Following every game in every season, no matter the result, a football team can always find something to work on for the following week. In almost all cases, that’s usually multiple somethings.
Concurrently, there’s almost always good to be found as well. Whether it’s what you see with your own eyes in real time or what you watch take place once the game film is broken down, assets are there to be discovered and built upon.
The opening weekend of the North Shore high school football season saw both ends of the spectrum: dominant victories and satisfying showings to blowout losses and insidious mistakes. But there was something similar to be found in each of these contests:
Hope.
Here’s one instance for each of the seven teams in The Salem News coverage area that illustrates that point.
1. Depth and Defense
A profusion of three-year starters back had Danvers feeling good going into the season. A season opening 16-0 domination of visiting Concord-Carlisle, in which the Falcons only allowed 15 yards of total offense and zero first downs, only enhanced the good vibes around this club.
The Blue-and-White relentlessly attacked the Concord-Carlisle offensive line, pushing their opponents backwards and finding holes to power their way through and into the backfield. Coming off the edge, blitzing from the defensive secondary or getting multiple hats to the ball at the same time, the Falcons flocked to the football on virtually every snap, resulting in a slew of three-and-outs for the Patriots.
Defensive ends Nick Xerras and Hunter DeDominics, linebacker Matt Nikiforov, safety Colby Medeiros, defensive tackle Dylan Kinney, outside ‘backer Jack Houston … they were just some of the relentless wave of Danvers defenders that flooded the C-C backfield. Doing so again tonight against host Melrose (7 p.m.) will be a tougher task, yet also a good litmus test for the Oniontowners.
2. Locking It Down
Staying on the theme of defense, take a step back and truly examine what St. John’s Prep did in its 29-14 conquering of host Springfield Central last Friday night.
The Golden Eagles of Central had won 20 straight games at Berte Field dating back to the 2022 season. They scored a colossal 858 points in those 20 contests, averaging nearly 43 points every time out. They have a running back in Isaiah Rodgers who is headed to Notre Dame, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman in McCoy Thompson going to Wake Forest, had the Division 1 and Division 2 Players of Year from Connecticut transfer in, and a galaxy of other standouts. They are among the best teams in the state for a reason.
But St. John’s Prep, after a three-hour bus ride in traffic to Western Mass., settled down at halftime and shut the hosts out the rest of the way, leading to their victory. Bottling up Rodgers was a big part of their game plan and they were able to do so while also getting tons of pressure most of the evening. Five sacks — two apiece from Jay Arnett and Vinny Graziani — had the Golden Eagles on their heels, and speedy defensive back Dayvian Sullivan picked off two Central passes, including one that he ran back for an insurance touchdown in the fourth quarter. Defensive tackle Will Seaha and linebacker Connor Quigley, both captains, also played big roles.
Everyone knows the Prep’s offensive weaponry — QB Chris Vargas, WR Riley Selvais, RB Maxwell Parent, etc. — but if the defense can sustain this level of play, it could be a truly special season for the Eagles.
3. Delivering As Advertised
Talk is one thing; actions are another. There was plenty of the former when news broke that Dominik Mercier would be returning home to Peabody and serve as a senior quarterback for the Tanners. He did, after all, lead Malden Catholic to the Division 3 state semifinals a year ago, and after a 2-9 season the Tanner football faithful were hoping he could come in and help right the ship.
Well, Mercier’s actions in last Friday’s 40-16 whipping of Somerville justified all the talk surrounding him. Running Peabody’s spread offense as if he had been doing so for years, Mercier fired a pair of first half TD passes, then duplicated that feat while also rushing for a score of his own during the final 24 minutes of play. His final stats on the evening had him completing 10-of-17 passes for 120 yards and four TDs, plus 108 yards on 10 totes and a score.
With a beefed up offensive line and some gifted pass catchers to throw to (Mark Mendonca, Jack Smith, Ryan Levesque, Aniel Espinal, etc.), Mercier and the Tanners could (should?) finish with more wins in September than they had in all of 2025.
4. Effort Unquestioned
By all rights, Salem should’ve won its season opener at home against KIPP Academy of Lynn. The Witches led by seven points going in the fourth quarter and, in all likelihood, could’ve put the game away with a pair of sustained drives. Instead, they gave up three scores — two coming off of fumbles that were stripped and returned for touchdowns — and were on the wrong end of a 32-27 defeat.
Still, if I’m a Witches fan I’m taking the ‘glass half full’ approach to this one.
For starters, this was the team’s first game under an almost entirely new coaching staff headed up by Brett Segala (and with a shortened preseason to boot). Youth pervades throughout the roster, meaning that two freshmen linemen (Tim Jones and Amauri Quintana) started. Two quarterbacks with little (senior George Reyes) or no varsity experience (junior Tyler Ouellette) under center both acquitted themselves nicely. Team mainstays such as Fionn Coughlin, Gregory Njiseng and Aidan Collazo showed with their play that they’re willing to show the way for their greener teammates.
The effort was there, and they should be rewarded with a win soon. Tonight against visiting Greater Lawrence would be as good a time as any.
5. Let’s Get Physical
A bad batch of ingredients made Beverly‘s opening night showing in Haverhill a sour one. Several key players were in their first varsity game; others just played like it. Dropped passes, poor reads, a score allowed on 4th-and-long just before halftime before running just one offensive play in the third quarter … it all added up to a 36-14 setback.
Where the Panthers did shine the majority of the evening, though, was in the trenches. They’re bigger (not heavy, but with height and what head coach Jeff Hutton calls “lean strength”) than they have been in 15-or-so years, and four starters back on the O-line give the Orange-and-Black much-needed wisdom where it’s needed. Teddy Fisher, Isaiah Zohn, Joao Reis, Tyler Limongello … these are seniors who are resolute in their belief that this can be a successful season.
There’s skill in Charlie Frost, Sean Okhouzagon, Stephan Sullivan, Jordan Downey, Tommy Collins, et. al. to move the chains. But for any Wing-T offense to work properly, the line has to be in sync at all times. That means getting physical, which is where the Panthers should have a leg up on many of their foes.
6. Things Can Only Get Better
In the same way I’m confident that a unicorn driving a spaceship won’t crash into Earth and wipe out the country’s power grid before the year is out, I’m fairly certain Bishop Fenwick will not give up 64 points or 555 yards to an opposing team again this season.
For the Crusaders, this week of practice almost certainly focused on fixing things — both on the field and in their heads. Opening game attitudes can be telling; almost anyone who tugs on the pads has been waiting for that moment for months, and when it doesn’t go as one envisioned, frustration can set in. But life is about dealing with adversity, and Fenwick must learn from last week’s humbling against Northeast Regional and grow tougher — physically and mentally — from it.
There’s a lot of season left, and took much talent on this roster (Andrew Kiricoples, Jamie Dube, Ian Guarino, Damon Mataragas) in the skill positions for Fenwick not to flourish. Getting in the right headspace to capture that first win will go a long way towards that.
7. Jett to Success
A 34-0 home loss to start the 2026 campaign is no one’s idea of fun. While Masconomet had to deep down figure that there’d certainly be some edges to smooth out after a losing scads of seniors from their 2025 Northeastern Conference titlists, that hard reality of not scoring on opening night while allowing five TDs against undoubtedly hurts.
But again, we’re about silver linings today, and with that I’m looking at sophomore running back Jett Fabiano. The younger brother of the Chieftains’ recent record breaking tailback Jack Fabiano, Jett ran for 89 yards on just seven carries while also catching a pair of passes from Cruz Zizza. He’s got good size for his age, has the frame to withstand varsity hits, and good wheels that keep him moving northward, keys for an successful back.
It may take some time for Masconomet to find its rhythm, but Fabiano should be a big part of the team’s rebuilding process.
Contact Phil Stacey
@PhilStacey_SN