Each and every time that Athol High School and Mahar Regional School have taken the field in the history of the longest-standing rivalry in western Mass., the records get thrown out the window as the possibility of a close and exciting game are on the table.
This season is no different.
When Mahar heads to O’Brien Field in Athol to face the Red Raiders this morning at 10 a.m., the two schools will each be looking for their fourth victory of the season and there is plenty of reasons to think that each has a very good chance to win, which should set up for an intriguing game.
Both teams enter the game 3-7 on the season, although one team does have a decided edge in the all-time series which dates back to their first meeting in 1894 when Orange High School beat Athol, 18-4. Athol currently holds a 51-30-1 record all-time and has a four-year winning streak that the Senators would love to snap. This could very well be the year that happens.
The Senators come into the game as the hotter of the two squads courtesy of their three-game winning streak to end the season. Mahar has defeated Franklin Tech, Mohawk and Pathfinder over its past three games to move back to respectability after an 0-7 start.
“We’ve been starting to figure it out,” Mahar coach Jim Woodward said. “We’re a lot better than when we played Athol the last time, hopefully that will work in our favor.”
Indeed, the two teams met back on Sept. 21 and Athol earned a 16-0 victory. Even then, the game was low-scoring and close, but Woodward believes one area of his squad has vastly improved from then to now.
“We are a better tackling team,” he explained. “We react better to what the opposing offense is doing. We get more people to the ball. Before, we were getting people to the ball but not making plays. Now, we are making some plays.”
The Athol victory was highlighted by a pair of fake punts. On the first, Mason Barrieau broke free for a first down that set up Athol’s first score, and on the second Barrieau took the fake 54 yards for a touchdown.
“We played them tough last time, but they made a couple of plays on special teams,” Woodward said. “We were in it the rest of the game, but we made too many mistakes.”
That victory was the first of the season for Athol but the Red Raiders were up and down throughout the year, adding wins over Mohawk and Smith Voke later in the year. While Mahar’s biggest challenge was getting its offense going this season, the Red Raiders struggled throughout the season on defense. They allowed the single-game rushing record to RJ Byrd (347 yards) to go with five touchdowns in Week 7, and then gave up 263 yards and four touchdowns to Garrett DeForest the following week.
“We have got to play defense this week,” Athol coach Bill LaRose said. “The number one goal is to put forth the best defensive effort we can.”
It has been a tough season for the Red Raiders. Athol has allowed 281 points in its 10 games on the year as it has struggled giving up big plays. The aforementioned big games against Greenfield and Frontier were two of the five times Athol allowed more than 30 points in a game this season.
What makes that most glaring for the Raiders is that the offense has been very good for much of the season, ranking fourth in the IL in terms of points scored. Athol put up 36 points against the Green Wave and scored 26 points against Turners, but lost both games.
“We’ve gained over 3,000 yards this season,” LaRose said. “I would take my offense over any other the way it has played this year, but we have to play better defense.”
LaRose said that despite the lousy weather of late, the players have put on pads and hit the snow-covered fields to work on defense.
Mahar has not had a great year defensively by any means, but the team has allowed more than 30 points only twice (to Frontier and Greenfield) as it has relied on its defensive unit to keep games close. Over their three-game winning streak, the Senators have allowed a total of 14 points.
“The defense has played well most of the season,” Woodward offered.
Both teams enter the game with multiple threats in the backfield, which will make it hard for either defense to key on one particular player. The most dangerous of those players belongs to Athol in the form of senior running back Mason Barrieau, who enters the game with 1,048 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. The track & field star is among the fastest backs in the area and has rushed for over 100 yards in five games, and gone over 200 yards once this season.
“He is one of the most gifted athletes I’ve ever coached,” LaRose said. “You get him on the edge and he is dangerous to break it.”
He is spelled in the backfield by fullback Dylan Castine and tailback Keegan Lutz, who both have nearly 500 yards this season. Castine is a bruiser who picks up tough yards and has six touchdowns on the season, while Lutz is another player who will run up the middle or can beat you to the edge and also has six touchdowns.
“Dylan has been great for us on both sides of the ball. He likes to get dirty and will go to those dirty places,” LaRose said.
Mahar counters with a trio of backs who also possess their own talents. Senior Jon Gariepy can do a little of everything as he 723 yards on the season and 10 touchdowns. Lucas Seney is coming off a 187-yard, two-touchdown performance and has scored four times on the year, while fullback Joey Brozell has 300 yards and four touchdowns.
“Jon is an elusive, tough runner, but I think the compliment of Lucas Seney and Joey Brozell has done a nice job,” Woodward explained. “All three of those guys are important to what we do.”
Both teams have first-year quarterbacks. Athol freshman Caleb Cox is among the top passers in the area, completing 42-of-89 throws for 616 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions.
“Caleb is a kid who has done everything we’ve asked,” LaRose said.
Mahar sophomore Noaha Chabot has progressed this season and has completed 50 percent of his throws (22-of-44) for three touchdowns and three interceptions.
“Noaha has been getting better, and as a sophomore he still has room to grow,” Woodward offered.
The Athol offensive line has done a nice job throughout the season to open holes for the backs to rush for more than 2,000 yards this season. Seniors Mike Harris, Tim Soucie, Connor Arpide and Dan Grover line up with junior Logan Wing and sophomores Christian Casillas and Manny O’Lari. As for the receiving corps, the backs are the main pass-catchers on the team although freshman tight end Joe Gray is a favorite target of Cox as well. Defensively, look for Castine to lead the linebacking corps, while Casillas, Arpide and Soucie are run-stoppers up front.
The Mahar front is led by junior Todd Chiasson (left guard) and senior Adam Clement (right guard) who are the two most experienced players on the line. Sophomores Brian Skorb (center), Colin Boyle (tackle) and Jacob Murphy (tackle) also play key roles on the line.
When Chabot goes to the air he will be looking for one of the top receivers in the league in junior Charlie Barnes, who has 24 receptions for 364 yards and four touchdowns this season. Brozell, the fullback, also has seven catches for 51 yards.
It has all the makings of another classic in the storied game that dates back more than 120 years.
“You have to respect your opponent and nothing has changed over here, we are looking to play our best game against our rival,” LaRose concluded. “Let’s add another storied chapter to the tradition.”
“It’s a big game to say the least,” Woodward concurred. “We are both 3-7 and one of their wins is over us back in September. We remember those things. We feel good about what we have going here, and hopefully we can get a win, but we are going to have to earn it.”