Top 3 high school football games to watch during Week 2 of fall 2021 season
Tommy CassellWhat a welcomed sight.
High school football returned to the fall this past week with teams digging in their cleats and grinding their teeth to pull out a Week 1 victory.
More:We're on to Week 2: Daily News' weekend high school football schedule
Now, we’re into Week 2. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the top three high school football games to watch in the MetroWest and greater Milford area this weekend.
Holliston at Medway, 6:15 p.m.
Medway stormed out to a season-opening win (27-12) over Medfield on Sept. 10. The Mustangs rode the hot wheels of junior Matt Childs, who rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns while adding another touchdown on defense with a pick-six.
Vote::For the High School Football Defensive Player of the Week
Last season, Medway found itself playing in the final game of the season with a chance to claim a share of a league title. The Mustangs lost to Bellingham, however, so that defeat surely left a bitter taste in their mouths. But a win over Medfield and another on Friday against Holliston would help erase that tang.
Holliston, meanwhile, comes into this matchup on the heels of a tough season-opening loss (35-7) to Old Rochester. The Panthers actually led, 7-6, but allowed 29 unanswered points.
“Panthers will be better for it with the tough scrimmages and opener,” Holliston head coach Todd Kiley said.
The young Holliston squad certainly hopes so in a tough Tri-Valley League crossover matchup with Medway.
Nipmuc at Dover-Sherborn, 6:30 p.m.
Nipmuc opens its season with three straight road games. And their are no gimmes in the trio of contests. The Warriors lost, 38-6, to St. Paul and will now face a tough TVL opponent in Dover-Sherborn on Friday before heading to Auburn on Sept. 24.
That's a difficult way to start the season.
Dover-Sherborn, on the other hand, took care of business in Week 1 against Weston with a 42-6 win on the road and now have three straight home games. The Raiders won’t look past Nipmuc, however, as they, like Medway, were in the running for a TVL Small title last season going into the final week.
Vote:For the Offensive Football Player of the Week
Although this game doesn't count for league purposes, it does for the playoff picture. D-S will ride the hot hand of senior captain Johnny Bennett, who does a little bit of everything on the gridiron and scored three touchdowns in the Week 1 victory.
Milford at Wellesley, 1 p.m. (Saturday)
In probably the most intriguing matchup of the weekend, Wellesley hosts Milford on Saturday afternoon in a non-league contest.
Milford started off strong with a 49-28 victory over Foxborough – and will look towards its strong offensive line to get past Wellesley.
Wellesley, on the other hand, is young and starts three sophomores on offense. One of those underclassmen is Max Poirier, the younger brother of senior WR Jack Poirier. They aren’t the only brothers starting on offense, however, with twins Vinny (QB) and Xavier (TE) Ferrera both starting as juniors for the Raiders.
Both sets of brothers will have to be on their game if Wellesley wants to win against Milford.
What else to watch?
Speaking of Milford, former Scarlet Hawks quarterback and Daily News All-Star Brady Olson will make his second collegiate start on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) when UMass hosts Eastern Michigan.
More:Former Milford High quarterback Brady Olson makes first career start for UMass football
Olson went 14-for-29 for 214 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Minutemen’s loss to Boston College.
On the high school scene, keep an eye out for an interesting non-league matchup between Ashland and Concord-Carlisle on Friday (7 p.m.). The Clockers host the Patriots and will look to get off to a 2-0 start. Ashland beat Greater Lowell Tech, 36-14, in Week 1 and is on a quest to get back to Gillette Stadium after winning a Division 6 Super Bowl in 2019.