Peter's Fall Sports

Welcome High School football fans as we look with anticipation to the 2012 pigskin season that will be full of excitement.

Today, all the local teams are undefeated and after two weeks of preseason sweat, hope now becomes the main criteria for every player and coach. Winning this weekend is the only option. It’s been a long grinding off season. It’s time to put up and shut up. Srimmages are in the rear view mirror and the dress rehearsals are complete.

This weekend is the real deal to put the final product on the field with all the bells and whistles. Not winning this weekend is heartbreak city. All of a sudden, specialty teams become special and offensive linemen become the key ingredient on the opening drive. The defense will be chanting "3 and out" all week, and the offense will comeback with "keep moving the chains." Fumbles and interceptions are bad things that should only happen after midnight. And yes, it is all up to mother nature anyway. If she rains on the parade, you can throw the playbook out the window.

If you listen to Bay Path coach Al Dhembe, he will preach that, "if you block and tackle" you have a chance no matter what happens. Some teams will be in over their heads this weekend, while others will thank the schedule makers. Make no mistake about the opening weekend in high school football, there is nothing like it because it involves everybody and it is the key to every community. So get out there and show some pride and encourage your team on to victory.

Once again, the Oxford Insurance Agency will be recognizing the player of the week and the lineman of the week every weekend. These players will be chosen from the radio game of the week provided by AM 940 WGFP and the voice of south county high school sports, Matt Morway. Joining Morway in the press box again is his longtime partner and Gardner hall of famer Pete Geanis. Geanis is always upbeat and positive to both teams while Morway will lean to the south county teams. There is nothing wrong with being loyal and Morway is a great mouthpiece for the local athletes. Please visit the website of www.oxfordinsurance.com to keep up to date with the players and linemen of the week. You can also check out the previous three years of winners.

The Bartlett Indians have a veteran team covering the hometown Injuns on the town of Webster’s cable TV simulcast feature. The voices of the Bartlett Indians are Ted Avlas and Ed Kunkel Jr. This pair have won many awards over the years for their style, knowledge, and enthusiasm covering the Indians and other teams for the last 30 years.The Indians have been their main event lately. This crew can multi task by letting the viewers know about the complete history of the Bartlett football tradition. Kunkel is also one of the better x and o communicators as he can simplify the offense and defense to the listeners in a very understanding way. Avlas is precise with the play by play and lets Kunkel do his color commentary. Their timing is effective and easy to follow.

THE OXFORD INSURANCE AGENCY
GAME OF THE WEEK

OXFORD (0-0) at BAY PATH (0-0)

SATURDAY NOON

Radio coverage: AM940 WGFP, kickoff at noon,

pre-game 11:45 a.m.

Play by play by Matt Morway and

color by Pete Geanis

Bay Path is looking to defend their 2011 Super Bowl title and Oxford is the new breath of fresh air in the area.Oxford has a brand new coaching staff that has blue collar Pennsylvania roots. That spells toughness and discipline.Bay Path has tradition and they have been tough and disciplined for the last 21 years. This is a very interesting match up because it’s the veteran coaching of Bay Path versus the first year staff at Oxford. Bay Path is at home and has looked good in pre-season while Oxford takes a 10 minute jaunt up to Muggett Hill and the Pirates have played tough in the pre-season scrimmages. Bay Path has too many horses for Oxford in this one.

BAY PATH over OXFORD.

BARTLETT (0-0) at NORTHBRIDGE (0-0)

FRIDAY 7 p.m.

Delayed TV Broadcast on Webster’s cable.

Announcers Ted Avlas and Ed Kunkel Jr.

The schedule makers have been very unkind to the hometown Indians over the last three years. In 2010, Bartlett opened up against a loaded David Prouty team and last year Northbridge came to Webster. The 2012 edition of the Indians really needs some time before they can play with a kingpin like Northbridge. Bartlett lost just about everybody from last year’s team that was in the hunt for a playoff spot until an injury at Southbridge on Thanksgiving morning. Time to get the young Indians ready is a key.They have Quaboag next week, but getting out of Northbridge healthy on Friday night will actually be the key to their season. Northbridge will throw it until they get 42 points on the board.

NORTHBRIDGE over BARTLETT

WESTBOROUGH (0-0) at SHEPHERD HILL (0-0) THURSDAY 7 p.m.

Live TV Charter Channel 3

The common theme for this game is both teams played their last regular season game last year on a Thursday, which was Thanksgiving. Could this be the first ever home Thursday night game for Shepherd Hill? The Rams actually kick off the 2012 season with this opener at home. Westborough is a great matchup for the Rams. I have always said that both schools are looking at each other in the mirror from almost every aspect of the way they do things on and off the field. Same type of athlete, same type of household, they have a lot in common. Shepherd Hill won last year in a close game on a very hot Saturday afternoon on Route 9. The Rams are very capable again this year and have scrimmaged very well against Shewsbury and St. John’s. They tell me that the interior lines for Shepherd Hill are big and strong this year. Shepherd Hill in a close one.

SHEPHERD HILL over WESTBOROUGH

SHREWBURY (0-0) AT AUBURN (0-0) Friday 7 p.m.

Auburn is the giant in south county and has proved it for almost a decade. Great athlete, great coaching and a great system. Their complex is second to none and their location is about as centralized as it can get. Hard work has equaled much success for the Rockets and deservedly so. This program doesn’t like to lose, but who really wants to lose. Are they the number one team in Central Mass? They are pretty close, but the schedule makers will never let us know. They are the best in their Division.

AUBURN over SHREWSBURY