Top 25 MIAA Football Rankings: Week 5

How high will quarterback Zach Burns and Billerica climb after a huge win against Everett?

By SuiteSports Staff

Ed. Note- Though ESPN Boston High Schools is no more, SuiteSports is thrilled to welcome a few former members of that team, including former Assistant Editor Nate Weitzer.

Each week, Nate, myself, and our other correspondents and colleagues across the state will rank our Top 25 teams in Massachusetts high school football. After all, just because ESPN Boston High Schools is done, that doesn't mean we should stop doing our Top 25 every week. For now, our "Last Week" ranking will refer to where each team stood in ESPN Boston's final poll. 

Anyways, onward to our first ever statewide Top 25!

The End of ESPN Boston High Schools

We may not have a High Schools section any more, but at least I got to keep these tiny promotional footballs...

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

If you haven't heard, ESPN Boston officially announced today that it will no longer cover high school sports, effective Saturday.

Obviously, we on the High Schools team would have liked a BIT more than these 34 words inside the official announcement, but our fearless leader Brendan Hall will have a column about the ending of the High Schools section, and will speak about it briefly in our weekly High School Football Preview video as well.

I know this news comes as a bit of shock to athletes, coaches and parents across the state, and I can certainly tell you that nobody on the High Schools team was happy about it. But, this is the reality of the business we're in, and for many years we've been able to use the ESPN brand to deliver our message, so it's hard to be too mad at the mothership for contracting us.

Now please allow me to, as best I can, explain why this happened, thank a few folks, and talk about what comes next.

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: 9/30/13

All State QB Andrew Smiley and the St. John's offense will have its hands full with Nashoba's defense this week.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The top two teams in Central Mass passed their tests with flying colors this past weekend, as Leominster outgunned Shepherd Hill and Doherty ran past Tantasqua. For the Blue Devils, it was just another day at the office against the Rams, but the Highlanders needed a big win to prove they belong among the region's elite.

They got that against a tough Tantasqua squad, and more, dominating all three phases of the game and solidifying their place as the favorite in Division 4.

For the rest of our Power Rankings and an update on the Player of the Year race, along with a preview of next week's Game of the Week, keep reading below.

CMass HS Football Game of the Week Preview: St. John's at Leominster

St. John's senior QB Andrew Smiley (left) and Leominster senior QB/S Neil O'Connor (right).

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

This week's Central Mass Game of the Week is a bit of a no-brainer, as ESPN Boston has named Leominster's home date with St. John's its game of the week for the entire state.

So, while I'd love to go against the grain and give you all the details on Auburn visiting Hudson, I'm not going to over think this one. I mean, I did rank these two teams No. 1 and 2 in my first CMass Power Rankings, so not picking this game would be silly and a bit of a contradiction.

Anyway, neither of these teams have played a game yet, but each has challenged itself in the preseason, scrimmaging against some of the best teams in Central Mass and beyond. While this game represents a rematch of the last two Central Mass Division 1 Super Bowls, both teams still have questions to answer: Leominster in the trenches and St. John's throughout its defense.

CMass HS Football Power Rankings: Season Preview

Auburn is expecting big things from junior RB Mark Wright (#24).

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The high school football season will begin this week for one Central Mass power, as Auburn will host Western Mass contender Chicopee Comprehensive Friday at 7 pm. The Rockets are faced with one of the largest rebuilding jobs in the state, as only ESPN Boston Preseason All State lineman Will Greelish returns as a starter from last season's Super Bowl squad.

Still, Auburn hasn't rebuilt under coach Jeff Cormier, it has reloaded. A running streak of five consecutive Super Bowl championships and a 41-game winning streak that stretched from 2008-2011 are evidence of that, but where will the Rockets rank among the Central Mass elite in 2013? We take a stab at that below.

CMass Video Preview: St. John's Football 2013

Preseason All State safety Davon Jones is also a threat with the ball in his hands.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

St. John's coach John Andreoli learned a lot about his team during the Pioneers' annual scrimmage with state power Brockton.

While his banged up and inexperienced offensive line struggled early, leading to some poor decisions from ESPN Boston preseason All State quarterback Drew Smiley, he came away pleased with his team's resiliency and versatility on offense. Perhaps more importantly, the coach was happy with the performance of his defense, coming off a 2012 that saw the Pioneers allow nearly 30 points per game.

Check out the video below for a preview of the Pioneers, including an exciting transfer at running back, a potentially stout defensive front, and the all-around game of star junior Davone Jones. For more on St. John's, be sure to read my written preview of the Pioneers for ESPN Boston here.

CMass Video Preview: Auburn Football 2013

The Rockets will rebuild around ESPN Boston Pre-season all state lineman Will Greelish.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The first season in which the MIAA will crown football state champions may have come a year too late for Auburn.

Last season, the Rockets were one of the most dominant teams in the history of Central Mass, defeating opponents by over 20 points per game, rolling to yet another undefeated campaign and capturing a fifth straight Super Bowl win.

That team would have been a state title favorite.