EmassSports.com
This is a combined TOP 20 poll using information gathered from Maxpreps.com, calpreps.com and hssinsight.com. Once the season gets under way the Boston Herald "Sweet 16", the Boston Globe, highschoolsports.net and masslive will be added to the equation in an attempt to get an ultimate Top 20.
Without further ado here is the TOP 20 and their opponent this week.
#1-(1.00)-XAVERIAN (0-0) @ MALDEN CATHOLIC (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Xaverian has been deemed the team to beat by all publications in EMass football this year. Lofty weight to put on a team this early in the season.
#2-(2.66)-EVERETT (0-0) vs LEOMINSTER (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). It has been a while since the Crimson Tide wasn't the pre-season #1. A tough early season non-league schedule starts off with perennial CMass power Leominster.
#3(tie)-(4.66)-BC HIGH (0-0) vs #3 BROCKTON (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). The defending D1 Super Bowl champion Eagles open up with a rematch of last year's title game opponent, the Brockton Boxers. BC High contributing to the "go green" efforts by playing their first four games at home.
#3(tie)-(4.66)-BROCKTON (0-0) @ #3 BC HIGH (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Brockton gets a chance for a little early season revenge on last year's D1 Super Bowl champs, BC High. As is always the case, Brockton's 2009 schedule is a tough as it gets in Massachusetts.
#5-(5.00)-MARSHFIELD (0-0) @ #11 DRACUT (0-0), 6:00pm (Saturday)
Last week's rank (**). Marshfield has a brutal early three game non-league schedule starting off with MVC Small power Dracut. Coach Silva will have to navigate the Rams through these early season tests before they get back to Atlantic Coast action.
#6-(6.33)-BILLERICA (0-0) vs BURLINGTON (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Billerica has a couple of early season tilts against the Middlesex League before it tackles the Merrimack Valley Conference. Nothing is going to come easy for the Indians.
#7-(8.33)-MANSFIELD (0-0) @ DARTMOUTH (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Mansfield comes out of the gates with a road tilt at OCL power Dartmouth. The perennial power will be the one to beat in the Hockomock League this year.
#8(tie)-(9.66)-CATHOLIC MEMORIAL (0-0) @ LYNN CLASSICAL (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Catholic Memorial has upped the ante on its non-league schedule in anticipation of getting it more prepared for the brutal Catholic Conference schedule at the end of the season. The Knights best not look past the Rams on Friday.
#8(tie)-(9.66)-GLOUCESTER (0-0) @ SWAMPSCOTT (0-0), 12:00pm (Saturday)
Last week's rank (**). Somehow I think Gloucester hasn't forgotten last year's loss to Big Blue. How much that weighs on this early season NEC battle will be decided on Saturday.
#10-(10.00)-READING (0-0) @ CAMBRIDGE (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). The Rockets come in to the 2009 season still smarting from their loss in the playoffs last year to the Walpole Rebels. This year they'll battle with the GBL and Cape Ann Large (Masco) before heading in to Middlesex League action.
#11-(10.66)-DRACUT (0-0) vs #5 MARSHFIELD (0-0), 6:00pm (Saturday)
Last week's rank (**). The Middies start the season out against two teams in the Top 5, Marshfield from the Atlantic Coast League and Everett from the Greater Boston League. Ouch. The only saving grace is that both games are at home.
#12-(15.00)-WALPOLE (0-0) @ FRAMINGHAM (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). I sure wish there was a way that the Bay State League could play teams outside their conference. It would open up EMass football to some great new rivalries. Somehow I think their game on 11/14 vs Natick will be for a playoff spot again.
#13-(15.66)-MANCHESTER-ESSEX (0-0) @ DANVERS (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Extremely lofty status for the little engine that could. The Hornets have a huge game this week and next against the NEC's Danvers and Saugus. After that the schedule gets much softer.
#14(tie)-(16.33)-LINCOLN-SUDBURY (0-0) @ TEWKSBURY (0-0), 1:30pm (Saturday)
Last week's rank (**). The Warriors start with a 2 game non-league road trip versus the MVC's Tewksbury then travel to the ACL's Marshfield. You could say they can't wait to get home after that but there is one problem, the CAL's Masconomet will be waiting for them. Tough early 3 game stretch for the football juggernaut.
#14(tie)-(16.33)-NATICK (0-0) vs NEWTON NORTH (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Similar to Walpole, the Red and Blue only plays intra league games which leaves the rest of the state wondering how the Bay State League will stack up against others once the playoffs arrive. If last year is any indications the answer is pretty good.
#16-(17.00)-LOWELL (0-0) vs #17 MASCONOMET (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). I haven't heard much peacocking about the Red Raiders but for some reason both calpreps and maxpreps have them ranked very high. Early season tests against Masconomet and perennial New Hampshire power Nashua South should set the record straight rather quickly.
#17-(17.33)-MASCONOMET (0-0) @ #16 LOWELL (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). Chieftains, um, now that the schedules are finalized let's take a look. @ #16 Lowell, @ #10 Reading and @ #14 Lincoln-Sudbury. Three road games against Top 20 programs to start the season. Good Luck.
#18-(17.66)-FRANKLIN (0-0) @ ATTLEBORO (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). The Panthers are another team that makes me think the best part of the EMass season is in September when all these meaty non-league games are played. First three for Franklin--@ Attleboro, @ the always tough Milford from CMass and then they get to come home to their first Hockomock League game against Mansfield.
#19-(18.33)-DUXBURY (0-0) vs BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). The Dragons have one of the easier early season schedules of all the teams in the Top 20. This should allow them to get their sea legs under them as they try and replace a host of players from last year's Super Bowl champs.
#20(tie)-(20.66)-BISHOP FEEHAN (0-0) vs FOXBORO (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). The Shamrocks take on a pair of formidable Hockomock League contenders (Foxboro, North Attleboro) before tackling Barrington, RI. Bishop Feehan's first trip of the year outside the Attleboro area will be their maiden voyage to Martha's Vineyard to take on their new EAC foe.
#20(tie)-(20.66)-CHELMSFORD (0-0) vs WALTHAM (0-0), 7:00pm (Friday)
Last week's rank (**). The Lions start out with a pair of DCL stalwarts (Waltham and Acton-Boxboro) before heading in to the teeth of the MVC schedule.
For a look at the rest of the EMass football's Week 1 schedule it is available on Danny V's Boston Herald blog.
Here are the sources for the BCS type rankings from above.
NOTE: Even though the Boston Globe Top 20 is listed below it was NOT included in this week's rankings as I published before theirs came out.
| rank | calpreps | maxpreps |
| 1 | Xaverian | Xaverian |
| 2 | Everett | Everett |
| 3 | Marshfield | Marshfield |
| 4 | Billerica | Billerica |
| 5 | BC High | BC High |
| 6 | Brockton | Brockton |
| 7 | Gloucester | Gloucester |
| 8 | Catholic Memorial | Catholic Memorial |
| 9 | Mansfield | Mansfield |
| 10 | Dracut | Dracut |
| 11 | Manchester-Essex | Manchester-Essex |
| 12 | Reading | Reading |
| 13 | Lowell | Lowell |
| 14 | Franklin | Franklin |
| 15 | Lincoln-Sudbury | Lincoln-Sudbury |
| 16 | Duxbury | Duxbury |
| 17 | Masconomet | Masconomet |
| 18 | Medway | Medway |
| 19 | Bishop Feehan | Bishop Feehan |
| 20 | Walpole | Walpole |
| 21 | Natick | Natick |
| 22 | Chelmsford | Chelmsford |
| 23 | Norton | Norton |
| 24 | Melrose | Plymouth North |
| 25 | Plymouth North | Amesbury |
| rank | boston globe | hssinsight |
| 1 | Xaverian | Xaverian |
| 2 | Brockton | Brockton |
| 3 | Walpole | Everett |
| 4 | BC High | BC High |
| 5 | Everett | Walpole |
| 6 | Reading | Reading |
| 7 | Duxbury | Natick |
| 8 | Billerica | Mansfield |
| 9 | Gloucester | Marshfield |
| 10 | Mansfield | St. John's Prep |
| 11 | St. John's Prep | Billerica |
| 12 | Dracut | Dracut |
| 13 | Natick | Catholic Memorial |
| 14 | Marshfield | King Philip |
| 15 | King Philip | Gloucester |
| 16 | Bishop Feehan | Acton-Boxboro |
| 17 | Chelmsford | Attleboro |
| 18 | Acton-Boxboro | Masconomet |
| 19 | Attleboro | Lincoln-Sudbury |
| 20 | Framingham | Chelmsford |
| 21 | BR | |
| 22 | Framingham | |
| 23 | Duxbury | |
| 24 | Bishop Feehan | |
| 25 | North Attleboro |
