For the fourth time in just the last two seasons, we get Stoughton and Oliver Ames. The two neighbors are closing in on 70 meetings with the Black Knights holding the advantage with 39 wins.
This season has played out as the opposite of last year. Last year, OA came in and beat Stoughton in the regular season before hosting the Black Knights in the playoffs. This year, Stoughton took the short bus trip to Easton and beat the Tigers on their first and will now host OA in the D3 Southwest Playoffs.
In the first game of the season, Stoughton beat the Tigers 40-19 behind a big close to the first half.
This season has played out as the opposite of last year. Last year, OA came in and beat Stoughton in the regular season before hosting the Black Knights in the playoffs. This year, Stoughton took the short bus trip to Easton and beat the Tigers on their first and will now host OA in the D3 Southwest Playoffs.
In the first game of the season, Stoughton beat the Tigers 40-19 behind a big close to the first half.
Oliver Ames
Oliver Ames comes into the playoffs against its rival Stoughton after a dramatic comeback against Canton in the final week of the regular season. After a very slow start, the Tigers found a groove on defense, limiting the Bulldogs to no points in the second half and scoring a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the win.
Offensively, the Tigers are starting to find more balance with junior quarterback Charlie Ryan looking more comfortable in the pocket and, after a rough start against Canton, was 6-9 for 79 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Part of the reason for that success was his willingness to check down to his running backs and to his underneath receivers. He hit Doug MacDonald and Sam Kelly for TDs by taking what the defense would give him.
The running game has a number of weapons with Jameson Dixon, Mike Ferrara, and MacDonald all getting chances to run the ball. Ferrara seems to be the most explosive, but it was Dixon and MacDonald that got the bulk of the carries against the Bulldogs. Ferrara also stepped in and made his mark on special teams as a dangerous return man. The passing game also has weapons galore, none more dangerous than deep threat Franklin Holgate, who consistently draws the bulk of the secondary’s attention.
Joey Tepper leads the OA defense from his middle linebacker position and seems to be in on every tackle. He will be the key player, as the Tigers try to slow down Player of the Year candidate Joe Giralomo. Tepper will need help from the defensive line, which is going to have its hands full with the size of the Black Knights. Holgate will also be an important piece of the defense, as he tries to stay with Stoughton’s receivers and make life difficult for Jake Gibb. The Tigers may have to gamble a few times to force turnovers and get the ball back to its offense.
OA has several players that can make big plays and will need those stars to rise to the moment in order to pull the upset against its rival and avenge not only the loss from a few weeks ago but also the loss in last year’s postseason.
Stoughton
Standing at 7-0, the spotlight has been on the Black Knights for a while and there might not be much to hide at this point. Against Foxboro in the defacto Davenport title game, Stoughton pounded the ball on the ground and came away with a signature turnover late to escape Foxboro.
On offense, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration for Stoughton. The first option is a hand off to Joey Girolamo, who turns the handoff into a far from ordinary run. He's able to really grind away yards up the middle but maybe more impressive if his ability to bounce outside and beat defenders with his speed. It's almost a tradition for everyone that sees Girolamo for the first time to be blown away for his shiftiness and speed.
If it was strictly about Girolamo, defensives would be able to key in. But the Black Knights continue to develop new weapons in the run game every year. Sophomore Ryan Sullivan continues to be a big play waiting to happen (his punt return against OA in the first quarter in the first meeting set a tone) while Kirby Impoinvil helps to keep defenses honest.
In terms of passing, the Black Knights boast one of the league's best quarterbacks in Jake Gibb. Gibb leads the league with nine touchdown passes but hasn't tossed a touchdown pass since his 8 yard strike to Sullivan as time expired against Canton on October 10th. Stoughton hasn't needed a touchdown pass in the last two games, despite putting up 54 points.
Defensively, one of their best weapons is also one of their best offensive weapons: Brandon Swain-Price. Swain-Price has emerged as a huge ball hawk for Stoughton as well as a deep threat offensively. One thing that Stoughton has been great at but continues to fly under the radar is the defensive line. One name that has really emerged in the last couple of games is senior Kevin Lucas. Lucas had some success against OA in the first meeting but has really been a factor in the last two games for Stoughton.
Oliver Ames comes into the playoffs against its rival Stoughton after a dramatic comeback against Canton in the final week of the regular season. After a very slow start, the Tigers found a groove on defense, limiting the Bulldogs to no points in the second half and scoring a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the win.
Offensively, the Tigers are starting to find more balance with junior quarterback Charlie Ryan looking more comfortable in the pocket and, after a rough start against Canton, was 6-9 for 79 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Part of the reason for that success was his willingness to check down to his running backs and to his underneath receivers. He hit Doug MacDonald and Sam Kelly for TDs by taking what the defense would give him.
The running game has a number of weapons with Jameson Dixon, Mike Ferrara, and MacDonald all getting chances to run the ball. Ferrara seems to be the most explosive, but it was Dixon and MacDonald that got the bulk of the carries against the Bulldogs. Ferrara also stepped in and made his mark on special teams as a dangerous return man. The passing game also has weapons galore, none more dangerous than deep threat Franklin Holgate, who consistently draws the bulk of the secondary’s attention.
Joey Tepper leads the OA defense from his middle linebacker position and seems to be in on every tackle. He will be the key player, as the Tigers try to slow down Player of the Year candidate Joe Giralomo. Tepper will need help from the defensive line, which is going to have its hands full with the size of the Black Knights. Holgate will also be an important piece of the defense, as he tries to stay with Stoughton’s receivers and make life difficult for Jake Gibb. The Tigers may have to gamble a few times to force turnovers and get the ball back to its offense.
OA has several players that can make big plays and will need those stars to rise to the moment in order to pull the upset against its rival and avenge not only the loss from a few weeks ago but also the loss in last year’s postseason.
Stoughton
Standing at 7-0, the spotlight has been on the Black Knights for a while and there might not be much to hide at this point. Against Foxboro in the defacto Davenport title game, Stoughton pounded the ball on the ground and came away with a signature turnover late to escape Foxboro.
On offense, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration for Stoughton. The first option is a hand off to Joey Girolamo, who turns the handoff into a far from ordinary run. He's able to really grind away yards up the middle but maybe more impressive if his ability to bounce outside and beat defenders with his speed. It's almost a tradition for everyone that sees Girolamo for the first time to be blown away for his shiftiness and speed.
If it was strictly about Girolamo, defensives would be able to key in. But the Black Knights continue to develop new weapons in the run game every year. Sophomore Ryan Sullivan continues to be a big play waiting to happen (his punt return against OA in the first quarter in the first meeting set a tone) while Kirby Impoinvil helps to keep defenses honest.
In terms of passing, the Black Knights boast one of the league's best quarterbacks in Jake Gibb. Gibb leads the league with nine touchdown passes but hasn't tossed a touchdown pass since his 8 yard strike to Sullivan as time expired against Canton on October 10th. Stoughton hasn't needed a touchdown pass in the last two games, despite putting up 54 points.
Defensively, one of their best weapons is also one of their best offensive weapons: Brandon Swain-Price. Swain-Price has emerged as a huge ball hawk for Stoughton as well as a deep threat offensively. One thing that Stoughton has been great at but continues to fly under the radar is the defensive line. One name that has really emerged in the last couple of games is senior Kevin Lucas. Lucas had some success against OA in the first meeting but has really been a factor in the last two games for Stoughton.
Ryan Lanigan, HockomockSports.com
OA will surely be out for revenge this game and they have the weapons on offense to do it with Sam Kelly, Franklin Holgate and new quarterback Charlie Ryan, but the biggest challenge will be stopping Stoughton's offense. The Black Knights have thrived on their running game the last couple of weeks but a deep pass is always a threat. I think their offense will be the difference.
The Pick: Stoughton 28, Oliver Ames 20
Josh Perry, HockomockSports.com
The Black Knights have been arguably the best team in the Hock this season and the balance that they have on offense makes them too tough to beat this week.
The Pick: Stoughton 34, Oliver Ames 14
Jeffrey Pickette, Stoughton Media Access
This game will have a little less scoring than the regular season matchup but the result will be the same - Stoughton with a convincing win. It might be tempting to draw a parallel to last season - OA beat Stoughton on the road in the regular season and then Stoughton beats OA on the road in the playoffs. This year Stoughton won the regular season matchup on the road and OA, the road team in this playoff matchup, will get revenge. But this year's OA team is not the team Stoughton was last year. This isn't a matchup of the top two teams in D3 Southwest like last year. If Stoughton plays near mistake-free, they have too many playmakers on both sides of the ball to be upset in the first round.
The Pick: Stoughton 28, Oliver Ames 14
Chris McDaniel, The Enterprise
The Tigers look like they've improved since the team's first meetings, but that isn't enough to hang with one of the favorites in the division. Upsets were not the soup du jour last year in the first year of the MIAA football playoffs as No. 7 and 8 seeds were shutout in the South.
The Pick: Stoughton 34, Oliver Ames 20
OA will surely be out for revenge this game and they have the weapons on offense to do it with Sam Kelly, Franklin Holgate and new quarterback Charlie Ryan, but the biggest challenge will be stopping Stoughton's offense. The Black Knights have thrived on their running game the last couple of weeks but a deep pass is always a threat. I think their offense will be the difference.
The Pick: Stoughton 28, Oliver Ames 20
Josh Perry, HockomockSports.com
The Black Knights have been arguably the best team in the Hock this season and the balance that they have on offense makes them too tough to beat this week.
The Pick: Stoughton 34, Oliver Ames 14
Jeffrey Pickette, Stoughton Media Access
This game will have a little less scoring than the regular season matchup but the result will be the same - Stoughton with a convincing win. It might be tempting to draw a parallel to last season - OA beat Stoughton on the road in the regular season and then Stoughton beats OA on the road in the playoffs. This year Stoughton won the regular season matchup on the road and OA, the road team in this playoff matchup, will get revenge. But this year's OA team is not the team Stoughton was last year. This isn't a matchup of the top two teams in D3 Southwest like last year. If Stoughton plays near mistake-free, they have too many playmakers on both sides of the ball to be upset in the first round.
The Pick: Stoughton 28, Oliver Ames 14
Chris McDaniel, The Enterprise
The Tigers look like they've improved since the team's first meetings, but that isn't enough to hang with one of the favorites in the division. Upsets were not the soup du jour last year in the first year of the MIAA football playoffs as No. 7 and 8 seeds were shutout in the South.
The Pick: Stoughton 34, Oliver Ames 20
HockomockSports.com Playoff Picks | ||||||||||
Ryan Lanigan |
Josh Perry |
Jeff Pickette |
Chris McDaniel |
Brendan Hall |
Bruce Lerch |
Danny Ventura |
Scott Barboza |
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Game of the Week Staff | ||||||||||
Hock Sports |
Hock Sports |
SMAC |
The Enterprise |
ESPN Boston |
Boston Herald |
Boston Herald |
ESPN Boston |
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Oliver Ames @ Stoughton Friday, 6:00 |
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King Philip vs. Braintree Friday, 7:00 |
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Mansfield @ Marshfield Friday, 7:00 |
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North Attleboro vs. Medfield Friday, 7:00 |
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Milford vs. Hopkinton Friday, 7:00 |
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Attleboro @ Xaverian Saturday, 1:30 |
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Foxboro vs. Westwood Saturday, 4:00 |
HockomockSports.com Non Playoff Picks | ||||||||||
Ryan Lanigan |
Josh Perry |
Jeff Pickette |
Chris McDaniel |
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Game of the Week Staff | ||||||||||
Hockomock Sports |
Hockomock Sports |
SMAC |
The Enterprise |
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Sharon @ Falmouth Friday, 6:00 |
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Canton vs. Randolph Saturday, 12:00 |
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Franklin vs. Brookline Saturday, 12:30 |
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Taunton @ Durfee Saturday, 2:00 |
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Total | Lanigan 35-18 |
Perry 36-17 |
Pickette 34-19 |
McDaniel 33-20 |
Guests 19-5 |