In case you were distracted by the Red Sox-Rays marathon on Saturday night, here’s a quick rundown of some fantasy football news and notes as we head into Week 6:

* Reports out of Kansas City have the Chiefs putting future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez on the trade block. If Gonzo goes to a good team with a need for a pass-catching tight end (Giants, anyone?), it would be a nice boost for his fantasy value.

* It looks like Justin Fargas will get the starting nod at running back for the Raiders against the Saints. Darren McFadden (toe) is listed as questionable but is now expected to play as well.

* Chargers WR Vincent Jackson (knee) practiced Friday and is expected to play against the Patriots on Sunday. He could be a nice fill-in play with Chris Chambers sidelined due to injury.

* Laurence Maroney (shoulder) and LaMont Jordan (calf) are listed as questionable and doubtful, respectively, for Sunday's game against San Diego, so Sammy Morris could carry the running back load for the Patriots.

* Bucs QB Jeff Garcia took the first-team practice snaps on Friday and looks to be the starter for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. He's a risky play, however, against a top-notch defense.

* Lions WR Roy Williams, constantly mentioned in trade rumors, was limited in practice Friday but is expected to start against Minnesota.

* Charlie Frye is expected to start at QB for the Seahawks in Sunday's game against the Packers due to Matt Hasselbeck's knee injury.

* Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin (sinus fracture) is out for Sunday's game against Dallas.

* The Saints could get a nice boost if Marques Colston (thumb) can play against the Raiders Sunday. He is listed as questionable but is expected to be active after missing four games.

TRAIP ACADEMY VS. MADISON
When and where: Friday (7) in Madison.
Team records: Traip is 1-4 in Western Maine Class C. Madison is 0-5 in Western Maine Class C.
2007 result: Traip won, 32-12, in Kittery.
Noteworthy: The Rangers are coming off one of their best performances in recent years, a 48-30 victory over an Old Orchard Beach team that won three of its first four games. Traip coach Ron Ross called it the most complete game a Traip team has played in his seven years as the team's head coach. …Mike Collins rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries against Old Orchard Beach. He's gained 284 yards on the ground in Traip's last two games. Eric Modica caught three passes – two for touchdowns – from quarterback Eric Spear against OOB. … Madison is the only winless team in Western Maine Class C. The Bulldogs haven't scored more than 14 points in a game this season. … Madison began the season with 31 players, 16 of whom were freshmen.

MARSHWOOD VS. SCARBOROUGH
When and where: Friday (7) at Marshwood High School.
Team records: Marshwood is 2-3 in Western Maine Class A. Scarborough is 3-2 in Western Maine Class A.
2007 result: Marshwood won, 42-21, in Scarborough.
Noteworthy: Marshwood has lost two in a row and will need to finish the season strong to qualify for the Western Maine Class A playoffs. After Friday's contest, Biddeford (2-3) and Noble (0-5) remain on Marshwood's schedule. … The Hawks have allowed 91 points in their last two games – losses to Thornton Academy (42-14) and Deering (49-7). … Scarborough has held its opponent to one touchdown in each of its three victories. Senior tailback Brendan Ham is the Red Storm's top offensive threat. Ham rushed for 155 yards on 23 carries in last weekend's 13-12 loss to Portland. … Scarborough's victories came against Biddeford, Sanford and Noble.

EXETER VS. KEENE
When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Keene's Memorial Field.
Team records: Exeter is 5-0 overall, 4-0 in Division II. Keene is 2-2 overall, 2-1 in Division II.
2007 result: Exeter won, 42-0, in Exeter.
Noteworthy: Exeter stretched its winning streak to 13 games by beating Merrimack, 37-15, last Friday. That allowed the Blue Hawks to keep pace with unbeaten Bishop Guertin, which improved its record to 5-0 with a 35-7 triumph at Dover. … Each of Keene's two losses came by one point. The Blackbirds dropped a 15-14 decision to Division I Salem, and lost to Timberlane 13-12. Keene's victories came against Winnacunnet (26-14) and Alvirne (27-7). … Keene has allowed 49 points this season. Only BG (17) and Exeter (35) have allowed fewer. … Although Keene isn't throwing the ball as much this year as it has in recent seasons, quarterback Tanner Luopa and split end Mike Tateosian are among the players to watch when Keene has the ball.

PORTSMOUTH VS. PEMBROKE
When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) in Pembroke.
Team records: Portsmouth is 4-1 overall, 4-1 in Division III. Pembroke is 2-3 overall, 2-2 in Division III.
2007 result: Pembroke won, 14-10, in Pembroke.
Noteworthy: Despite last Friday's loss to Souhegan, the Clippers can secure home-field advantage for the Division III semifinals if they can avoid defeat the rest of the way. This could be a spot where Portsmouth stumbles, though. … Division III has its share of talented quarterbacks, and Pembroke's John Natalizio is one of them. A late Natalizio TD pass allowed Pembroke to beat Portsmouth last season. He threw four TD passes in last week's victory over Bedford. … The Spartans also have a dangerous kick returner in Chris Allen. … The Clippers will play three of their final four regular-season games on the road. If Portsmouth can get past Pembroke, its matchup with Milford could determine the No. 2 seed in Division III.

EPPING-NEWMARKET VS. ST. THOMAS
When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) in Epping.
Team records: Epping is 1-3 overall, 0-3 in Division V. St. Thomas is 4-0 overall, 3-0 in Division V.
2007 result: The teams did not meet.
Noteworthy: This will be the first varsity game between these programs. Before this season, St. Thomas competed in Division IV. … Epping has scored 45 points in its four games, by far the fewest by any team in the division. The Blue Devils have been held to 13 points in three contests since opening the season with a 32-20 victory over Mascoma. … Scoring hasn't been a problem for the Saints, who have collected at least 26 points in each of their four contests. … St. Thomas, which had a bye last weekend, is battling Pelham for the No. 1 seed in the division. Both teams are 4-0. Those teams will meet in Dover on Oct. 25.

WINNACUNNET VS. BISHOP GUERTIN
When and where: Saturday (7 p.m.) at Nashua's Holman Stadium.
Team records: Winnacunnet is 0-5 overall, 0-3 in Division II. Bishop Guertin is 5-0 overall, 4-0 in Division II.
2007 result: Bishop Guertin won, 40-0, in Nashua.
Noteworthy: This will be a tough spot for Winnacunnet to pick up its first victory of the season. BG is unbeaten and ranks first among Division II teams in points scored (160) and points allowed (17). … Defense continues to be a problem for the Warriors, who have allowed a league-high 190 points. Winnacunnet has surrendered at least 26 points in each of its five contests. … Bishop Guertin's option attack was held to 10 points against Division I Pinkerton, but the Cardinals have scored at least 31 points against each of their Division II opponents. … After this contest, Winnacunnet will play three of its final four games at home.

– Capsules compiled by Roger Brown

For anyone who missed the Celtics’ preseason opener on Wednesday — and let’s face it, preseason basketball isn’t the first thing on everyone’s mind these days — Boston GM Danny Ainge is certainly going to have some interesting roster decisions to make in the coming days.

My concerns about the Celtics being complacent in the wake of their 17th NBA title were alleviated a bit when high-flying rookie Bill Walker dunked in the face of Philadelphia’s Theo Ratliff in the first half. Not because Walker is ready to become an All-Star player (although he looked pretty good), but because of the reaction on the Boston bench.

The Celtics were famous for their team chemistry last season, highlighted by their constant high-fiving, chest-bumping and generally euphoric nature on the bench whenever one of their teammates did something special on the court. Well, Wednesday’s reaction to Walker’s dunk might have topped anything we saw all of last season. Honestly, you would have thought the Celtics had just defended their NBA championship.

For a team that played deep into June through a number of physical playoff series, the Celtics looked remarkably fresh and were emotionally invested in the game. That’s a very good sign.

Despite the loss of James Posey, who will be sorely missed, this Boston team already looks deeper than last year’s version. Walker has been the story of camp to this point, impressing teammates and coaches with a versatile game and a strong work ethic. Heat rookie Michael Beasley was the top dog for Kansas State last season, but many folks associated with the program say that Walker was the team’s heart and soul. He’s a player who was often compared (at least talent-wise) to Vince Carter before suffering a pair of serious knee injuries. If Walker is healthy, he could turn out to be another draft-day steal for Ainge.

Taking a quick glance at the Celtics’ roster, there are 16 players fighting for 12 roster spots, and all of them are guys that Ainge and coach Doc Rivers probably wouldn’t mind having around.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House, Tony Allen, Glen Davis and Leon Powe are locks to make the roster. O’Bryant started in place of Perkins on Wednesday, so he seems to be a lock too. That’s 10 guys already.

So two players from this group of six will round out the active roster (and probably find playing time hard to come by): Sam Cassell, Bill Walker (rookie), J.R. Giddens (rookie), Darius Miles, Brian Scalabrine and Gabe Pruitt.

As we learned last season, Tony Allen and House can’t play point guard on a consistent basis. So either Cassell or Pruitt will be on the active roster. And it was hard not to be impressed by both Walker and Miles on Wednesday.

Chances are, Giddens and maybe even Walker will spend some time in the developmental league. Perhaps even Pruitt if he is a victim of a numbers crunch. Regardless of the way it turns out, Ainge seems to have an embarrassment of riches to play with. And that’s even without Posey.

Is it any wonder why sports fans across the country are so jealous of Boston at the moment? If the Red Sox and Celtics defend their respective titles, New England might get burned to the ground. And if Matt Cassel and the Patriots defense get their act together ... well, who knows what might happen.

As soon as Terry Francona revealed his pitching rotation for the upcoming American League championship series against Tampa Bay, it was obvious that the talking heads on sports radio and TV were going to have a field day.

No Jon Lester in the first two games?!? Dice-K over Beckett in Game 1?!? What is Tito thinking?!?

For a manager of a formerly cursed franchise that has won two World Series in four years and has its sights set on a third, Francona remains the most underappreciated figure in Boston sports.

Part of this is due to the extreme passion (some say yahoo-ism) of Red Sox Nation. Baseball is a fairly easy game to follow, so millions of us think we could manage the Red Sox tomorrow. How hard could it be? You take pitchers out, you put pitchers in, you fill out the lineup....

Well, it's more difficult that it looks, particularly in Boston. I remember watching Francona's introductory press conference and thinking that this was a guy who gets it. Compared to two of his predecessors, Grady Little and Jimy Williams, Francona seemed like the brightest guy on the planet. But it was more than the way he talked, it was his whole demeanor. He said all the right things, acted the right way. Seemed to have a plan. Displayed a passion for baseball without being overly dramatic about it. I liked him, and I hoped his stay would be a good one.

Well, we're on Year 5 of the Francona Plan, and so far it's been pretty good. He's certainly proven to be a capable in-game manager, but the real strength of Tito lies in his ability to expertly handle two groups of people with sizable egos: his players and the Boston media. Neither of those two tasks are easy in any sense of the word, but Francona does it -- for the most part -- with perfection.

Outside of lunatic Manny Ramirez, every one of Francona's players would run through a wall for him. And I can't remember even one instance when Francona didn't say the right thing to the media. He is a man who carefully, and thoughtfully, chooses his words. And it's paid off.

But even after hearing that logical explanation, many Red Sox fans were up in arms -- and the Red Sox won the game! Have we really become that spoiled around here? Umm, does anybody remember Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS? Grady Little?? Pedro Martinez??

Pedro had mentally checked out of that game against the Yankees, thinking he was done for the night, and proceeded to cough up the lead once Grady put him back on the mound.

That move infamously got Little fired and led to Francona's hiring, yet some people think Francona wasn't going to remove Lester from that game when there was even a shadow of a doubt about his mental status? Wow. I don't think Red Sox Nation is nearly as savvy as it thinks sometimes.

Here's the point: Francona has an established track record of success here, and he knows way more about all of these players and situations than any of us ever will. If he wants to start Lester in Game 3 against the Rays, well that's good enough for me. I trust him, and I trust Theo Epstein; I think they've earned the right.

Now, that doesn't mean Francona can't make a mistake; he is human, after all. But at this point in the game, Francona is deserving of the exact same kind of respect that is afforded Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

To me, they're equals. And in a few weeks, they might have the same number of championships to prove it.

You couldn’t have blamed Terry Francona’s Red Sox if they quietly bowed out against the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Division Series.

After all, this was a bruised and battered team at the end of the regular season. J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett, three key figures from the team’s 2007 World Series run, were all struggling with various health issues.

David Ortiz hasn’t been 100 percent all season, Manny Ramirez is playing in L.A., and rookie shortstop Jed Lowrie was slumping badly in September. The bullpen? Often toxic, unreliable to the point that even Jonathan Papelbon was somewhat of a question mark in the season’s final weeks.

And with all those things working against them, the Red Sox drew the 100-win Angels in the opening round, the team with the best record in baseball. A team that had dominated Boston in the regular season. A team hungry to gain a measure of revenge after being eliminated by the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007.

Boston, on the other hand, won its second World Series in four seasons in 2007. So you could even add a little complacency to all those shortcomings, and it wouldn’t have been a big surprise to see the Angels oust the Red Sox in this series.

But Boston had other ideas. The lesson? Never, ever underestimate the heart of a champion.

Despite Beckett’s struggles in Game 3 and Lowell’s absence from the lineup due to a serious hip injury, the Red Sox advanced to the AL championship series with a dramatic, 3-2 win over the Angels in Game 4 at Fenway Park on Monday night.

Next up: the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays. Imagine reading those words about six months ago and not laughing out loud.

The Rays advanced by ousting the Chicago White Sox on Monday, and this is the matchup we all wanted to see, right? Not because Tampa Bay is going to be a pushover, but because it won’t be.

Boston’s rivalry with the Yankees is a lot of things. Bitter, contentious, heated, stressful, historic. Every game seems larger than life.

But you know what? This growing rivalry with the Rays is more fun.

Maybe that’s because it’s new and fresh. Maybe it’s because we won’t have to watch Derek Jeter’s fist pump until next April. Maybe it’s because blowhard Hank Steinbrenner is watching the playoffs from home. But I am really looking forward to this ALCS, more so than any playoff series in recent memory.

It’s not life or death. It’s just good, clean baseball. With a little bad blood thrown in just for kicks.

These Rays are a hard bunch not to like. Let’s face it, they were among a handful of the worst professional sports teams in the world prior to this season. Now they appear set for a run of contention that could last for the next decade, led by young studs like Evan Longoria, Scott Kazmir and B.J. Upton.

Still, the rivalry here is real. Hell, the Red Sox and (Devil) Rays had more than their share of heated moments in the past, and that was when Tampa Bay was terrible. Now they’re good, and the rivalry certainly hasn’t diminished any.

Just ask Coco Crisp about this day back in June.

But before we move on to the Rays, it should be mandatory to take a look back and appreciate what the Red Sox just accomplished in beating an Angels team that appeared to be the best in baseball for much of the summer.

How about Jon Lester? Clearly now the staff ace, Lester shined again on Monday, throwing seven shutout innings as his postseason ERA stayed right at 0.00.

How about Dustin Pedroia, snapping out of a funk with a huge RBI double in the fifth inning?

How about the incomparable Kevin Youkilis, whose seamless move to third base will help ease the pain of Lowell’s absence? Youkilis doesn’t get nearly enough credit for being one of the best athletes on the team. Ditto that for Mark Kotsay, a career outfielder who has played a great first base since coming over in a trade with Atlanta.

As much as it hurts not to see Lowell able to play, Boston is better right now with Youkilis at third and Kotsay at first. Lowell just can’t play the field with his hip the way it is. Can’t hit much right now either.

And how about that beleaguered Boston bullpen, which weathered the storm on Monday after blowing a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning. Rookie Justin Masterson is suddenly Papelbon’s right-hand man in the pen, and Manny Delcarmen is slowly but surely turning himself into a reliable, flame-throwing option in the late innings.

The bullpen (aside from Javier Lopez) was fantastic in the Game 3 loss, and it should give Boston fans hoping heading into what should be an entertaining ALCS.

The Red Sox are just eight wins away from a third World Series title in five seasons. Boy, when the curse fell it certainly fell hard, didn’t it?

The Portsmouth High School football team will put its unbeaten record on the line this weekend when the Clippers play at fellow unbeaten Souhegan in Amherst. Here's a closer look at all the local high school games this weekend.

EXETER VS. MERRIMACK
* When and where: Friday (7) at Merrimack High School.
* Team records: Exeter is 4-0 overall, 3-0 in Division II. Merrimack is 1-3 overall, 0-2 in Division II.
* 2007 result: Exeter won, 34-21, in Merrimack.

* Noteworthy: The Blue Hawks stretched their winning streak to 12 games by beating rival Winnacunnet, 38-0, Saturday. Exeter's last loss came against Winnacunnet during the 2007 regular season. … Joe Battista, a former assistant coach on Mike Beliveau's Souhegan staff, is in his first season as Merrimack's head coach. The Tomahawks handed Battista his first victory as a head coach last weekend, when a late field goal pushed Merrimack past Manchester Memorial, 16-14. … Merrimack's two Division II losses came against 4-0 Bishop Guertin (49-7) and 2-2 Timberlane (20-8). Memorial is one of two Division I teams Merrimack has played. The Tomahawks opened the season with a 38-10 loss to Nashua North. … Exeter's has five backs who are averaging at least 5 yards per carry. Zach Kelleher leads the team in yards rushing (258) and yards per carry (7.37).

WINNACUNNET VS. CONCORD
* When and where: Friday (7) at Concord's Memorial Field.
* Team records: Winnacunnet is 0-4 overall, 0-3 in Division II. Concord is 2-2 overall, 1-2 in Division I.
* 2007 result: The teams did not meet.

* Noteworthy: Concord is the second Division I opponent on Winnacunnet's schedule. The Warriors opened the season with a 26-13 loss to Londonderry, which is 4-0 entering Saturday's game against Pinkerton Academy. … Defense continues to be a problem for the Warriors, who have allowed 119 points in their three Division II contests. … This is the second of three consecutive road games for the Warriors. … Winnacunnet was held to 72 yards of offense on 38 offensive plays in Saturday's 38-0 loss to Exeter. The Warriors gained 43 yards on 27 rushing attempts and had another 29 yards of offense through the air. … Concord is 2-0 on the road and 0-2 at home. Its victories came against winless Spaulding (35-7), a Division II program; and Nashua North (16-15). A late safety handed Concord the victory against Nashua North. … The outcome of this game will not be reflected in the Division I or Division II standings.

* Noteworthy: This looks like one of the best matchups on the New Hampshire high school menu this weekend. Both teams appear headed for the playoffs and a victory Friday would be a huge step toward securing home-field advantage for the Division III semifinals. … Souhegan has outscored its three Division III opponents 118-13. Laconia, last year's Division IV champion, is the only team that has tested Souhegan. The Sabers overcame an early 10-0 deficit to win that game, 26-17. … Portsmouth has scored at least 20 points in each of its four games. The Clippers have scored nine touchdowns through the air in those four contests. … Souhegan runs a spread offense, but will often go to the Straight-T when it's near the goal line. The biggest threat in the Souhegan backfield is 245-pound junior fullback Steve Jellison, who is getting looks from several Division I schools. Jellison's brother, Sean, is a running back at the University of New Hampshire.

MARSHWOOD VS. DEERING
* When and where: Friday (7) in Portland, Maine.
* Team records: Marshwood is 2-2 in Western Maine Class A. Deering is 4-0 in Western Maine Class A.
* 2007 result: Deering won, 37-6, in South Berwick.

* Noteworthy: Deering is one of four unbeaten teams in Western Maine Class A. Bonny Eagle, Massabesic and Thornton Academy are the others. … The Rams may have the top offensive threat in Maine in senior tailback Jack Heary, who rushed for 2,027 yards and scored 33 touchdowns last season. Heary had a 300-yard rushing performance against Gorham earlier this season and scored five TD in last Friday's 34-7 victory over Portland. … The Rams are among the Maine high school teams who play their home games on a turf surface. … Marshwood has been outscored 119-101 this season. The Hawks are coming off a 42-14 loss to Thornton Academy. … After Friday's contest, Marshwood will play back-to-back home games against Scarborough and Biddeford before it completes the regular season with a road contest against Noble. … The Hawks may catch the Rams looking ahead to next weekend's game against Bonny Eagle.

YORK VS. GREELY
* When and where: Friday (7) in Greely.
* Team records: York is 3-1 in Western Maine Class B. Greely is 3-1 in Western Maine Class B.
* 2007 result: York won, 27-14, in York.

* Noteworthy: The Wildcats will be trying to win their fourth game in a row since opening the season with a 32-12 loss against Cape Elizabeth. … This matchup may carry huge playoff implications. York, Greely and Wells are in a three-way tie for third place in Western Maine Class B, which will send four teams to the postseason. … Greely got off to a 3-0 start and scored 124 points in those three contests, but suffered a 30-13 loss to Wells in the rain last weekend. Greely running back Erik Thayer gained 137 yards on 11 carries in the loss. Wells benefited from six Greely turnovers. …York has outscored its four opponents, 94-61, and is coming off a 19-0 victory over Falmouth. .. York's next two games are against Lake Region (0-4) and Fryeburg (1-3).

EPPING-NEWMARKET VS. BISHOP BRADY
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Epping High School.
* Team records: Epping-Newmarket is 1-2 overall, 0-2 in Division V. Bishop Brady is 2-1 overall, 1-1 in Division V.
* 2007 result: Bishop Brady won, 24-0, in Epping.

* Noteworthy: This will be the first home game of the season for the Blue Devils, who opened the season with road games against Mascoma, Somersworth and Stevens. … Epping-Newmarket's victory came against Mascoma (32-20), a Division VI program. The Blue Devils have been outscored 67-13 against Division V competition. … Bishop Brady, a team that many have penciled in as a Division V playoff team, rushed for 416 yards in last weekend's 44-20 triumph over Somersworth. Travis Begin was one of five Green Giants who scored at least one touchdown in the game. Begin rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. … Unbeaten St. Thomas is up next for the Blue Devils. St. Thomas has a bye this weekend.

TRAIP ACADEMY VS. OLD ORCHARD BEACH
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Kittery's Memorial Field.
* Team records: Traip is 0-4 in Western Maine Class C. Old Orchard Beach is 3-1 in Western Maine Class C.
* 2007 result: Traip won, 20-12, in Old Orchard.

* Noteworthy: The Rangers will need a significant improvement on the defensive side of the ball if they're going to pick up their first victory this weekend. Traip has allowed 150 points in its four losses. No team in Western Maine Class C has surrendered more points this season. … Old Orchard has been battling injuries for much of the season. The Seagulls won their first three games, but dropped a 21-14 decision to Lisbon last weekend. Dean Perrone, who is in his third year as Old Orchard's starting quarterback, missed Old Orchard's 46-35 victory over Yarmouth two weeks ago, but was back in the lineup last weekend. … A 55-yard TD run by Mike Collins and a 65-yard TD run by Robert Ficke were the Traip highlights in last Friday's 39-14 loss to Jay. … Old Orchard's Brandon Ouellette is one of the most versatile high school players in Maine. He's played tight end, fullback, tailback and quarterback this season. He threw four TD passes and ran for two others in the victory over Yarmouth.

— Capsules by Roger Brown

The Major League Baseball season officially ended on Tuesday night when the White Sox beat the Twins in an always exciting one-game playoff to win the AL Central.

And that means the national baseball writers will soon be handing in their picks for the sport's big awards. So, in the spirit of the season, here are our picks for the 2008 MVPs, Cy Youngs, Rookies of the Year and Managers of the Year.

Managers of the Year
American League: Joe Maddon, Rays. Who else? Maddon led Tampa Bay (97-65) to its first playoff berth and division championship.
National League: Lou Piniella, Cubs. Sure, Piniella had plenty of money to work with and a star-studded roster. But so did the Yankees. This could finally be the year for the Cubs (97-64).

Rookies of the Year
American League: Evan Longoria, Rays. There was plenty of preseason hype surrounding Longoria, and he delivered. The Tampa Bay third baseman hit .272 with 27 homers and 85 RBIs despite missing five weeks with a fractured wrist.
National League: Geovany Soto, Cubs. A rising star behind the plate, Soto hit .285 with 23 homers and 86 RBIs for the NL Central champs.

MVPs
American League: Justin Morneau, Twins. Not a great year for AL candidates, but Morneau is the pick after nearly leading an unheralded Twins team to the playoffs. This would be the second MVP award for Morneau, who hit .300 with 23 homers and 129 RBIs. Boston's Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis are also contenders.
National League: Ryan Howard, Phillies. A number of worthy candidates here, including Albert Pujols (.357, 37 homers, 116 RBIs) and David Wright (.302, 33 homers, 124 RBIs). Manny Ramirez and CC Sabathia are popular picks in some circles but would be ludicrous in reality since they played only half of their seasons in the National League. The pick here is Howard, who led the majors in home runs (48) and RBIs (146) while carrying Philly to the NL East title with a red-hot September (.352-11-32).

The Summer Olympics are long over, but one more marathon ended over the weekend: the 2008 fantasy baseball season. The six-month grind saw its usual ups and downs, and in the end many of the game's top stars used strong second halves to reclaim their spots among fantasy's elite.

To celebrate the year's best, here is a look at our All-Fantasy Team for the 2008 season, including our top picks from the preseason and midseason at each respective position:

Catcher: Joe Mauer, Twins. Stats: .330, 9 homers, 85 RBIs
Mauer shook off the injury woes of 2007 and posted career-highs in RBIs (85), walks (84) and runs scored (98).
Preseason: Victor Martinez, Indians
Midseason: Brian McCann, Braves

First base: Albert Pujols, Cardinals. Stats: .357, 37 homers, 116 RBIs
Concerns about his torn elbow ligament may have scared off some owners in spring training, but Pujols put up another Hall of Fame-caliber season. He's hit at least .314 with 32 homers and 103 RBIs in all of his eight big-league seasons. Those are his career lows, mind you.
Preseason: Ryan Howard, Phillies (another killer power year with 48 homers, 146 RBIs; .251 average hurt)
Midseason: Lance Berkman, Astros

Second base: Chase Utley, Phillies. Stats: .292, 33 homers, 104 RBIs.
Again the cream of the crop, although his power dip in the second half (only eight home runs) is cause for concern. Still, he gets the nod over worthy contenders like Dustin Pedroia, Dan Uggla, Brian Roberts and Ian Kinsler.
Preseason: Utley
Midseason: Uggla, Marlins

Third base: David Wright, Mets. Stats: .302, 33 homers, 124 RBIs.
The Mets' collapse certainly wasn't his fault. Wright was arguably fantasy's MVP this season, putting up great numbers across the board, including 15 steals, 115 runs and 94 walks. He hit .330 in the second half to win at this ultra-talented position.
Preseason: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
Midseason: Chipper Jones, Braves

Outfield: Manny Ramirez, Dodgers. Stats: .332, 37 homers, 121 RBIs; Josh Hamilton, Rangers. Stats: .304, 32 homers, 130 RBIs; Carlos Beltran, Mets. Stats: .284, 27 homers, 112 RBIs.
After forcing the trade from Boston to L.A., Ramirez hit .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 games; Hamilton cooled off after a red-hot start but still finished with 130 RBIs; and Beltran put up his usual solid numbers, including 25 steals and 116 runs scored.
Preseason: Matt Holliday, Rockies; Alfonso Soriano, Cubs; Grady Sizemore, Indians
Midseason: Hamilton; Carlos Quentin, White Sox; Nate McLouth, Pirates

Starting pitcher (RHP): Tim Lincecum, Giants. Stats: 18-5, 2.62 ERA, 265 strikeouts.
Arizona's Brandon Webb may win the Cy Young after going 22-7, but the best pitcher in the league was Lincecum. At 24, Lincecum could be the second coming of Pedro Martinez. Just 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, the right-hander won 18 games for a terrible Giants team that had major trouble scoring runs.
Preseason: Jake Peavy, Padres
Midseason: Edinson Volquez, Reds

Starting pitcher (LHP): Cliff Lee, Indians. Stats: 22-3, 2.54 ERA, 170 strikeouts.
A really great year for lefties, led by Johan Santana (8-0, 2.17 ERA post break) and the incomparable CC Sabathia (11-2, 1.65 ERA in Milwaukee). But all told, no pitcher was as consistently dominant as Lee, the major-league leader in ERA, wins and winning percentage.
Preseason: Santana, Mets
Midseason: Lee

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez, Angels. Stats: 2-3, 2.24 ERA, 62 saves.
A mind-blowing 62 saves, K-Rod beat Bobby Thigpen's previous record of 57 and had 18 more saves than any other pitcher in baseball. Honorable mention to two guys who likely weren't drafted anywhere: Kansas City's Joakim Soria (1.60 ERA, 42 saves) and Londonderry native Brian Wilson (41 saves) of the Giants.
Preseason: Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox
Midseason: Rodriguez

New England Patriot fans everywhere should have taken a moment to tip their caps to the career of Troy Brown on Thursday.

Brown, 37, retired after 15 seasons in the NFL — all with the Patriots. An eighth-round pick out of Marshall, Brown went on to set several franchise receiving records even though he was hardly the biggest, strongest or fastest player on the field.

What he had was a huge heart, and New England owes him a large pat on the back.

“He had such a presence in the locker room and was a great leader,” Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel told the AP on Thursday. “A lot of these Super Bowl banners that are hanging up around the stadium have a lot to do with Troy Brown.”

That’s for sure.

Who could forget Brown’s big kick returns in the playoffs during the magical 2001 season? Or him volunteering to play defensive back when injuries hit the Patriots hard during those Super Bowl years?

In so many ways, Brown epitomized what this generation of Patriot teams was (and is) all about. He was the ultimate team-first player, somebody who was dependable when Tom Brady or Drew Bledsoe needed him the most. He had sure hands and a knack for making big plays at big moments. And he is certainly missed in the locker room.

“Nobody thought that Troy could go deep. Nobody thought that he could make the big plays,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “But all he did was make plays, just kept making them.”

The Patriots drafted Brown in 1993. He holds the team record with 557 catches and ranks second in receiving yards with 6,366. Brown played in one Pro Bowl and became a fan favorite in Foxborough despite getting cut from the team on multiple occasions early in his career. But he always found his way back.

“The only colors you’ll ever see on my back as a football player, that’s the red, white and blue of the New England Patriots, and I’m proud to say that,” Brown said.

Patriot fans should be proud to say it, too. Nobody served the franchise better over the last 15 years, that’s for sure.

While the rivalry game between Exeter and Winnacunnet certainly takes center stage this weekend, there are some other tasty football treats on the local menu. Among them are a pair of big games in Maine: 2-1 York vs. 2-1 Falmouth, and 2-1 Marshwood against 3-0 Thornton Academy. In Portsmouth, the undefeated Clippers will put their 3-0 mark on the line at 1-2 Goffstown on Saturday. Here is a look at this weekend's games:

EPPING-NEWMARKET VS. STEVENS
* When and where: Friday (7) at Barnes Field in Claremont.
* Team records: Epping-Newmarket is 1-1 overall, 0-1 in Division V. Stevens is 2-1 overall, 1-1 in Division V.
* 2007 result: The teams did not meet.

* Noteworthy: The Blue Devils are coming off a bye week and have had two weeks to prepare for this contest. … Dave Miller has replaced Ralph Silva as Stevens' head coach. Silva guided the Cardinals to a winning record in each of the last three seasons. … Stevens has had a pass-first mentality in recent years, and it appears that hasn't changed. Left-handed quarterback Matt DanCosse completed seven of his 21 pass attempts for 173 yards in Saturday's 21-18 triumph over Bow. He threw two TD passes and was intercepted once. … Matt Day had a game-high 69 yards rushing against Bow, and also added 96 yards receiving. … This is the third consecutive road game for Epping, which has been outscored 52-38 in its first two contests.

YORK VS. FALMOUTH
* When and where: Friday (7) at York High School.
* Team records: York is 2-1 in Western Maine Class B. Falmouth is 2-1 in Western Maine Class B.
* 2007 result: York won 28-14 in Falmouth.

* Noteworthy: York will be trying to stretch its winning streak to three games Friday. The Wildcats are coming off victories over Poland (39-13) and Gray-New Gloucester (24-16). … Falmouth finished 3-6 last season, but returned 17 starters from that team. Falmouth's top threat is senior tailback Sam Dunwoody, who rushed for 917 yards last fall. … Falmouth's Stefano Mancini is in his third year as the team's starting QB. … Sophomore David Goodrich gives Falmouth a place-kicker who is capable of making field goals from at least 40 yards. … York, Falmouth and Wells are tied for fourth place in the Western Maine Class B standings.

* Noteworthy: Traip, Yarmouth and Madison are the only Western Maine Class C teams that haven't won this season. … The Rangers will be facing a Jay team that opened the season with a 20-7 victory over Yarmouth, but has struggled on offense since then. The Tigers were held to 5 yards of offense in the first half of last Friday's 31-0 loss to Winthrop. Jay has scored six points in its last two games. … Defense has been Traip's No. 1 problem this season. The Rangers have allowed more points (111) than any other team in Western Maine Class C. … Jay's Miles Hutchinson rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns in his team's 20-7 victory over Yarmouth. Justin Shink is Jay's top receiving threat.

WINNACUNNET VS. EXETER
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Exeter High School.
* Team records: Exeter is 3-0 overall, 2-0 in Division II. Winnacunnet is 0-3 overall, 0-2 in Division II.
* 2007 result: Winnacunnet won, 28-26, in Exeter during the regular season; Exeter won, 28-6, in Exeter in the Division II semifinals.

* Noteworthy: This is one of the state's top rivalries, so a Winnacunnet victory wouldn't come as a complete surprise. … The Warriors have surrendered at least 26 points in each of their three games, and gave up 41 in the first half of a 55-34 loss to Dover last Friday. … Junior Jason Busfield leads the Warrior rushing attack with 430 yards rushing. … Exeter hasn't allowed a point since the third quarter of a season-opening victory over Nashua South. … Exeter quarterback Andrew Kukesh has completed 12 of 25 pass attempts for 168 yards and four touchdowns. He also leads the team in rushing, with 220 yards on 32 carries. … Winnacunnet's victory in Exeter last year was the first time it had beaten the Blue Hawks since 2002. … Exeter leads the series 52-23-2.

PORTSMOUTH VS. GOFFSTOWN
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Goffstown High School.
* Team records: Portsmouth is 3-0 overall, 3-0 in Division III. Goffstown is 1-2 overall, 1-1 in Division III.
* 2007 result: The teams did not meet.

* Noteworthy: This will be the first game between these two programs. Goffstown competed in Division III until 2006, when it switched places with Portsmouth and moved to Division II. The Grizzlies were one victory away from qualifying for the Division II playoffs last season. … Portsmouth continued to throw the ball with success in last Friday's 36-26 triumph over Con-Val. Wide receiver/defensive back Mike Montville caught three TD passes and also intercepted three passes in that victory. … Goffstown opened the season with losses to Souhegan (41-0) and Division IV Hanover (28-13), but beat Hollis-Brookline, 22-14, Saturday. … The last time Portsmouth began the season 4-0 was 2006, when it advanced to the Division III championship game. … The Clippers will play Souhegan (3-0) at home next Friday.

BOW VS. ST. THOMAS
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover.
* Team records: St. Thomas is 3-0 overall, 2-0 in Division V. Bow is 1-2 overall, 0-2 in Division II.
* 2007 result: The teams did not meet.

* Noteworthy: St. Thomas and Pelham are the only unbeaten teams remaining in Division V. … The Saints cleared a high hurdle Saturday, when they defeated Kearsarge, 28-14. Kearsarge beat Bow, 40-13, earlier this season. … Bow opened the season with a 42-7 triumph against Division VI Fall Mountain, but enters this contest on a two-game losing streak. … St. Thomas quarterback Jack MacNevin threw for a touchdown and ran for another in Saturday's victory over Kearsarge. Split end Paul Brown hauled in four passes for 134 yards. The Saints also received a game-high 98 yards on the ground from tailback Zach Merrigan. … St. Thomas will play its next two games on the road at Epping-Newmarket and at Bishop Brady (Concord).

MARSHWOOD VS. THORNTON ACADEMY
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) in Saco.
* Team records: Marshwood is 2-1 in Western Maine Class A. Thornton Academy is 3-0 in Western Maine Class A.
* 2007 result: Marshwood won, 21-7, in South Berwick during the regular season. Marshwood won, 21-7, in Saco in the Western Maine Class A semifinals.

* Noteworthy: This could be the toughest team Marshwood faces during the regular season. Thornton Academy is one of four unbeaten teams in Western Maine Class A (Massabesic, Deering and Bonny Eagle are the others) and has outscored its three opponents 139-12. The Golden Trojans lead the league in points scored and points allowed. … Marshwood fullback Dana Kneeland leads the team in rushing with 394 yards on 45 carries. Kneeland has also scored 40 of Marshwood's 87 points. … Thornton Academy quarterback Steve Trask missed all of last season with a knee injury. Senior John Trull, last year's starting QB, has been shifted to split end.

– Capsules compiled by Roger Brown

At 9 a.m., the only unbeaten and untied teams in Class L girls soccer will square off as Winnacunnet and Exeter will meet with first place on the line.

Both teams enter rivalry weekend with identical 7-0 records.

The Blue Hawks are the two-time defending Class L champs and have outscored their opponents 27-5 this season.
Winnacunnet, meanwhile, holds a 25-9 edge in scoring against the opposition.

All of this weekend’s Exeter-Winnacunnet games will be played in Exeter.

The girls soccer game will be followed by Saturday’s football contest, featuring defending champion Exeter (3-0 overall, 2-0 Div. II) and Winnacunnet (0-3 overall, 0-2 Div. II). Winnacunnet defeated Exeter in the regular season last year, but the Blue Hawks returned the favor when it mattered most, earning a semifinal victory on their way to the title.

“It’s always the biggest game of the year,” Exeter coach Bill Ball said. “There’s no getting around that. It’s the one you remember."

“Last year we were a slight underdog. This year we’re a big-time underdog,” said Winnacunnet coach Ron Auffant. “Obviously the pressure is on them, but we have to get our first win too. People say, ‘I don’t care if you win another game, just beat Exeter.’ That’s the mentality around here.”

Later Friday, the WHS and Exeter boys soccer teams will meet at 5 p.m. Exeter (7-0) is one of two unbeaten teams in Class L (Merrimack is the other), while Winnacunnet enters Friday’s game with a 3-4 record but the Warriors have won three of their last four matches.

Capping Friday’s action will be the WHS vs. Exeter volleyball match, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Exeter enters the contest with a perfect 7-0 record, while Winnacunnet is 3-4.

Sometimes fantasy football can really drive you crazy. Last year was a miserable one for many of the game's big-name running backs.

Shaun Alexander, Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore and Rudi Johnson were among those who were first-round flops.

This year it seems to be the wide receivers' turn.

Through three weeks, some of football's best-known wideouts are struggling to stay in fantasy lineups. And yes, Tom Brady's season-ending injury has something to do with that.

Check out these names and their corresponding numbers through three weeks:

* Randy Moss, Patriots: 12 catches, 163 yards and 1 touchdown. At this time last season, Moss had 22 catches for 403 yards and five TDs.

* Braylon Edwards, Browns: 8 catches, 73 yards, zero touchdowns. Is it any wonder that Derek Anderson's stint as the starting QB could be coming to an end soon?

* Torry Holt, Rams: 11 catches, 122 yards, 1 touchdown. The St. Louis offense is a complete mess, and Marc Bulger was just banished in favor of Trent Green.

* Marques Colston, Saints: 3 catches, 26 yards, zero touchdowns. Hurt in Week 1, Colston is expected to miss a few more games after undergoing surgery on his left thumb.

* Roy Williams, Lions: 8 catches, 113 yards, 1 touchdown. Will things magically change now that Matt Millen is gone? Calvin Johnson is stealing some of his thunder.

* Santonio Holmes, Steelers: 10 catches, 145 yards, zero touchdowns. Big Ben has yet to toll for Holmes this season.

* Marvin Harrison, Colts: 13 catches, 132 yards, 1 touchdown. Harrison showed some signs of life last week, but he's still averaging only 44 yards per game.

That's a pretty good list of talented players. Colston should be fine once he returns to the lineup, and the guess here is that better things lie ahead for Edwards, Harrison, Holmes and Williams.

At this point you've really got to wonder about Moss, Johnson and Holt, however. The Patriots desperately need Moss to be more involved in the offense, but Matt Cassel has yet to show us he can get him the ball. Johnson is playing hurt, and Holt's Rams could be the worst team in the league.

If you own a big-name receiver and he's putting up good numbers this season, consider yourself lucky.

Watching Monday's game at Fenway Park, two things became clear:

1) The Red Sox are going to face an uphill battle in their attempt to win a second straight World Series and third in five seasons.

and 2) Josh Beckett just isn't the same pitcher who carried Boston to the championship last fall.

Beckett fell to 12-10 with a 4.03 ERA after the 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians, long since out of the playoff picture. On Monday, with a chance for the Red Sox to clinch a playoff berth, Beckett couldn't outpitch Cleveland's Zach Jackson, who entered the game 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA.

This is arguably the best postseason pitcher of the generation, and he can't beat somebody with a 6.35 ERA with a playoff spot on the line? It's not like Beckett lost a 1-0 game, either. He was somewhat shaky from the start, walking in a run and hitting three batters along the way.

Beckett was 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in the playoffs last season, and unless he starts to resemble that pitcher, the Red Sox are going to be leaning heavily on Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester to deliver another title.

Perhaps even more alarming than Beckett, however, was the performance of Boston's lineup, which squandered multiple chances to take the lead. Indians closer Jensen Lewis struck out the slumping Jed Lowrie with runners on second and third to preserve the win in the ninth inning.

The injuries to Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew could finally be catching up with the Red Sox. Lowrie, hitting just .190 over his last 29 games, was batting sixth in the lineup on Monday. The bottom of the order -- Lowrie, Kotsay, Jason Varitek and Jeff Bailey -- went 1-for-14. A murderer's row, it's not.

With Tampa Bay's win Monday, Boston now stands 2 1/2 games back in the AL East. It looks like the Red Sox will be headed to Anaheim for a first-round date with the Angels, who are 8-1 against them this season.

Boston is one win away from its fifth playoff berth in the last six seasons, but right now it looks like the stay could be a short one.

With only one weekend of high school football in the books, it appears that Exeter High School will again be one of the top teams in Division II --- if not the entire state. The Blue Hawks began their season with a 21-20 win over Division I foe Nashua South last Saturday, an impressive start even by Exeter standards. The Blue Hawks play at Spaulding on Friday.

Exeter vs. Spaulding
* When and where: Friday (7) at Spaulding High School in Rochester.
* Team records: Exeter is 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Division II. Spaulding is 0-1 overall, 0-0 in Division II.
* 2007 result: Exeter won, 35-0, in Exeter.
* Noteworthy: The Blue Hawks are coming off Saturday’s 21-20 victory over Nashua South. It was a non-league game that had state-wide appeal, since Nashua South is among the top programs in Division I. ... Exeter quarterback Andrew Kukesh rushed for a team-high 74 yards on 14 carries and completed 7 of 12 pass attempts for 94 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s victory. ... Spaulding opened its season with a 35-7 loss against Division I Concord. The Crimson Tide scored on four of its first five possessions. ... The Red Raiders finished 1-9 last season and lost most of their key offensive players. Among the experienced returnees is senior Dalton Baita, who is in his second season as the team’s starting QB.

Portsmouh vs. Bedford
* When and where: Friday (7) at Bedford High School.
* Team records: Portsmouth is 1-0 in Division III. Bedford is 0-1 in Division III.
* 2007 result: The teams did not meet.
* Noteworthy: The Clippers will be looking to improve their record to 2-0 against a Bedford team that’s in its first season as a varsity program. Bedford has no seniors on its roster. ... Portsmouth opened its season with a 35-6 triumph over John Stark. The Clippers received two touchdown passes from quarterback Mike Fransoso in the victory. Fransoso is nursing a sore right shoulder and won’t play Friday. Junior Nate Jones will start at quarterback. ... Bedford is coming off Friday’s 36-0 loss to Milford. Bedford trailed 29-0 at halftime, and was limited to 78 yards of offense and five first downs. Bedford quarterback Nate Harrington completed 4 of 17 pass attempts for 59 yards. He was intercepted twice. ... Bedford had 19 yards rushing on 24 carries in the loss.

St. Thomas vs. Stevens
* When and where: Friday (7) at Barnes Park in Claremont.
* Team records: St. Thomas is 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Division V. Stevens is 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Division V.
* 2007 result: St. Thomas won, 7-6, in Dover.
* Noteworthy: Two third-quarter touchdown runs from senior tailback Zach Merrigan helped the Saints open their season with a 26-8 victory over Division VI Winnisquam on Saturday. Merrigan carried the ball 20 times for a team-high 107 yards. ... Stevens also got off to a good start last weekend, when it beat Division VI Newport, 14-0. Senior fullback Matt Day rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown to lead the Stevens offense. Stevens also received a 40-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Matt Dancosse in the first quarter. ... Stevens forced four turnovers and held Newport to 123 yards of net offense. ... David Miller is in his first season as Stevens’ head coach.

York vs. Poland
* When and where: Friday (7) at York High School.
* Team records: York is 0-1 in Western Maine Class B. Poland is 0-1 in Western Maine Class B.
* 2007 result: York won, 34-0, in Poland.
* Noteworthy: York will be trying to regroup following last Friday’s 32-12 loss to Cape Elizabeth. The game was tied, 12-12, at halftime, but the Capers took control by scoring 20 points in the third quarter. York fumbled the ball away on its first two second-half possessions, and Cape Elizabeth turned both turnovers into touchdowns. ... York’s TDs came on a 10-yard run by quarterback Evan Wallace, and an 11-yard pass from Wallace to Dylan Merritt-Young. ... Poland’s season didn’t start much better. The Knights opened with a 32-0 loss to Greely. ... Mark Soehren is in his first season as Poland’s head coach. The Knights are running the triple-option offense. ... This is Poland’s fifth year as a varsity program.

Marshwood vs. Massabesic
* When and where: Friday (7) at Marshwood High School.
* Team records: Marshwood is 1-0 in Western Maine Class A. Massabesic is 1-0 in Western Maine Class A.
* 2007 result: Massabesic won, 27-21, in Waterboro during the regular season; Marshwood won, 14-7, in Waterboro during the Western Maine Class A quarterfinals.
* Noteworthy: Neither team had trouble scoring points last weekend. Marshwood opened with a 48-24 triumph at Kennebunk, and Massabesic posted a 47-6 victory over Noble. ... Senior fullback Dana Kneeland rushed for four touchdowns against Kennebunk. He finished the game with 159 yards on 18 carries. Marshwood rushed for 370 yards as a team. ... The Hawks also received an 85-yard kickoff return from Dan Lennon. ... Massabesic’s Joey Eon is among the best running backs in the state and gives the Mustangs a big-play threat out of the backfield. ... Massabesic coach John Morin was not on the sideline for the Noble game. He was serving a one-week suspension handed down by the Maine Principals’ Association for attending an offseason football fund-raiser.

Winnacunnet vs. Keene
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Keene’s Alumni Field.
* Team records: Winnacunnet is 0-1 overall, 0-0 in Division II. Keene is 0-1 overall, 0-0 in Division II.
* 2007 result: Winnacunnet won, 38-22, in Keene.
* Noteworthy: The Warriors and Blackbirds each suffered a non-league loss against a Division I opponent last weekend. Londonderry beat Winnacunnet, 26-13, and Salem nipped Keene, 15-14. ... Keene had a 365-159 edge in total offense against Salem, but came up short when it failed to score on a two-point conversion attempt with 42 seconds to play. Running back Ray Boulay scored both Keene touchdowns in the loss. He rushed for 105 yards on nine carries. Keene QB Tanner Luopa completed 9 of 18 pass attempts for 125 yards. ... This is the first of four road games the Warriors will play in the next five weeks.

Traip vs. Boothbay
* When and where: Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Kittery’s Memorial Field.
* Team records: Traip is 0-1 in Western Maine Class C. Boothbay in 0-1 in Western Maine Class C.
* 2007 result: Boothbay won, 47-18, in Boothbay Harbor.
* Noteworthy: Each of these teams could have used another week to fine-tune their offense. Traip failed to pick up a first down in the first half of a 46-13 loss to Winthop, and Boothbay failed to find the end zone in a 14-0 loss to Livermore Falls. ... Boothbay lost to Foxcroft Academy in last year’s Class C state championship game. That turned out to be the final game on the sideline for former Boothbay coach Tim Rice, who resigned in the offseason. Steve Calande, who has 20 years of experience coaching in Pennsylvania, has taken over as Boothbay’s head coach and still runs the double-wing offense that has become Boothbay’s trademark.

— Capsules compiled by Roger Brown