Football 2018: Pioneers Again the Team To Beat In CAL Baker

Nine months after the last high school football game ended at Gillette Stadium when Everett beat Xaverian, it's time to do it all over again.

Practice starts Friday for EMass football teams with one two-hour conditioning session. Long gone are the brutal two-a-days, mainly due to safety concerns. The first scrimmages won't take place until Saturday, Aug. 25. The first games will be held the weekend of Sept. 7-8.

Do you remember 2017? If not, here are a few reminders:

• King Philip goes into the season with a 25-game win streak, the longest in the state.

• Coach John DiBiaso retired at Everett after more than 300 career wins, only to resurface weeks later as the new head coach at Catholic Memorial.

• Super Bowl winners were Everett (D1), KP (D2), St. John's (S) (D3), Melrose (D4), Dennis-Yarmouth (D5), Middleboro (D6), Mashpee (D7), and Millis (D8).

• Some familiar names are back including running back Isaac Seide at Melrose (184 yards in Super Bowl win), receiver Prince Brown at Lynn English (10 TD receptions), receiver Nashaun Butler at Lynn Classical (school record 82 receptions), receiver Gabe DeSouza at North Andover (9 TD receptions, 34 extra points), and quarterback Jake Willcox at Everett (25 TD passes).

• Mashpee has won three straight MIAA Super Bowls, taking Division 7 in 2017, Division 4 in 2016, and Division 6 in 2015. And oh ya, they return the South Shore League's Player of the Year in defensive end Xavier Gonsalves.

• Lou Silva has retired from Marshfield after a 37-year run as the Rams head coach.

• Massachusetts will play under NCAA rules for one last season before switching to National High School Federation rules in 2019.

• Forgive me for reminding you of this, but Watertown beat Lynnfield, 38-34, in last year's Division 5 North final. The Pioneers had a 34-24 lead with three minutes remaining. That said, the Pioneers have six straight winning seasons with each including at least a share of the Cape Ann League Baker title. Four straight road games to open the season will present challenges.

With 2017 behind us, it's time to look ahead to this fall.

Lynnfield Football Schedule

Fri., Sept. 7 -- at Newburyport, 7

Fri., Sept. 14 -- at Wayland, 7

Fri., Sept. 21 -- at Amesbury, 7

Fri., Sept. 28 -- at Winthrop, 7

Fri., Oct. 5 -- Manchester Essex, 7

Fri., Oct. 12 -- Ipswich, 7

Sat., Oct. 20 -- Masconomet, 1

MIAA Tournament

Thur., Nov. 22 -- North Reading, 10