By Lorenzo Recupero
Over the last couple decades, Everett and the MIAA division 1 playoffs have become synonymous.
This season, nothing’s changed, as the Crimson Tide (6-1) enter the playoffs Friday against Acton- Boxborough (5-2) at Veterans Memorial Stadium (7PM kickoff).
High expectations always swirl around the team around this time and for good reason.
This year is no different. And it shouldn’t be.
The Tide are on a commanding roll, entering the playoffs in flat out juggernaut mode.
They’ve averaged just over 33 points per game and allowed just about 17 points per game defensively over the course of the year. In their last game of the regular season, the Tide posted a season-high 51 points against Somerville.
That decisive win is just the latest example of an ascending trend for the team. In its last three game stretch, they’ve averaged 43 points per game while giving up just 13 points in total.
Those numbers alone make for a very encouraging entrance to the playoffs.
And although the regular season and the postseason are two different animals, the Tide have mastered playing at the next level, too.
Everett has been featured in 4 of the last 5 division 1 north sectional finals, winning three of the four, with its only loss in that frame coming at the hands of Central Catholic in 2015 (33-14 loss).
In fact, CC might be the biggest hurdle for the Tide to make it back to the super bowl this year.
Everett and CC have faced-off in 4 of the team’s last 5 visits to the playoffs, including a gut-wrenching 23-20 loss last year that is still looming large in the coaches and players minds, especially since most think the referees may have had too much of a hand in that outcome.
The Tide’s added motivation to avenge their playoff-bouncing loss from last season could be the difference.
Should Everett make it past Acton-Boxborough on Friday, it will pin them against CC once again (granted CC gets past Lexington).
The potential fireworks of a rematch of last season’s sectional final would be something to see, with CC entering as the top-seeded team in its respect bracket.
But first, let us see if leading scorer Duke Doherty (9 touchdowns) and the Tide can run past A-B.