Peering into the Crystal (Foot) Ball Part 2: More predictions for the season

Sep. 9—Our North Shore high school football experts, Phil Stacey and Matt Williams, are back to give their thoughts on six pressing North Shore high school football questions going into the new year in this, the second of a two-part story.

7. Who are your top three picks for the North Shore linemen who will make the biggest impact this season?

PHIL STACEY

1. Theo Batchelder, Pingree. Whichever college lands this 6-foot-6, 295-pound behemoth will have a steal on their hands. With an 82-inch wingspan, quick feet and natural brute strength, he's near-immovable in the trenches.

2. Tyler McMahon, Masconomet. Pity the running back who has to pick up this 6-foot-3, 220-pound monster with 4.68 40 speed barreling around the edge on a blitz. The two-way end and All-State selection has a motor that simply doesn't quit.

3. Mikey Nabbout, St. John's Prep. The Ivy League bound defensive end (Columbia) has terrific upper body strength, is explosive off the snap and causes two hours worth of problems for whoever is tasked with lining up against him.

MATT WILLIAMS

1. Colin Mugaga, Danvers. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Mugaga moves very well for a guard is the Falcons' leader in the trenches. He led the Danvers weight room brigade all summer and I figure it'll pay off with plenty of pancakes and sacks this fall.

2. Tim Seaward, Hamilton-Wenham. A multi-year starter and another weight room maven, Seaward has the snarl that I think new coach Tim Freiermuth wants the Generals to maintain. There aren't many substitutes for a solid leader on the offensive line when you're trying to establish (or continue) a culture and Seaward's a gem for the Gens.

3. Daniel Githinji, Salem. Going 300 pounds means not many opponents or spectators will miss him in the trenches for Salem this fall. He's become stronger, more confident and more mobile and it's going to lead to good things on the line of scrimmage for the Witches.

8. Which three players will have the most all-purpose yardage (rushing/receiving/returns) this season?

PHIL STACEY

1. Connor Cronin, Marblehead. If he were to be used as an absolute workhorse, Cronin could legitimately produce 1,000 yards rushing and receiving this fall. That probably won't happen, but he'll come close ... especially when you factor in any punt/kickoff yardage he produces.

2. Henry Wright, Ipswich. Another dual threat who we know will get 20-plus touches a game out of the Tigers' backfield and, depending on how often they take to the air, he'll add to his totals on swing passes and bubble screens.

3. Owen Gasinowski, Danvers. Now in his third season in the Falcons' backfield, I'm expecting the junior's workload to grow with each passing week. He can crank out yardage, runs smart routes and creates yards for himself after the catch.

MATT WILLIAMS

1. Connor Cronin, Marblehead. The only time he might come off the field is on extra points ... a dangerous gamebreaker in all three phases, it would be simply foolish to pick anyone else in the top spot.

2. Eli Batista, Peabody. Another No. 22, Batista was one of the North Shore's most dangerous return men a year ago with over 405 yards combined between kickoffs and punts. Add that to whatever he may amass in receiving yardage and you're looking at a big number.

3. Jason Codispoti, Swampscott. He could be in for a Where's Waldo type roll roaming from the backfield to the slot and back again, so I like the idea of this potential breakout star racking up yardage both rushing and receiving.

9. Which teams will improve their winning percentage from last season?

PHIL STACEY

1. Ipswich. Let's start with a layup; there's no way the Tigers win only one game again this fall. The players are now that much more familiar with second-year head coach Zach Lamkin, his coaching staff and their schemes; the result should be many more W's.

2. Danvers. The Falcons don't ever take the easy road, not with a non-league slate that includes Tewksbury, Haverhill and Reading once again before getting into the teeth of their Northeastern Conference schedule. But they welcome the challenge, and in the end will win more than they lose.

3. Essex Tech. In a similar boat to Danvers coming off of a 5-6 campaign in 2021, there's too much talent on the roster here for another sub-.500 season. A few early victories will serve as a much-needed springboard for the remainder of the season.

MATT WILLIAMS

1. Essex Tech. I love what the Hawks are bringing to the table this season. And the football Gods owe them a healthy campaign and a few breaks after the bad luck dice they rolled the last few times out.

2. Ipswich. If my Week 1 predictions are correct the Tigers will have already matched last year's win total by the time this column hits the newsstand Friday morning. I like those odds.

3. Peabody. Improve on the second best record the program's had since 2004? Yes. The team is that talented and shouldn't fall into the September lull that derailed the '21 playoff push. It's eight wins or bust in Tanner Town.

10. Name three unheralded seniors who will end up playing key roles for their respective teams this fall.

PHIL STACEY

1. Marcelo Pinto, Beverly. The fullback is the primary ballcarrier in Beverly's offense, and this powerfully built, 5-foot-7, 195-pounder will be bulldozing his way between the tackles and moving the chains all season. He'll also be a difference maker in the Panthers' secondary.

2. Aven Denbow, Marblehead. With graduation went 77 receptions from last year's Super Bowl champs, which means someone will need to step up and assume the bulk of those. Enter Denbow, who caught one pass a year ago before a Week 2 injury ended his season. He'll more than make up for lost time this fall.

3. Ethan Gee, Swampscott. We've all heard the cliché: linemen don't get the love they deserve from football fans. But Big Blue backers will become familiar with Gee for his work on the left side protecting his quarterback and opening up holes for the backs to scoot through.

MATT WILLIAMS

1. Colin Ridley, Peabody. Instant offense and all kinds of energy ... when Peabody's a rut offensively and needs a drive start, they can count on Ridley to move the chains. Also had 450-plus kick return yards and three scores in the return game.

2. Reagan Little, Danvers. Head coach Ryan Nolan says Little is one of the smartest defenders he's had in his Onion Town tenure. That's saying a lot. The ability to call out formations and signals and get everyone aligned correctly is paramount in Danvers' stingy scheme and with Little out there it's going to be tough to score on DHS.

3. Logan Petrosino, Beverly. You thought I'd go the entire 12 questions without finding a way to get a baseball guy in here? Petrosino's a dirt dog and a gamer — and that pays off in every competitive situation no matter the game.

11. Which players are likely to lead the North Shore in interceptions?

PHIL STACEY

1. Chris Colby, Pingree. If you haven't seen him play before, make it a point to do so. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound strong safety has legit aspirations to play big-time college football, and as gifted as he is as a receiver it's in the defensive secondary where he'll earn his keep at the next level. Great leaping ability, body control and hands.

2. Eli Batista, Peabody. It's easy to envision a scenario where teams are throwing against the Tanners deep into the fourth quarter, either because they're trailing or locked in a shootout. That's music to Batista's ears, as the meteoric junior could easily surpass the five picks he corralled a season ago.

3. Zander Danforth, Marblehead. With teams likely to (wisely) throw away from Connor Cronin, the athletic Danforth could reap the benefits by picking off a slew of passes in the Magicians' secondary.

MATT WILLIAMS

1. Joenel Aguero, St. John's Prep. Again I don't see much wisdom in listing anyone other than the guy who's probably going to play in a national championship game and then on Sunday's. I don't care where opponents throw, it's going to be somewhere Aguero can go get it.

2. Hudson Weidman, Pingree. Because he's such a good quarterback, how strong Weidman is on the defensive side can get lost in the shuffle. I figure the Prep school game is so wide open that he'll have more chances at picks than some of the NEC/CAL contingent, so I'm sliding him in here.

3. John Ertel Hamilton-Wenham. Another QB who moonlights as a cornerback, Ertel has great feet for keeping himself in bounds on the sidelines and surprisingly excellent hands. He picked off two passes in a game as a sophomore and will snag even more in '22.

12. Finally, give us three bold predictions for what will transpire during the 2022 season.

PHIL STACEY

1. We have a 300-yard rusher in a game. A rarity for sure, but not an impossibly at this level. We get a handful of 200-plus rushing games by running backs each season, so let's up the ante and say someone runs wild for three bills. Hope I'm here to see it happen.

2. St. John's Prep beats Catholic Memorial. These are bold picks, right? So why not go with one of the boldest calls of all? In the words of the immortal George Costanza, 'All right, you wanna get nuts? All right ... LET'S GET NUTS!!!'

3. Marblehead returns to the Division 3 Super Bowl. While probably the absolute last thing the Magicians' coaching staff wants to read in early September, the fact remains that it's their crown until someone takes it from there. It says here they'll return to the title game with a chance to defend it.

MATT WILLIAMS

1. It's the year of the tight end. Tyler McMahon at Masconomet ... Aris Xerras at Danvers ... Jayden Del Torchio at Pingree ... Mikey Nabbout and Mason McSweeney at the Prep ... there are baby Gronks all over the North Shore. I'm positively fascinated to see how they impact the various game plans as the season plays out.

2. There will be a -gate style scandal somewhere in the state. Did you notice the state released a rules update reminding people they can't use Hudl live during games? Sounds like Bill Belichick's Spygate debate about using film {em}in the same game come to life. Remember a few years ago when a team was accused of not using MIAA approved football in a playoff game? Deflate-gate anyone? Like my colleague above I'm getting nuts and forseeing some strange controversy over obscure rules in November.

3. We will see 100 combined points in a game. It almost happened last year — we had a 90 — but hasn't happened on the North Shore since 2015 (2013 in an MIAA game). With the way offenses are evolving, shootouts are becoming more commonplace and the local record (111 points when Manchester Essex beat North Shore Tech 64-47 in '09) is in jeopardy.