High school football training camp is nearly upon us.
Beginning next Monday, Gloucester High and the rest of the area’s gridiron squads will open things up with initial pad-less practices before diving in full force later in the week.
If it feels like that’s actually a bit late for things to start up, you’re not wrong. With Labor Day falling on Sept. 7 this year, everything is pushed back. That also means no bye weeks for most competing teams, making it a sprint to the finish line before playoffs.
Nonetheless, after a successful eight-win campaign in 2025, the Fishermen are hoping to continue to trend in the right direction under first-year head coach and former coordinator Brian Anderson this autumn.
Gloucester’s regular season schedule includes many of the same familiar Northeastern Conference foes as well as some non-league opponents. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from the eight-game slate.
Please note: Gloucester High and Danvers are also set to face off on Thanksgiving Day once again, this year at Newell Stadium. The Fishermen won last year’s holiday bout, 27-7, marking their first victory over their rivals since 2017.
Week 1
The matchup: Stoneham (Friday, Sept. 11 at Newell Stadium; 7 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: Stoneham enjoyed a solid campaign last season, going 7-4 overall, qualifying as the No. 6 seed in the Division 6 playoffs and winning a first-round game against Winthrop (30-20). The Spartans were ultimately defeated by eventual D6 Super Bowl champion Fairhaven in the Round of 8.
Last meeting between squads: Believed to be first-ever matchup.
The skinny: Gloucester Daily Times records show no indication of a previous matchup between Stoneham and Gloucester, meaning this year’s season opener for both teams will carry a lot of unknowns. On paper, taking on a similarly sized program with comparable recent success should prove to be a great initial test for the Fishermen. With Gloucester competing in Division 5 and Stoneham in D6, the two teams wouldn’t face one another again in the playoffs, either.
Stoneham also appears to be a run-oriented, physical squad, much like Gloucester. They relied on defense last year, allowing 14 or fewer points in four different games. This one could be fun to open things up.
Week 2
The matchup: at St. Mary’s Lynn (Friday, Sept. 18 at Manning Field; 5 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: The Spartans finished 7-4 last season, locking up the No. 8 seed in the Division 5 state playoffs, one slot behind Gloucester. St. Mary’s throttled Greater Lawrence Tech (48-13) in Round 1 of the postseason before falling to eventual D5 Super Bowl champion Shawsheen Valley Tech.
Last meeting between squads: Gloucester picked up a marquee win over the Spartans in 2025 by a 26-14 score, improving to 3-0 at the time. Then-quarterback Cam Rodolosi ripped off a lengthy touchdown run to seal the victory.
The skinny: This is a terrific matchup of contrasting play styles. While certainly capable of running the rock, St. Mary’s is known for a more aerial attack. The Spartans threw the ball 24 times against Gloucester last year, with the Fishermen securing a pair of picks and allowing just eight completions. In contrast, Gloucester attempted just four passes, which was near the higher side for any game from them last season.
The Fishermen will continue to implement a run-heavy, Wing-T offensive scheme in 2026. As will be the case most games, maintaining possession and executing lengthy scoring drives will be paramount to their success against St. Mary’s. Another win over the Spartans would go a long way for the team’s confidence and playoff hopes.
Week 3
The matchup: at Revere (Friday, Sept. 25 at Harry Della Russo Stadium; 6 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: Revere went 3-7 last fall, failing to qualify for the Division 3 playoffs. Their lone wins came against Medford, Malden and once perennial state powerhouse Everett.
Last meeting between squads: Gloucester fell to Revere during the 2023 season, 33-14. The two teams have endured numerous matchups against one another over the years as former NEC rivals.
The skinny: This one is somewhat of a rivalry renewed type matchup, with both teams actually trending in opposite directions. Revere has finished below .500 in each of the last two seasons, while Gloucester recorded its most wins since pre-pandemic in 2025.
With that said, it’s another strong test against a Division 3 opponent for the Fishermen. Playing on the road will make it that much more difficult, too. Revere is another ground-and-pound type team that likes to get downhill, with the quarterback also posing as a serious threat scrambling out of the pocket.
Week 4
The matchup: Winthrop (Friday, Oct. 2 at Newell Stadium; 7 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: The Vikings went 5-6 last year, falling to aforementioned Stoneham, 30-20, in the first round of the Division 6 playoffs.
Last meeting between squads: Gloucester suffered a low-scoring, 7-6 defeat at Winthrop last season.
The skinny: The Fishermen will be out for revenge in this year’s matchup after narrowly falling on the road last fall. Gloucester struggled to get anything going offensively in last year’s meeting; it was an uncharacteristic performance in an otherwise strong season.
This is a game Gloucester certainly has circled on the calendar, especially considering it will be played in front of their home crowd. The Vikings are a proud program, however, and should come ready to play while utilizing a similar run-heavy offense.
Week 5
The matchup: Salem (Friday, Oct. 9 at Newell Stadium; 7 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: The Witches had a down year, going 3-8 while failing to qualify for the Division 5 postseason.
Last meeting between squads: Gloucester took care of the Witches, 33-0, in the 2025 clash.
The skinny: A new era will commence in Salem, with veteran head coach Matt Bouchard stepping down and Brett Segala taking over. After a rebuilding campaign a year ago, the Witches will be looking to improve under their new leader, and they always seem to get up for a matchup with Gloucester.
Gloucester was able to do pretty much whatever it wanted in last year’s tilt at Salem, establishing an early lead and cruising to the finish line. It’s unclear what kind of personnel the Witches will bring to the table in 2026, but expect a tighter battle that could go either way.
Week 6
The matchup: Swampscott (Friday, Oct. 16 at Newell Stadium; 7 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: The Big Blue finished 6-4, qualifying for the Division 5 state playoffs but falling to Archbishop Williams, 14-7, in Round 1.
Last meeting between squads: Swampscott topped Gloucester, 28-22, in a great game at Blocksidge Field last October.
The skinny: Another terrific NEC matchup, Gloucester will be looking for its first win over their rivals since 2017. Under coach Peter Bush, the Big Blue run an effective spread offense that could very well give the Fishermen trouble once again. Quarterback John Von Barta returns for his senior season after a great game against GHS last fall.
Gloucester played the Big Blue tough in 2025 to nearly get over the hump and end an eight-year dry spell against Swampscott; it will take a terrific showing to top them in 2026.
Week 7
The matchup: at Saugus (Friday, Oct. 23; 6 p.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: The Sachems went 2-9 overall and failed to qualify for the Division 5 state playoffs. Saugus was also winless in NEC play.
Last meeting between squads: Gloucester had no trouble with Saugus in 2025, winning 33-8 at home.
The skinny: Despite going on the road this time around, this is a game Gloucester can and should win. Saugus has struggled with numbers — and wins — in recent years. The Sachems did beat the Fishermen in 2022, but its been all Gloucester since and it’d certainly love to continue that trend in the new year.
Saugus will have a new coach, Greg Bluestein to lead the way, after Steve Cummings’ departure. Perhaps a new voice at the helm could be good for the program, but it’s still far fetched to expect a dramatic turnaround for the Sachems.
Week 8
The matchup: at Beverly (Saturday, Oct. 31 at Hurd Stadium; 11 a.m.)
Opponent’s 2025 record: The Panthers went 6-5 and qualified for the Division 2 state playoffs as the No. 11 seed, but were shut out by Billerica, 20-0, in the opener.
Last meeting between squads: Gloucester beat Beverly, 15-7, in last year’s season opener at Newell Stadium. Beverly won the 2024 matchup, 27-14.
The skinny: A terrific matchup to close out the regular season for both teams, this one could have playoff implications on the line. The Panthers are coming off their first postseason appearance since 2021 and will undoubtedly be looking for revenge against the Fishermen, too.
This should be a good old fashioned, smash mouth bout between two Wing-T style offenses, although Beverly did throw more with then-quarterback Danny Pierce last fall. Pierce has now graduated, so it remains to be seen what exactly to expect from the Panthers in 2026.
Sports Editor Nick Giannino may be contacted at 978-675-2712 or ngiannino@northofboston.com.