Around the CAL Small: Week Three

It's still early and while things are still a bit murky, some things are starting to clear up regarding the pecking order in the CAL Small.

But first, let's get to the revised standings.




Before the season began, Pioneer head coach Neal Weidman said that there were five teams that could win the CAL Small. Most people could name Lynnfield, Newburyport and Amesbury. The other two: Ipswich and Hamilton Wenham.

Based on last year, that seemed to be a stretch since H-W won only two games and Ipswich won only one, snapping their 31 game losing streak on Thanksgiving Day by beating.....you guessed it...Hamiliton Wenham.

Weidman also said that every team in the league had depth problems and the one that stayed the healthiest would probably win it.

Well the coach was obviously on to something. Amesbury has not lived up to expectations largely because they lost their best defensive player in Ian McLaughlin to a knee injury early in their opening win over Triton. They have since allowed 84 points in the two games he has missed and 105 points overall.

Newburyport has looked pedestrian in losses to H-W and a win over North Reading but they could be in trouble with the potential loss of their best player Andrew Sokol, who injured the same knee that kept him out of most of last season's games.

So the CAL Small could come down to a war of attrition, with the team still standing at the end taking the crown. It certainly looks like it all will be decided at the Thanksgiving Day games of Lynnfield/North Reading, Newburyport/Amesbury and Ipswich/Hamilton Wenham. Fasten your seat belts.

There was only one league game this week, so let's get right to that.

Newburyport traveled to Ipswich last Friday in a game that gave the Tigers a chance to show if they could be a part of the title chase this year after struggling for a number of seasons. Meanwhile, the Clippers were facing an almost "must win" situation seeing as this was their third straight league game and a loss to Ipswich, coupled with the H-W loss would have given them two league losses.

The Clippers prevailed, 17-12 but not without a fight from the Tigers. Quarterback Ryan O'Connor recovered from a subpar game in the rain at North Reading to lead Newburyport. O'Connor finished 10 for 18 for 178 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Clippers led 17-6 at the half. The Tigers scored in the third period to cut the lead to 5 points but failed to convert the two point try and could never mount another score.

Ipswich hosts winless Triton this Friday as the Vikings try to get Pat Sheehan his first head coaching win.

The Clippers begin their unusual CAL Large schedule Friday when they host Pentucket. Because there are only five teams in the CAL Large, it was decided that the Newburyport games would count for those teams in the Large standings. Thus after facing the Sachems, the Clippers face a brutal stretch against Masco, Wilmington and North Andover before returning to the CAL Small against the Pioneers on October 15.

If their win over Newburyport wasn't enough, Hamilton Wenham established their credentials as a true CAL Small contender on Saturday by handing CAL Large Pentucket their first loss of the season 27-10. The Generals are for real as they won the battle of the trenches in beating the Sachems.

Elliot Burr (79 yards) and Trevor Lyons (60 yards) led a bruising rushing game and quarterback Dylan Keith was 11 for 14 passing for 155 yards and 2 TDs, both to standout receiver James Love who had seven catches for 100 yards.

The Generals led 14-7 at the half and stretched it to 20-6 in the third before the teams traded fourth quarter touchdowns to account for the final score.

We'll get a good gauge of just how good the Generals are since they travel to Peabody to take on Bishop Fenwick this Friday. We know what the Pioneers did to the Crusaders and based on the undefeated Generals' play so far, Bishop Fenwick could be in for another long evening.

As for the other contender, Amesbury took a trip to the stadium by the airport and was ripped by East Boston 42-26.  Indian head coach Thom Connors was clearly not happy and told the Newburyport News that "we played as poorly as I can ever remember us playing."

The Jets scored on seven of nine possessions and never punted. Three East Boston running backs ran for over 100 yards as Amesbury was simply unable to stop the Jet running game. Amesbury trailed 22-11 at the half and 30-11 in the third quarter before putting a couple of late scores on the board.

Matt Enaire scored all three Amesbury touchdowns while Indian quarterback Tyler Lay was 7 for 12 for 110 yards.

The Indians have a tough job ahead if they hope to stop their two game slide as they host St. Mary's on Friday. The Spartans have shown an explosive running game and come in averaging 42 points per game.

The two youngest teams in the league suffered their lumps again this weekend and remained winless as North Reading was thumped by St. Mary's 36-0 while Georgetown was beaten by Shawsheen 35-7.  The Hornets travel to Austin Prep this Saturday while the Royals get a much needed bye.

That's it for now. Check back Thursday for a preview of the Pioneers' game against Cathedral.