WORCESTER—In addition to turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, the week of Thanksgiving also serves up a hearty helping of local high school football. Here’s a preview of what to look for in 10 games taking place in and around Worcester this week.
Wednesday, Nov. 26
North High (7-3) vs. South High (1-9) at 12 p.m. (at South High)
After beginning the season with only one win in its first four games, North has been on a hot streak winning six in a row coming into its annual showdown with the South High Colonels. The Polar Bears will be looking to avenge a 42-12 loss to South in 2024. The North offense is led by brothers Jason and Lucius Abban. Jason ranks among the top 10 rushers in all of Worcester County with 1,197 total yards (11.3 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns. Lucius leads the team with 11 touchdowns and has rushed for just under 500 yards. South’s only win of the season came on November 7 with a 33-0 shutout of Oakmont. Peyton Mosley has rushed for 661 yards on 99 carries with four touchdowns. Cyrus Johnson has chipped in with five touchdowns for the Colonels. North picks up an easy win here.
Pick: North
Abby Kelley (1-8) vs. Worcester Tech (5-5) at 12 p.m. (Foley Stadium)
Abby Kelley began the season with a dominant 40-6 win at Quaboag on September 5. However, since then it’s been a struggle for the Bears, who enter this game on an eight-game losing streak. It’s also been a bit of an up and down season for Worcester Tech. The Eagles won four of their first five games to open the season 4-1, but Tech enters the game on a three-game losing skid with its last win coming via a 17-0 shutout of Ayer Shirley back on Oct. 24. Eagles quarterback Ryan Gallagher commands the Tech offense with 1,319 yards passing and 15 touchdowns. He also leads the team in rushing with 546 yards including six touchdowns. Teammate Zach Braconnier has hauled in four of Gallagher’s touchdown passes. For the Bears, Loyan Nyarko leads the way with eight touchdowns on the season. Eagles over the Bears.
Pick: Worcester Tech
Malden Catholic (5-6) vs. St. John’s (5-5) at 6 p.m. (at St. John’s)
Both Malden Catholic and St. John’s enter this matchup winners of two of their last three games. Each team also has five wins on the season. Malden Catholic fell 21-13 at King Phillip Regional in the Division 3 state semifinals on Nov. 22. St. John’s edged Wachusett in a 36-35 thriller at home on Nov. 14. The Pioneers fell 30-7 at Malden Catholic last season. St. John’s has a dynamic passing attack with a duo of sharp receivers in Cole DiPersio and
Keegan Spaulding who have combined for 60 receptions, 10 touchdowns and 1,069 yards. Quarterback Brad Perry has also been an impressive part of the air attack with 1,545 passing yards and 12 throwing touchdowns. Liam Deso leads the ground game with 697 yards rushing and five touchdowns. This one is a toss up, but St. John’s prevails at home where the Pioneers have gone 4-1 this fall.
Pick: St. John’s
St. Paul (2-7) vs. St. Bernard’s (5-5) at 6 p.m. (at St. Bernard’s)
St. Paul heads north to Fitchburg to take on St. Bernard’s under the lights on Wednesday night. The Knights have only managed to win two games this season, the second of which came in their last game with a 21-0 shutout at Southbridge on November 15. Bradyden Lizewski has accounted for 583 yards of total offense with four touchdowns. St. Bernard’s won four of its first six games but has now lost three of its last four. On offense, the Bernardians are led by quarterback Caleb LaFrieniere who has accounted for 26 touchdowns and 1,599 yards of total offense. Running back Jeremiah Williams handles the ground game with 11 touchdowns and 391 rushing yards. St. Bernard’s top receiver is Nathan Kavanaugh who has caught seven TD passes while racking up 329 receiving yards. St. Bernard’s prevails at home.
Pick: St. Bernard’s
Thursday, Nov. 27
Doherty (5-5) vs. Burncoat (4-6) at 10 a.m. (Foley Stadium)
Although starting the season 0-3, Doherty has rebounded to go 4-1 in its last five games including a 32-12 win at Algonquin on November 14. More importantly, the Highlanders went a perfect 3-0 in league games to finish atop the Central Mass Athletic Conference in the A Division. Burncoat also went winless in its first three games but the Patriots have bounced back to win three of their last five. Doherty running back Andre Perkins has amassed 853 yards and has scored 13 touchdowns. The Highlanders also have Ryan Dennis (451 yards and seven TDs), one of the top receivers in the region. Quarterback Connor Gentilucci has thrown for 1,262 yards and nine touchdowns. On the Burncoat side, Marcus Dascelin has eight rushing touchdowns and has run for 914 yards. Quarterback Noah Koza has thrown for 524 yards and eight touchdowns. This game is a tough one to call, but Doherty gets the nod at Foley.
Pick: Doherty
Oxford (3-7) vs. Millbury (4-6) at 10 a.m. (at Millbury)
Oxford and Millbury both come into this game on a losing trend. The Pirates have lost five games in a row while the Woolies have dropped six of their last seven. Millbury’s strength is clearly its passing game with the impressive one-two punch of quarterback Matteus Mateo and wide receiver Aiden Phillipo. Mateo ranks second in Central Mass with 2,141 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. Phillipo is the top receiver in the region with 1,244 yards, 64 receptions and 12 touchdowns. Running back Anthony Hernandez has 740 yards rushing with eight touchdowns. Oxford’s Jack Grenier has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and has crossed the goal line 15 times. Millbury’s aerial attack will be too much for the Pirates to overcome in this matchup.
Pick: Millbury
Leominster (7-3) vs. Fitchburg (2-8) at 10 a.m. (at Fitchburg)
Leominster has won five of its last six games with its lone loss during that span coming to St. John’s Prep of Danvers in the quarterfinals of the Division 1 state tournament. The high-powered Blue Devils offense is led by quarterback Osiris Lopez, the top passer in Central Mass (2,362 yards, 34 touchdowns). Lopez is also a threat to run with the ball (815 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns). His top target is receiver Zackery Oliver (694 yards receiving, 9 touchdowns). Fitchburg began the season 0-7 before earning victories over Monument Mountain and Ayer-Shirley. Leominster takes a decisive win in this classic cross-town rivalry.
Pick: Leominster
Shrewsbury (4-5) vs. Wachusett (7-3) at 10 a.m. (at Wachusett)
Wachusett won seven of its first eight games but has dropped its last two to Andover and St. John’s. Shrewsbury enters the game having lost three of its last four. The Mountaineers feature a well-rounded offense led by quarterback Thomas Anderson who has thrown for 1,478 yards and 14 touchdowns. Eight of Anderson’s TD passes have gone to receiver Luke Vecchione (687 yards receiving). Jack Smith bolsters the running game with 735 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. For Shrewsbury, running back Thomas Dowling and quarterback Drew Vincequere have combined for 12 rushing touchdowns and more than 800 yards. Vincequere has also thrown four touchdowns. Wachusett’s offense overpowers Shrewsbury in Holden.
Pick: Wachusett
Maynard (4-6) vs. West Boylston (9-2) at 10 a.m. (at West Boylston)
West Boylston is in the midst of an unprecedented championship run. The Lions will once again play in the Division 8 Super Bowl game against Randolph at Gillette Stadium on December 6 at 10 a.m. The Lions are seeking their fourth consecutive state title. Dominick Renzoni has been one of the most impressive running backs in the state this season, scorching defenses for 2,186 yards and a school-record 36 touchdowns. The only teams to beat West Boylston this fall are Clinton and Hudson, with both of those teams turning in strong showings in the state tournament. Maynard’s offense is led by running back Tommy Lawton (510 yards rushing, 4 touchdowns) and quarterback Connor Noble (422 yards passing and 7 touchdowns). West Boylston continues its winning ways in this one with victory number 10.
Pick: West Boylston
David Prouty (8-1) vs. Leicester (7-3) at 10:15 a.m. (at Leicester)
David Prouty went a perfect 8-0 before suffering a lopsided 63-6 loss to Cathedral (Boston) in the first round of the Division 8 tournament on Nov. 7. Leicester has won four of its last five games, including a 41-20 win over Bartlett on Nov. 14.
Prouty running back Fred Neiray sets the tone for the Panthers on offense (1,163 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns) while receivers Tyler Stone and Patrick Hart have combined for eight touchdown catches. Prouty quarterback Owen Granger has thrown for 806 yards and 12 touchdowns. Leicester uses a run-heavy offense with Jeremiah Kinsumba serving as the top ball carrier (1,091 yards rushing, 18 touchdowns). In a back and forth game, Leicester ultimately comes away with the win at home.
Pick: Leicester
Mike Vigneux is a freelance writer in Worcester with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of municipal government, communications, and public relations. An avid fan of all sports, Mike enjoys telling the stories of local athletes and their teams. He holds two degrees from Clark University, a bachelor of arts in Communication and a master of science in Professional Communication. He can be reached at Mikevigs@gmail.com
