Game of the Week - 10/26/12
Breakdown:
Before the season started, we highlighted five games to watch this football season, and we had two circled for this upcoming Friday -- Mansfield @ North Attleboro and Stoughton at Oliver Ames. After both the Hornets and Rocketeers picked up wins last week, and both Davenport teams had tough losses, we have chosen the big Kelley-Rex matchup as our Game of the Week. Mansfield handed King Philip their first loss of the season as their offense seemed to click on all cylinders. North snapped their three-game losing streak as the offense got back in gear, putting up 43 points on Taunton after having just scored 20 points total in their last three games. Mansfield is sitting comfortably with a 2-0 record in league play, but North will look to improve their 1-1 Kelley-Rex record and even things up with the Hornets.
When: Friday, October 26, 2012, 7:00
Where: Community Field, North Attleboro, MA.
Players to Watch:
With Alex Jette a question mark with a foot fracture, North Attleboro has relied heavily on quarterback Ryan Perron and running backs Mike Lambert & Jack Blase. Perron is coming off a three touchdown performance (2 rushing, 1 throwing) against Taunton while Lambert also found the endzone last week. Perron is 2nd highest scoring QB in the league while Lambert has a total of 6 touchdowns on the season (3 rushing, 3 receiving). Mansfield has used a two-headed tandem of Robbie Rapoza & Kevin Makie in the backfield. Rapoza put up 205 yards and 2 scores against King Philip last week while Makie had 157 and 2 touchdowns. Quarterback Kyle Wisnieski is tied for the most touchdown tosses at 11, nine of which have gone to Brendan Hill (6) and Mike Hershman (3).
Key Matchup:
The Key Match Up will pit the potent Mansfield offense against North Attleboro's defense. The Red Rocketeers defense has been tough all season, giving up less than 20 points a game. Their latest loss, two weeks ago, was only been 5 points at the hands of Stoughton. The Mansfield Hornet offense has been successful because of their ability to throw the ball as well as running it. The Hornets, averaging 28.7 ppg, have found success through Robbie Rapoza & Kevin Makie on the ground, while Michael Hershman and Brendan Hill have emerged as the best receiving duo in the league. North Attleboro will have to do their best to make the Hornets one dimensional, either shutting down their run like Stoughton did against Mansfield, or limit any chance quarterback Kyle Wisnieski has. If North's defense is up to the task, things will get very interesting on Friday.
Before the season started, we highlighted five games to watch this football season, and we had two circled for this upcoming Friday -- Mansfield @ North Attleboro and Stoughton at Oliver Ames. After both the Hornets and Rocketeers picked up wins last week, and both Davenport teams had tough losses, we have chosen the big Kelley-Rex matchup as our Game of the Week. Mansfield handed King Philip their first loss of the season as their offense seemed to click on all cylinders. North snapped their three-game losing streak as the offense got back in gear, putting up 43 points on Taunton after having just scored 20 points total in their last three games. Mansfield is sitting comfortably with a 2-0 record in league play, but North will look to improve their 1-1 Kelley-Rex record and even things up with the Hornets.
When: Friday, October 26, 2012, 7:00
Where: Community Field, North Attleboro, MA.
Players to Watch:
With Alex Jette a question mark with a foot fracture, North Attleboro has relied heavily on quarterback Ryan Perron and running backs Mike Lambert & Jack Blase. Perron is coming off a three touchdown performance (2 rushing, 1 throwing) against Taunton while Lambert also found the endzone last week. Perron is 2nd highest scoring QB in the league while Lambert has a total of 6 touchdowns on the season (3 rushing, 3 receiving). Mansfield has used a two-headed tandem of Robbie Rapoza & Kevin Makie in the backfield. Rapoza put up 205 yards and 2 scores against King Philip last week while Makie had 157 and 2 touchdowns. Quarterback Kyle Wisnieski is tied for the most touchdown tosses at 11, nine of which have gone to Brendan Hill (6) and Mike Hershman (3).
Key Matchup:
The Key Match Up will pit the potent Mansfield offense against North Attleboro's defense. The Red Rocketeers defense has been tough all season, giving up less than 20 points a game. Their latest loss, two weeks ago, was only been 5 points at the hands of Stoughton. The Mansfield Hornet offense has been successful because of their ability to throw the ball as well as running it. The Hornets, averaging 28.7 ppg, have found success through Robbie Rapoza & Kevin Makie on the ground, while Michael Hershman and Brendan Hill have emerged as the best receiving duo in the league. North Attleboro will have to do their best to make the Hornets one dimensional, either shutting down their run like Stoughton did against Mansfield, or limit any chance quarterback Kyle Wisnieski has. If North's defense is up to the task, things will get very interesting on Friday.
What To Expect...
...From North Attleboro - North Attleboro has returned to a more traditional grind it out offensive game since the injuries to Alex Jette and Sean Peters. Without Jette's breakaway speed and big play capability, the Rocketeers have used Dwayne Hunter, Jr. to get tough yards inside and junior Mike Lambert as a speed option around the end. Quarterback Ryan Perron has figured out some of the fumble issues that plagued him over the first few weeks of the season, but has not been able to produce as many plays downfield without Jette in the lineup. North could use more connections between Perron and senior wideout Ryan Gallagher to open up the running game. North has become far more functional than flashy.
The Rocketeers still possess plenty of size and mobility on the defensive line. Eric Beckwith, Harrison Carmichael, and Takudzwa Chikomba are the primary run stoppers and will hope to create pressure on the quarterback to take Mansfield out of its short passing game. On defense, North has gotten stronger as the season has progressed. Once considered a question mark, the defense has kept the team in games by relying on the speed of linebackers Reid Holden and Ben Jette and defensive back Tyler Sellner. Sellner will be particularly important against the Hornets lined up against receiver Michael Hershman. This is also an are where Alex Jette will be missed as it would have given North a more size and athleticism to cover Brendan Hill.
The Rocketeers defense will need to be at its best against the powerful Hornets offense, but there is still an outside chance for North to make the postseason and Community Field should be packed for one of the best rivalries in the league. - Josh Perry, HockomockSports.com
...From Mansfield - The Hornets will run the ball, without question. Robbie Rapoza and Kevin Makie have been churning out yardage all season and combined for 362 last week against a King Philip defense considered by many to be among the state's best units. Both backs have proven to be able to pick up the tough yards inside but also possess game-breaking speed that enable them to make big plays look routine.
The key? The offensive line. Antonio Medeiros, Steven Zieselman, Nicholas Paquin, William Palanza and Oliver Erickson have really come together over the past two weeks and the work of this group in the trenches has enabled the Hornets to amass more than 900 yards of offense in the last two games.
One of the more overlooked facets of Mansfield's offense is the passing game. As much as they've excelled as run blockers, the line has given quarterback Kyle Wisnieski tremendous protection lately and with dynamic receivers such as Brendan Hill and Mike Hershman to throw to, it will be tough to for a solid North Attleboro defense to focus on stopping the run game as Wisnieski can and will beat you over the top if given the opportunity.
The defense was dominant in the early stages last week against King Philip but struggled as Warriors QB John Dillon tried to bring his team back in the second half. But with multi-purpose standout Alex Jette still expected to be out with an injury, the Red Rocketeers have become more of a grind it out kind of team and the Hornets are well-equipped to deal with such an attack. - Bruce Lerch, The Boston Herald
...From North Attleboro - North Attleboro has returned to a more traditional grind it out offensive game since the injuries to Alex Jette and Sean Peters. Without Jette's breakaway speed and big play capability, the Rocketeers have used Dwayne Hunter, Jr. to get tough yards inside and junior Mike Lambert as a speed option around the end. Quarterback Ryan Perron has figured out some of the fumble issues that plagued him over the first few weeks of the season, but has not been able to produce as many plays downfield without Jette in the lineup. North could use more connections between Perron and senior wideout Ryan Gallagher to open up the running game. North has become far more functional than flashy.
The Rocketeers still possess plenty of size and mobility on the defensive line. Eric Beckwith, Harrison Carmichael, and Takudzwa Chikomba are the primary run stoppers and will hope to create pressure on the quarterback to take Mansfield out of its short passing game. On defense, North has gotten stronger as the season has progressed. Once considered a question mark, the defense has kept the team in games by relying on the speed of linebackers Reid Holden and Ben Jette and defensive back Tyler Sellner. Sellner will be particularly important against the Hornets lined up against receiver Michael Hershman. This is also an are where Alex Jette will be missed as it would have given North a more size and athleticism to cover Brendan Hill.
The Rocketeers defense will need to be at its best against the powerful Hornets offense, but there is still an outside chance for North to make the postseason and Community Field should be packed for one of the best rivalries in the league. - Josh Perry, HockomockSports.com
...From Mansfield - The Hornets will run the ball, without question. Robbie Rapoza and Kevin Makie have been churning out yardage all season and combined for 362 last week against a King Philip defense considered by many to be among the state's best units. Both backs have proven to be able to pick up the tough yards inside but also possess game-breaking speed that enable them to make big plays look routine.
The key? The offensive line. Antonio Medeiros, Steven Zieselman, Nicholas Paquin, William Palanza and Oliver Erickson have really come together over the past two weeks and the work of this group in the trenches has enabled the Hornets to amass more than 900 yards of offense in the last two games.
One of the more overlooked facets of Mansfield's offense is the passing game. As much as they've excelled as run blockers, the line has given quarterback Kyle Wisnieski tremendous protection lately and with dynamic receivers such as Brendan Hill and Mike Hershman to throw to, it will be tough to for a solid North Attleboro defense to focus on stopping the run game as Wisnieski can and will beat you over the top if given the opportunity.
The defense was dominant in the early stages last week against King Philip but struggled as Warriors QB John Dillon tried to bring his team back in the second half. But with multi-purpose standout Alex Jette still expected to be out with an injury, the Red Rocketeers have become more of a grind it out kind of team and the Hornets are well-equipped to deal with such an attack. - Bruce Lerch, The Boston Herald
The Pick
Each morning of game day, we will roll out our predictions in the section titled "The Pick." Here are our predictions with a brief explanation.
Scott Barboza, ESPNBoston.com – There’s been an unusual trend in this series with the away team coming away with the win in each of the last four years. I’m not about to break with tradition now. The Hornets got off to a fast start against KP last week, so it’ll be paramount that North doesn’t allow Mansfield to run away with it early. The key matchup with be the Red Rocketeers’ secondary against the Hornets’ big, playmaking receivers. I like Mansfield in that matchup.
The Pick: Mansfield 26, North Attleboro 21
Danny Ventura, The Boston Herald – Mansfield put it all together on offense last night, shredding a King Philip defense which had allowed just 36 points to date. The 46-33 win opened some eyes and showed just how scary Mansfield can be. North Attleboro started strong then suffered some injuries in recent weeks. The Red Rocketeers are a dangerous foe as they showed last year when their win over the Hornets cost them a playoff spot.
The Pick: Mansfield 27, North Attleboro 13
Bruce Lerch, The Boston Herald – This looks like such an easy spot to predict a letdown for the Hornets. You know they've been riding high all week after taking it to a King Philip squad that has been ranked in the middle of the top ten by nearly every media outlet covering Eastern Mass. football since the preseason. North has been struggling and dealing with several key injuries and the intimate setting of Community Field is no easy place for any opponent to play.
That said, I'm going in the opposite direction. After a loss to Stoughton and holding off a comeback bid by Attleboro, I look for Mansfield to use the KP win as a springboard to bigger and better things. They know a playoff berth is within sight so expect the offense to continue piling up huge chunks of yardage behind an offensive line that is really hitting its stride at the right time.
The Pick: Mansfield 31, North Attleboro 14
Dan Libon, Wrentham Patch - The Kelley-Rex Division still may be an open race but Mansfield made a great case last week vs. King Philip. Between Robbie Rapoza and Alex Jette, this game may look like a preview for track and field rather than a football game. I think that the Mansfield running game and their passing attack will see them past North Attleboro and give them the inside track for the the divisional title.
The Pick: Mansfield 42, North Attleboro 35
Josh Perry, HockomockSports.com – Mansfield comes into Community Field with tons of confidence after the win over King Philip, but this is a proud and tough North Attleboro team that will be defending its home field and looking to stay alive in the race for the postseason. I expect the Hornets to win, but not as comfortably as they did last week.
The Pick: Mansfield 27, North Attleboro 21
Tim Rosenthal, HockomockSports.com – North Attleboro gained a much needed win over Taunton last week and will head into Friday's game against Mansfield looking to stay alive in the Kelley-Rex race. The Red Rocketeers are hopeful that Alex Jette (questionable, foot fracture) can return this week, but even if he does, there's still a question on whether or not he'll be able to make an impact after missing the last few weeks. Mansfield, on the other hand, is riding a wave of momentum heading into Community Field thanks to a potent offensive attack of running backs Robie Rapoza and Kevin Mackie, quarterback Brendan Hill and receiver Mike Hershman. That, combined with a powerful offensive line should pay dividends again in a battle between two perennial Hockomock League powers.
The Pick: Mansfield 28, North Attleboro 16
Brendan Hall, ESPNBoston.com – Getting Alex Jette back this week should be a big boost for the Red Rocketeers, but how big depends on how quickly he can get his legs back underneath him. If they are, look out. That said, I just think Mansfield has too many perimeter weapons offensively to be slowed. They've hit their stride since the Stoughton loss, and last week's win over King Philip was the coming out party. Expect a big night from Kyle Wisniewski, but because this is Mansfield-North Attleborough and it's being played at the Holy Land, it will be a low-scoring, one-possession affair.
The Pick: Mansfield 20, North Attleboro 13
Ryan Lanigan, HockomockSports.com – Mansfield is starting to catch fire at the right time, but North is coming off a big win. With the momentum from North’s win, and the addition of Alex Jette back, it’s going to be a lot closer than some think. Mansfield’s defense has been solid over the past few games as well. They say that defenses win championships, but with the weather looking clear, Mansfield’s offense might be too much to handle.
The Pick: Mansfield 24, North Attleboro 20
Scott Barboza, ESPNBoston.com – There’s been an unusual trend in this series with the away team coming away with the win in each of the last four years. I’m not about to break with tradition now. The Hornets got off to a fast start against KP last week, so it’ll be paramount that North doesn’t allow Mansfield to run away with it early. The key matchup with be the Red Rocketeers’ secondary against the Hornets’ big, playmaking receivers. I like Mansfield in that matchup.
The Pick: Mansfield 26, North Attleboro 21
Danny Ventura, The Boston Herald – Mansfield put it all together on offense last night, shredding a King Philip defense which had allowed just 36 points to date. The 46-33 win opened some eyes and showed just how scary Mansfield can be. North Attleboro started strong then suffered some injuries in recent weeks. The Red Rocketeers are a dangerous foe as they showed last year when their win over the Hornets cost them a playoff spot.
The Pick: Mansfield 27, North Attleboro 13
Bruce Lerch, The Boston Herald – This looks like such an easy spot to predict a letdown for the Hornets. You know they've been riding high all week after taking it to a King Philip squad that has been ranked in the middle of the top ten by nearly every media outlet covering Eastern Mass. football since the preseason. North has been struggling and dealing with several key injuries and the intimate setting of Community Field is no easy place for any opponent to play.
That said, I'm going in the opposite direction. After a loss to Stoughton and holding off a comeback bid by Attleboro, I look for Mansfield to use the KP win as a springboard to bigger and better things. They know a playoff berth is within sight so expect the offense to continue piling up huge chunks of yardage behind an offensive line that is really hitting its stride at the right time.
The Pick: Mansfield 31, North Attleboro 14
Dan Libon, Wrentham Patch - The Kelley-Rex Division still may be an open race but Mansfield made a great case last week vs. King Philip. Between Robbie Rapoza and Alex Jette, this game may look like a preview for track and field rather than a football game. I think that the Mansfield running game and their passing attack will see them past North Attleboro and give them the inside track for the the divisional title.
The Pick: Mansfield 42, North Attleboro 35
Josh Perry, HockomockSports.com – Mansfield comes into Community Field with tons of confidence after the win over King Philip, but this is a proud and tough North Attleboro team that will be defending its home field and looking to stay alive in the race for the postseason. I expect the Hornets to win, but not as comfortably as they did last week.
The Pick: Mansfield 27, North Attleboro 21
Tim Rosenthal, HockomockSports.com – North Attleboro gained a much needed win over Taunton last week and will head into Friday's game against Mansfield looking to stay alive in the Kelley-Rex race. The Red Rocketeers are hopeful that Alex Jette (questionable, foot fracture) can return this week, but even if he does, there's still a question on whether or not he'll be able to make an impact after missing the last few weeks. Mansfield, on the other hand, is riding a wave of momentum heading into Community Field thanks to a potent offensive attack of running backs Robie Rapoza and Kevin Mackie, quarterback Brendan Hill and receiver Mike Hershman. That, combined with a powerful offensive line should pay dividends again in a battle between two perennial Hockomock League powers.
The Pick: Mansfield 28, North Attleboro 16
Brendan Hall, ESPNBoston.com – Getting Alex Jette back this week should be a big boost for the Red Rocketeers, but how big depends on how quickly he can get his legs back underneath him. If they are, look out. That said, I just think Mansfield has too many perimeter weapons offensively to be slowed. They've hit their stride since the Stoughton loss, and last week's win over King Philip was the coming out party. Expect a big night from Kyle Wisniewski, but because this is Mansfield-North Attleborough and it's being played at the Holy Land, it will be a low-scoring, one-possession affair.
The Pick: Mansfield 20, North Attleboro 13
Ryan Lanigan, HockomockSports.com – Mansfield is starting to catch fire at the right time, but North is coming off a big win. With the momentum from North’s win, and the addition of Alex Jette back, it’s going to be a lot closer than some think. Mansfield’s defense has been solid over the past few games as well. They say that defenses win championships, but with the weather looking clear, Mansfield’s offense might be too much to handle.
The Pick: Mansfield 24, North Attleboro 20
| HockomockSports.com Picks | ||||||||||
| Ryan Lanigan |
Tim Rosenthal |
Josh Perry |
Dan Libon |
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| HockomockSports.com Staff |  |
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| Mansfield @ North Attleboro Friday 7:00PM |
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| Season | Lanigan 3-1 | Rosenthal 3-1 | Perry 3-1 | Libon 1-2 |
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