Daily Item 2018 Thanksgiving Football Preview

THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL 2018 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 15
Fenway and Xaverian on Prep’s menu
By Harold Rivera
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR
Perhaps there’s no area team more
fortunate than St. John’s Prep, which
will play its next two games at professional
sports venues. It starts
Wednesday night when the Eagles
travel to Fenway Park to clash
against rival Xaverian for the Catholic
Conference title.
“It doesn’t need to be explained,” St.
John’s coach Brian St. Pierre said. “It
goes without saying at St. John’s. Xaverian’s
our biggest rival, football wise.
We’re playing for a Catholic Conference
title which means an awful lot.”
After playing Xaverian, the Eagles
will make their way to Gillette Stadium
on Saturday, Dec. 1 to battle
Catholic Memorial for the Division 1
state championship.
ST. JOHN’S PREP (9-1)
9/7................. St. John’s 43, Haverhill 14
9/14............... St. John’s 31, Cent. Cath. 12
9/22............... St. John’s 14, Everett 26
9/28............... St. John’s 42, Westford 0
10/6............... St. John’s 27, Cath. Mem. 20
10/13............. St. John’s 40, BC High 19
10/19............. St. John’s 30, Bridge-Ray 7
10/26............. St. John’s 41, Haverhill 0
11/2................ St. John’s 55, Acton-Box 28
11/10...............St. John’s 21, Cent. Cath. 0
11/21................vs. Xaverian (at Fenway Park, 5)
12/1................vs. Cath. Memorial (TBD)
“I think we’re incredibly fortunate,”
St. Pierre said. “The kids are excited, as
they should be. It’s a once in a lifetime
opportunity. This will be our second trip
to Fenway in three years but to play at
Gillette for a state title, to be afforded
that opportunity is extra special.”
Xaverian got the better of St. John’s
last Thanksgiving at Glatz Field, when
the Hawks blanked the Eagles 30-0.
“We laid an egg big time last year,”
St. Pierre said. “We weren’t a great
team. We had a ton of injuries. In past
years we’ve had tight games. Last
year’s game wasn’t a good game.”
Offensively, the Eagles are led by
quarterback Matt Crowley. A junior,
Crowley set the program record for
most passing yards in season during
the 21-0 win over Central Catholic in
the Division 1 North final. Running
back Trent Tully gets the bulk of the
carries. Receivers Max Freedman
and Wes Rockett are reliable threats
in the passing game.
Defensively, lineman James Taylor
takes care of the battle in the trenches.
Collin Taylor, James Hanley and
Pat Keefe have also made key contributions
defensively.
“I think offensively we have to
move the chains,” St. Pierre said. “We
have to score. We haven’t scored a lot
against them. We haven’t scored a lot
against them the last couple years.
Anytime you can control the ball
that’s a good thing. Defensively we’ve
been strong. Xaverian’s a good team.
They play everybody we play, they
play a tough schedule. It’ll be a huge
challenge defensively. We have to stop
their run game first and foremost.
“They’re typical Xaverian,” St.
Pierre added. “They’re very strong
both sides of the ball. Defensively
they challenge you. They’re big physically.
Offensively they like to run
the ball. They have a dual-threat
quarterback. They present a lot of
challenges. They’ve had our number.
We’ll really need to play well.”
St. Pierre said his Eagles will soak
in the moment when they take the
ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAKºº
Wes Rockett has made his senior year memorable at St. John’s.
field at Fenway but once the game
gets underway it’ll be business as
usual for both teams.
“We’ve been there before,” St. Pierre
said. “As a staff we know what to expect.
It’s a little unique. They put both
teams on the same sideline. There’ll be
a lot of big eyes, a lot of nervous excitement.
Once it starts, it’s a rivalry game
on Thanksgiving. I think our kids understand
there’ll be some early jitters
but once the game starts we’ll be fine.”
•
In other games Thursday, Salem is
at Beverly while Gloucester goes to
Danvers. Both games are at 10.
AND FOOTBALL
SO GOOD!
TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:
720 Lynnway, Lynn • 421 Broadway, Saugus
GO
TEAMS!