Pigskin Picks

Big APOLOGY!
Before we get to Football, my sincere apologies for not including Ted Geotis and Jim "Spartzy" Pizzetti as part of the original Gerry Canty Basketball League. Both were a big part of the group and you could count on both of them participating on a regular basis. Geotis was also a key factor in the transition of the Webster Men’s Softball League in the early 70’s as full uniforms were instituted along with modified rules. Pizzetti received more perfect attendance awards than anybody in the Canty league. Both were unselfish although Spartzy could heave the long ones up when he put his mind to it.

Another 3 pointer who missed the list was Don "Duck" Deary. Deary was on the Bartlett basketball team in the 70’s and did not get much playing time. He was a self proclaimed 1,000 point scorer. He would count his points in the pre game lay up lines every game and the pre game shoot-arounds. Deary told me he scored over 1,000 points in his career and should be nominated to the Bartlett Hall of Fame. The Duck was also a very good golfer. By the way, the Canty column made its way all over the country the past three weeks according to Canty. Just goes to show you that the best things in life cost nothing.

High school football

The local High School football season started last season with Shepherd Hill and Bay Path backing up their pre season reviews.

Shepherd Hill thumped a Westboro team that forgot to get off the bus, by a 38-22 score. The Rams scored 30 points in the second quarter and could of put 70 points on the board. Was Wesboro kidding us? How can that program be so down? Please don’t take this the wrong way, Shepherd Hill had a great first game and deserves credit for their preparation and hard work, but their opponent was pretty clueless all game.

On Saturday, Bay Path proved to be too strong against a feisty Oxford team in Charlton. Bay Path opened up as advertised and blocked and tackled their way to victory. First year Oxford coach Mike Adams unfortunately coached his first Central Mass. game against Al Dhembe. I like what I hear out of Oxford and Adams will turn the Pirate ship in the right direction. Coaching against a Dhembe team in your first game is no bargain.

Can somebody please help me out with the Six Divisions in Central Mass. Football? Really? Is this Texas? California? That means 24 Central Mass. teams play after Thanksgiving Day. Do 24 teams really deserve to be playing football after Thanksgiving? Does everybody have to get a trophy to be happy?

THE OXFORD INSURANCE PLAYERS OF THE GAME GO TO BAY PATH’S JOHN VIDAL AND ANTHONY BAEZ FOR THEIR EFFORTS AGAINST OXFORD LAST SATURDAY.

THE OXFORD INSURANCE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK GOES TO LINEBACKER JOSH ST. LAURENT FOR HIS OUTSTANDING DEFENSE.

BARTLETT OVER QUABOAG AT QUABOAG

FRIDAY 7 PM

The hometown Indians can’t afford to look in the rear view mirror and try to figure out what happened in Whitinsville last week. Northbridge is going to defend their Division 4 Super Bowl in December. Bartlett has a chance to even their record against Quaboag on Friday. The Indians have to take it one practice at a time and utilize their practices to get better every day. Quaboag won two games last year and is really still in their infancy playing football for only a couple of seasons. I like and trust the Indians OC and DC. Those two have battled their whole life and always found a way to win. Time for Bartlett’s quarterback Rick Spooner to step up and have fun, and running back Akeem Belnavis to have a coming out party on Friday night to the tune of 125 rushing yards. The offensive line has size and experience led by center Mina Zaky and three others who tip the scales over 250 pounds. Sounds like a football team to me.

SHEPHERD HILL over ST. PETER’S

AT ANNA MARIA SATURDAY 7 PM

ON RADIO AM 940 WGFP

PLEASE JOIN MATT MORWAY AND PETE GEANIS FOR THE PLAY BY PLAY AND COLOR COMMENTARY.PRE GAME BEGINS AT 6:45 P.M.

A very close game last year in Dudley that SP won 27-20.This is a real legit Division 2 game. Both teams are good and both teams lost a lot through graduation. The Rams are big and strong up front and the double wing has added a dimension this year with veteran quarterback Drew Ravenelle acting like a running back. He scored two touchdowns against Westboro last week. Shepherd Hill has speed in Brad Picard, Jesse DiTommasso, Jake Gelb, and Matt Vertucci. Linemen Chris Dutting and Sophomore Chris Lindstrom have been steady so far along with veteran center Josh Ponce de Leon and tackle Matt Petrelli. SP is quick, and jumped all over Fitchburg in the first half last week and won 20-0. Westboro and Fitchburg should be ashamed of themselves for such a poor showing in their openers. Even though it’s game 2 for Shepherd Hill and St. Peter’s, it really is the opener for both as they face stiffer competition. Should be a good one in Paxton.

OXFORD over SOUTH AT OXFORD FRIDAY 7 PM ON RADIO AM 940 WGFP PRE GAME 6:45 PM PLEASE JOIN MATT MORWAY AND PETE GEANIS

Attention all Pirates. South has their old sheriff back in Coach Jerry Snay who is 31-37 at South. These are Hall of Fame numbers considering South’s football history. Snay is a good one and he relates to the kids at South. Oxford has to find an answer for South’s running back Frank Ansah. Frank is following his older brothers at South and he is a scorcher. Just ask Worcester Tech. Ansah ran and ran and ran all over the Bulldogs last week. I am looking for good things at Oxford this Friday night.

BAY PATH over WEST BOYLSTON AT MUGGET HILL IN CHARLTON SATURDAY AT NOON

Not so fast all you Minutemen. The Lions beat you last year 21-14 and they wacked Lunenburg to the tune of 38-12 in their opener last week. Lunenburg is a Division 4 school who beat Narragansett last year. Narragansett beat Shepherd Hill in a scrimmage this year. What does all this mean? Proceed with caution and have a good week of practice. My sources tell me that the offensive line at Bay Path is the biggest Coach Al Dhembe has ever had up there by the Overlook. Coach Dhembe, keep those linemen away from those fancy lunches that are served daily at your school. Let the wide receivers dip their heads in the trough once in a while. Look for Bay Path to win this one on defense.

THE REST OF SOUTH COUNTY

AUBURN over HOLLISTON....SOUTHBRIDGE over VALLEY TECH.....DOHERTY over TANTASQUA

LAST WEEK’S PREDICTIONS: 4-0