We are here.
The MIAA state title games have arrived. All will be at Gillette Stadium from Wednesday to Friday.
What seems to define this group of games is the amount of teams that will be going for repeats.
From the looks of it, these should be fun and entertaining games.
Let’s examine, one by one, these matchups, and what we expect to see this week.
Division 1
No. 3 Xaverian (8-4) vs. No. 4 Needham (12-0), Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Xaverian comes in as the D1 returning champ, beating St. John’s Prep in this game a year ago. Quarterback Will Wood has been one of the top sophomore signal-callers in the state. Bookend defensive ends Micah Amedee (Boston College) and Dominic Funke have dominated opposing offensive lines all season. Needham running back Aidan Williams is going to Lehigh and has been a consistent force on offense. Offensive tackle Charlie Simeone is a Holy Cross commit on an overall very capable line. Needham beat St. John’s Prep in the semifinals and have been airtight on defense for the most part.
Division 2
No. 1 Catholic Memorial (11-1) vs. No. 2 King Philip (12-0), Thursday at 8 p.m.
Another stellar matchup comes in D2 with Catholic Memorial, the top-ranked team in the state, and King Philip, riding a 25-game winning streak and winners of last year’s D2 title. These teams met in the 2021 and 2022 D2 games, with Catholic Memorial winning both. The leader of the CM offense is running back Mekhi Dodd, a Boston College commit who missed most of the 2023 season with a knee injury. Linebacker David Timson leads the defense. For KP, linebacker Aiden Astorino is a terrific player who also runs it on offense. Running back Andrew Laplante is a breakaway threat.
Division 3
No. 3 Mansfield (9-3) vs. No. 4 North Attleboro (10-2), Friday at 8 p.m.
An All-Hockomock League showdown in Foxboro, a great way to end the season. This is the only game of the week where there is not a chance for a repeat winner. These teams played in the regular season, with North taking a 14-10 win. These are two hard-nosed, physical teams that should play in a close contest. Junior quarterback Tommy Vallett and running back Sean McCoy are top performers for Mansfield. For North, linebacker and running back Ryan Bannon, a Georgetown commit, and quarterback Chase Frisoli, will both run the ball a lot. Frisoli has started since his freshman year.
Divison 4
No. 1 Duxbury (10-2) vs. No. 2 Scituate (12-0), Thursday at 3 p.m.
Duxbury has ended its season at Gillette the last three seasons, with wins in the last two. Scituate beat Duxbury here in 2021, and lost to the Dragons last season. These are two of the best programs on the South Shore. Duxbury’s only losses are to Franklin and Marshfield. Quarterback Trevor Jones has been a force the last two seasons. Running back Jack Rees has also played well this season. Wide receiver and defensive back Lawson Foley and running back Willy Robinson are two of the top performers offensively for the Sailors. Scituate beat Grafton in the semifinals, and owns a victory over Foxboro in the regular season.
Division 5
No. 1 Shawsheen (12-0) vs. No. 2 Foxboro (8-4), Friday at 5:30 p.m.
These teams met last year in the D5 playoffs, and Foxboro beat the Rams en route to a D5 state title. Shawsheen has been a contender for the last three seasons, as Shawsheen lost in the 2022 title game to North Reading. Quarterback Sidney Tildsley is a dominant player both as a runner and thrower, and has a good supporting cast that includes running back and linebacker Jake Banda. Foxboro has played a brutal schedule out of the Hockomock League. Running back Ben Angelini and quarterback Mike Marcucella are the top players for the Warriors, who also sport a big offensive line.
Division 6
No. 1 Hudson (12-0) vs. No. 3 Fairhaven (10-2), Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Both of these offenses are explosive, and we could have a shootout in this one. Fairhaven eliminated Hudson from the D6 playoffs last season, and went on to win the state title. Fairhaven played a tough schedule, including a loss to BC High. The Blue Devils run an option offense that flows most through fullback Justin Marques, maybe the most prolific back in the state. For Hudson, quarterback Jake Attaway has had a brilliant career, both as a runner and a passer. He has a strong supporting cast, which includes running back Treson Meuse.
Division 7
No. 1 Uxbridge (12-0) vs. No. 3 Mashpee (9-3), Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
Uxbridge comes in as one of the hottest teams in the state. The Spartans have won 26 games in a row, including last year’s D7 state title over Amesbury at Gillette. The top player for Uxbridge is running back Cam LaChapelle. Uxbridge has not played a close game in this playoff run, winning convincingly over St. Paul, Gardner, and Northbridge. Mashpee is similar to Uxbridge in that the Falcons want to run the ball, but are smart and efficient in how they throw it. Quarterback Dominic Matteodo, running backs Logan Wills and Ben Squarcia, and receiver Ryan Triveri lead Mashpee.
Division 8
No. 1 Randolph (10-1) at No. 2 West Boylston (9-2), Friday at 3 p.m.
These teams are old hat with playing at Gillette, and having success doing so. Randolph won the D8 title in 2021, while West Boylston is going for a three-peat, winning the D7 title in 2022, and D8 crown in 2023. Both of these teams want to run the ball, West Boylston with running back Dominick Renzoni, and Randolph with back Mekhi White. Quarterback Connor Rice has also had a good season for the Lions. One common opponent is Carver. Randolph beat the Crusaders, 33-7, and West Boylston won, 36-14. This should be a competitive game.