RallyNorth.net

LAWRENCE — Ryan Burns knows full well nothing is guaranteed in football. He watched when his injured older brother, Kyle, had to sit out his senior year at Central Catholic.

So the brawny Irishman from Danville felt blessed. The Raiders took it to Lawrence, 44-20, before about 500 fans on a beautiful Thanksgiving morning. He had family at Veterans Stadium and he was getting hugs left and right from pretty classmates. And in his final football game of his career, Burns was named the Raiders' game MVP (Michael Sullivan Award).

LAWRENCE - For a majority of last night's Division 1 North final, it was men against boys at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Despite the plaudits, all rightly earned, top-seeded and undefeated Central Catholic was helpless against the size, speed and physicality of defending state champion and perennial powerhouse Everett.

 LAWRENCE — When the two teams met in the regular season, Central Catholic need three fourth quarter scores to rally past an upset-minded Methuen squad.

With a trip to the Division 1 North final on the line on Friday, the Raiders would need no such comeback.

LAWRENCE - Lost in the maze of offensive heroics for the unbeaten Central Catholic football team this fall has been some pretty impressive defense.

There were plenty of offensive highlights again Friday night in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs, as the Raiders (8-0) whipped Acton-Boxboro 44-0, but it was probably the defense that shined brightest,

ANDOVER — The Central Catholic came to Andover High's Lovely Field with an undefeated record and high hopes as the temperatures get lower this fall.

Nothing changed after the Red Raiders, now 7-0, left here obliterating Andover, 49-13, en route to at least a tie of the 2017 Merrimack Valley Conference title.

LAWRENCE — It was a short day at the office for Max Faro and his fellow Central Catholic starters.

Faro and Co. spent the second half of Saturday’s 41-7 win over Haverhill on the sidelines as spectators, cheering on the stream of reserves that shuttled onto the field.

BILLERICA - Billerica's game plan against powerhouse Central Catholic was evident from its first snap: Run the offense at a pace a turtle would think is slow.

It started as a sound strategy. Keep the ball away from Central's array of playmakers while chewing up as much clock as possible. And, thanks to a muffed punt and an interception on Central's first play, Billerica held a 7-0 lead after the first quarter - a quarter that the Raiders' offense ran just two plays in.

LAWRENCE — Heading into the fourth quarter, the upset seemed to be within Methuen’s grasp.

When Saul Cespedes sprinted into the end zone with 3:26 to go in the third, he gave his Rangers a two-score advantage, as Methuen drew closer to its first win over Central Catholic since 2010.

LAWRENCE — After all of the hype, the state championship chatter, and an extra day of waiting thanks to a flood, it was time for Central Catholic to prove itself against another Massachusetts football power.