Eastern Mass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/30/14

Star defensive end/offensive tackle Joe Gaziano is one of the many reasons Xaverian is so tough in the trenches this year. The Northwestern commit also kicks and punts for the Hawks.

By Mike Uva (@mike_uva)

After three consecutive big wins, St. John's Prep finally fell victim to its brutal early schedule, losing at Everett on homecoming in our Game of the Week.

How would the Eagles' first defeat, and other action around the region, affect our Mike Uva's Power Rankings? Find out below.



Power Rankings

1. Xaverian: 3-0, 0-0 Catholic Conf. Division 1

Last Week: Defeated Barnstable 37-7

Xaverian’s Noah Sorrento and Kenny Kern may be the best one-two punch backfield in the state, as the duo combined for 282 yards rushing on 35 carries and rushed for four touchdowns this past weekend. Of the Hawks’ 47 offensive snaps, 42 were run plays, and 347 of their 369 yards on offense came on the ground.


2. Everett: 3-1, 0-0 GBL Division 1

Last Week: Defeated St. John’s Prep 34-23

When sophomore quarterback Jordan McAfee went down late in the first half, Everett turned to Lukas Dennis to lead the way. As a result, Everett went back to a very familiar offensive look, running their infamous double wing formation for most of the second half. Running back Nick Orekoya finished the afternoon rushing for 96 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns.


3. St. John’s Prep: 3-1, 0-0 Catholic Conf. Division 1

Last Week: Lost to Everett 34-23

The Eagles couldn’t slow down what they call Everett’s “super-toss” formation, and it led to the first loss under coach Brian St. Pierre. The question now is, how will SJP respond? The Eagles will open conference play Friday night when they travel to take on Malden Catholic.


4. Lowell: 4-0, 1-0 MVC Division 1

Last Week: Defeated Billercia 21-7

Lowell opened conference play in a big way, as running back Shy Cullen contributed with all three scores. The Red Raiders have looked dominate at times offensively this season and will need to continue to build on that heading into their bye week before traveling to take on Central Catholic on Oct. 10.


5. Central Catholic: 3-1, 1-0 MVC Division 1

Last Week: Defeated Andover 49-35

After losing to St. John’s Prep last week, the Red Raiders came back in a big way this past weekend. Quarterback Mike Milano rushed for three touchdowns and added another through the air. Of Central’s three wins this season, all have came in games in which they have scored more than 40 points. In fact, in that same span they’ve outscored their opponents 129 - 38.

In the Hunt: Holliston (4-0), Walpole (4-0), Brockton (2-1) Marblehead (4-0), Natick (3-0), Tewksbury (2-1)



Game of the Week

BC High at Brockton, Friday at 7pm

It’s not often that a “Game of the Week” here features teams who aren’t in the top-five. However, both teams are approaching the midway point of the season, and the question of who will be a contender and not a pretender, will certainly be answered.

Brockton has the talent to win this game but can they take care of business? They’re coming off an impressive win over Central Memorial, making them 1-1 on the season versus Catholic Conference teams, and will take on another CC team in BC High. This game should show what Brockton is going to be all about moving forward, as it’s another quality opponent who also has the ability to make a push at postseason play.

For BC High, they’ve been giving fans a roller coaster ride with last minutes heroics, but when will that ride come to an end? The Eagles need to play 44 minutes of football, something they’ve struggled mightily to do all season long. The task ahead versus Brockton is a large one but it should be a good indication of where BC High is at.