’m going to start with Eli Batista, a senior at Peabody. I watched him at the 7v7 games at Fenwick High this summer, and he might be the most competitive player on this list.
When others go 100 percent, he goes 110. Batista looks for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons this fall, and he caught 14 touchdowns last year. Who knows? Maybe he looks for 20.
Next, Tyler Guy of St. Mary’s. He’s only halfway through his high school football career, and the junior could really break out this fall.
Guy is a dual-threat quarterback at its finest, throwing for 727 yards last year alongside four rushing touchdowns. He’s now a Super Bowl champion after playing superb in the state tournament.
I envision a 1,000-yard season for him to go with a few hundred yards on the ground.
Isaiah Rodriguez of Saugus is a joy to watch. I recommend getting over to the school to watch this guy.
You know when some people are just naturals? That’s him with football. In just his first year with the sport as a junior, he hauled in 43 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now, he’s a senior, and Saugus has a lot of returners this fall. I see five wins, and a 1,000-yard season for Rodriguez.
St. John’s Prep will be led by a chunk of returners, too, including Edwin Castro who suited up at quarterback, receiver, defensive back, linebacker, and kick returner for English last fall.
Similarly to Rodriguez, he found a new role last year. He started as a receiver, then moved to quarterback in week 5. From that point on, he scored a touchdown in all but one game. He also rushed for 100 yards against Chelsea, Somerville, and Boston Latin.
After an 0-4 start, English found its rhythm to finish the season 5-6. That said, St. John’s Prep just got better.
Lastly, Tyren Hoeun, a sophomore at Classical. He racked up 154 carries for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. Now, he’s got more experience, familiarity, and another offseason under his belt.
Hoeun is a good mix of speed and strength. He loves the sport, too, and is a fun interview.
Man, is it Friday yet?
