Football 2018: Rockets Have A Healthy Outlook

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.

• After nine straight winning seasons, injury-riddled Reading had its first losing season last fall, finishing at 3-8. A quick start would help erase those memories but starting with two straight on road, then coming home to face Lexington will make that a challenge.

• With a 3-18 record over the past two seasons, Austin Prep and legendary coach Bill Maradei need the young players to show they've learned from those struggles. The Greater Lawrence home opener will be key, especially since the Cougars went 0-6 on their home field last fall.

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

Reading Football Schedule

Fri., Sept. 7 -- at Wakefield, 7

Fri., Sept. 14 -- at Acton-Boxboro, 7

Fri., Sept. 21 -- Lexington, 7

Fri., Sept. 28 -- Belmont, 7

Fri., Oct. 5 -- at Woburn, 7

Fri., Oct. 12 -- at Arlington, 7

Fri., Oct. 19 -- Winchester, 7

MIAA Tournament

Thur., Nov. 22 -- at Stoneham, 10

Austin Prep Football Schedule

Fri., Sept. 7 -- at Salem, 7

Fri., Sept. 14 -- Greater Lawrence, 7

Sat., Sept. 22 -- at Matignon, 2

Fri., Sept. 28 -- Lowell Catholic, 7

Fri., Oct. 5 -- Pope Francis, 7

Fri., Oct. 12 -- at Cathedral, 7

Fri., Oct. 19 -- St. John Paul II, 7

MIAA Tournament

Thur., Nov. 22 -- Shawsheen