High School Football Week one picks

Frontier Football
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The High School football season has arrived and I can honestly say I will miss covering Friday Night Lights. Fortunately, we have blogs. So even though I won’t be at a game every Friday night (and sometimes Saturday), it won’t stop our coverage of High School sports. In week one, the western Massachusetts high school football scene has some intriguing matches this week. We break down our predictions for each matchup here:

Greenfield 30, Woodstock Academy, 26

The only thing I have to say about this game: RJ Byrd. Byrd ran for 1,571 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior for Greenfield in 2017. He’s back for his senior season and should lead Greenfield over Woodstock Academy.

West Springfield 24, Commerce 6

West Springfield graduated 20 players. Naturally, this would make anybody shy away. But West Springfield still has a strong team that should take down a Commerce team that finished 2017 with a 0-8-1 record.

Easthampton 27, Taconic 17

Easthampton is the better team. Nick Pellegrini and Quintin Baker-Cisero should continue to lead Easthampton this season.

Hoosac Valley 28, Mount Greylock 6

Hoosac Valley has one of the best quarterbacks in Michael Wellspeak. Wellspeak should lift Hoosac Valley over Mount Greylock, it becomes about Mount Greylock staying in this game. I don’t think Mount Greylock has what it takes this season.

Chicopee Comp 26, Plymouth South 24

Chicopee Comp’s Nathaniel LePage threw for 1,285 yards and seven touchdowns last year, while Isaias Gomez ran for five touchdowns. The duo is back this year and should help Chicopee Comp defeat Plymouth South.

Ware 18, Belchertown 6

Ware graduated a heavy senior class, which makes it seem possible that Belchertown takes this game. In what could be a toss-up, Ware played to a 10-1 record in 2017, while Belchertown played to a 3-8 record. Ware continues its 2017 success into week one.

Minnechaug 24, Longmeadow 22

This game is so close, it wouldn’t surprise me if either team won. Minnechaug made it to the western Massachusetts Division III finals against Central last year and return its starting quarterback Anthony Izzo. I give this one to Minnechaug because of that.

Northampton 18, Amherst 16

Both teams have a strong defense this season, but like most of the picks I’ve made, I have relied on the team’s offense. Northampton has the better quarterback in Tom Jacques, so Northampton gets the nod over Amherst.

Lincoln-Sudbury 34, Central 28

Central is probably the best team in western Massachusetts again this season after making it to the Division III state semi-final game in 2017. But North football tends to be the best football in Massachusetts and Lincoln-Sudbury should take this one.

Athol 24 Narragansett 22

Athol is the better team in this matchup, even though Narragansett defeated Athol 34-0 in the 2017 opener. Athol defeated Greenfield and Amherst in the second-half of 2017, which shows they overcame their struggles in the early stages of the season. Mason Barrieau should run the Red Raiders to victory.

Palmer 26, Quaboag 21

Palmer’s trio of Jeff Pardo, Joe Lombardi and Dan Ladue should take care of Quaboag on both sides of the ball.

Franklin Tech 24, Mohawk Trail 12

Franklin Tech had the better team in 2017 and will have the better team this season as well.

Abington 21, Central 20

This could end up the closest score of the weekend. Central seems like the better team, but like I said, the North tends to reign football.

Holyoke 20, Putnam 13

Holyoke returns several key players, which makes me believe they will defeat Putnam in this matchup.

Mahar 24, McCann Tech 12

Mahar has a lot of question marks this season, but they have the right week one matchup to start the season with a win. I predict Jon Gariepy to have four touchdowns in this game.

Lee 38, Turners Falls 34

Both teams have above average offenses, but Lee has the better quarterback in Homer Winston (1,068 yards, 15 touchdowns), which gives the edge to Lee.

Westfield 24, Ludlow 20

Westfield was much better than their 2-8 record in 2017. How much better? Enough to beat Ludlow in week one.

Frontier 24, Pittsfield 20

You never know what you will get from Berkshire County. Pittsfield played some close games last year, but I think Frontier has what it takes to defeat Pittsfield in week one.

Monument Mountain 28, Pathfinder 0

Not much to say expect that Monument Mountain should defeat Pathfinder.

Wahconah 35, Agawam 16

Agawam has a sneaky-good team, but Wahconah was one of the best teams in western Massachusetts in 2017, making it to the state semi-finals in 2017. They return all their offensive weapons, which gives the edge to Wahconah in week one.

East Longmeadow 26, South Hadley 22

East Longmeadow lost both of its top running backs, which will make the start of the season interesting for them, but I still think East Longmeadow is one of the better teams in western Massachusetts. I think they will find a way to defeat South Hadley in week one.

Smith Voc. 16, Drury 6

Drury wasn’t known for its football and will likely start its season off with a loss to Smith Voc.

Bonus pick:

Tyngsborough 21, Gardner 6. Gardner is my home town. Have to add them here.