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It’s been another successful foray into the playoffs for the South Shore, with 10 area teams still standing as the MIAA enters its state semifinal round.
With a representative remaining in seven of the eight divisions, things could be headed towards yet another busy Super Bowl weekend at Gillette.
There is still one more test to pass before that, however, and for many area teams, it’s a familiar one.
The results on said test have been mixed, but whether its repeat or revenge on the minds of local players, the goal remains the same – survive and advance.
Six Final Four matchups in the area feature some element of a rematch. Next weekend’s action will see three rematches of 2023 Super Bowl games, two instances of a recurrent semifinal matchup, and one meeting between league rivals for the second time this season.
Refrigerator section is fully stocked this weekend, and there will be no shortage of juice heading into some big time matchups.
Super Bowl Rematches
Division 2: (3) Marshfield vs (2) King Philip
Last year, Marshfield’s offense came into Gillette humming. The Rams put up 52 points in their Final Four victory, as they became the first public school to beat Catholic Memorial in six seasons. To the outside, they looked like world-beaters. Peel back the curtains, though, and they were a battered team with key players nursing injuries, including star tailback Davin True.
LISTEN: Marshfield focused on week to week in bid to return to Gillette
After scoring on their opening possession, Marshfield watched as KP took control of the game, doing little to stop the Warriors as they ran to a 42-14 victory.
Neither team lost a great deal of talent from last year’s Super Bowl squads. With health seemingly on the upswing this year, this game will be a question of whether Marshfield has the horses to keep up with the Warriors this go-round.
Division 5: (2) Hanover vs (3) Foxborough
Hanover was soundly defeated as well last year in their D5 Super Bowl meeting with Foxborough. This game had a different tenor, however, as it almost felt as though the Hawks cheated themselves out of a chance.
Hanover entered the game down star two-way captain Mekhi Bryan, putting their backs against the wall from the outset. Then, in a five-minute stretch from late in the first quarter to early in the second, Hanover had three turnovers, including two baffling fumbles, and a backwards punt that gave Foxboro short fields and quickly turned a 7-7 game into a 28-7 runaway. It was an extreme Shane Falco-quicksand moment, and it took Hanover out of the title game.
Last year’s Bill Wilhelm Award winner Ben Scalzi is gone, as are top weapons Bryan, John McDonald, and Vinny Mancini. But as it was for last year’s group, it’s been next man up for the Hawks this season, as the cupboard of stars has replenished, with names like Tyler Vincent, Aidan Boutin, Ben Johnson, Brandon Errico, and Sebastian Brown ready to get some vengeance against the Warriors.
Division 8: (3) Carver vs (2) West Boylston
Following the trend, after an incredible season, returning to the postseason and eventually the state title game for the first time in 20 years, the Carver Crusaders fell on the wrong side of things in last year’s D8 final.
The story is less juicy in this one: Carver just simply got outmuscled. After taking the early lead, the Crusaders gave up 41 unanswered and over 400 yards of offense to West Boylston, 350+ of which came on the ground.
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Then coach Ben Shuffain said after the game that “Carver is a football town now” after their improbable return to the Super Bowl. Still, after graduating 16 seniors including program record holders in passing and receiving Tyler Lennox and Robbie Peterson, and Shuffain to his alma mater Sharon in June, most would’ve doubted Carver would be back here a year later.
First year head coach Chris Pabst has done an incredible job with a new cast, however, and along with star QB Jack Balzarini has the Crusaders on the precipice of a return to Gillette.
Shuffain also said after last year’s Super Bowl loss that “one more year in the weight room [might’ve] changed things.” As Carver prepares to meet the Lions again, we’ll see if that statement proves prescient.
Final Be-Four
Division 4: (1) Duxbury vs (5) Tewksbury
The Dragons are the mark of excellence not just in their division, but perhaps in the entire state. Duxbury has reached four straight Super Bowls, extending their season to the final day of the year again and again. The last time they were stopped short of Gillette? 2018. A year in which they met Tewksbury in the state semifinals.
That year, Tewksbury ended their bid for a perfect season in the state semis, knocking off then 11-0 Duxbury 29-21, intercepting John Roberts III at the 10 yard line to trounce comeback bid.
There are few programs more goal-oriented and distraction-proof than Duxbury. Even last year heading into a Super Bowl matchup with Scituate, you wouldn’t hear a single player talking about getting revenge for the 2021 Super Bowl loss to the Sailors.
Still, for the staff and the rest of the town that were around for 2018, last year’s 19-7 win over Tewksbury in the Final Four must have tasted a touch sweeter.
The Redmen gave Duxbury its tightest game of the 2023 postseason, and the Dragons look vulnerable this year after narrowly surviving 8 seed Canton’s upset bid in the quarterfinals.
We’ll see if they have enough in the tank to take the rubber match in this seven-season semifinals series.
Division 4: (2) Scituate vs (3) Grafton
Same division. Same round. Another rematch.
Last year, Scituate and Grafton met on the turf at Mansfield High, with the 7 seed Sailors beating the 6 seed Gators 20-10 to return to Gillette. Defense was the story, as either side stymied the other’s high-powered offense, playing the final two quarters to a scoreless draw.
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Where Duxbury has looked fallible in these playoffs, the Sailors have looked unstoppable. Will Grafton provide the first true test of these playoffs, or will it be smooth sailing back to Gillette for Scituate.
Rivalry Rekindled
Division 1: (2) BC High vs (3) Xaverian
Our lone meeting of conference foes on semifinal weekend features two Catholic Conference sides.
The Eagles got the better of the Hawks in Round 1 with a 30-13 win over the Boston Herald’s preseason state #1 last month.
LISTEN: Recapping the 2023 MIAA Super Bowls
It was BC High’s first win in the annual contest since 2019, and just their third win over Xaverian in the last 13 meetings.
While an impressive Needham unit looks strong on the other side of the bracket, the expectation is still that St John’s Prep will be waiting once again for the winner of this matchup. Will Xaverian get a chance to make it back to back titles, or will first year head coach Paul Zukauskas bring BC High back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2011.
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