Unbeaten Newton North faces its toughest game yet Friday, Oct. 9, when the Tigers host Natick at 6 p.m. in a Bay State Conference matchup.

The Tigers (4-0) haven't beaten the Redhawks since 2002, the Boston Globe reported. That 24-year drought is the backdrop for a Newton North squad ranked No. 13 in the MIAA Division 1 power rankings, one of just four undefeated teams in the division.

"They're the class of the league … The natural progression for us, as a program, is are we able to win a really tough game like this?" head coach Nick Capodilupo said of Natick, according to the Globe. "That's the question we need to answer."

Senior captain Domenic Busa has led the Tigers on both sides of the ball. Through four games, the running back and strong safety has posted 72 carries for 353 rushing yards and two touchdowns while leading the team with 24 tackles, per the Globe. He ran for 140 yards in the Oct. 2 win over Framingham and 112 in the Sept. 25 upset of Weymouth.

As we reported Oct. 7, the 4-0 start has Newton North eyeing its first postseason berth in years. First-year varsity quarterback Connor Swanson has passed for 591 yards and four touchdowns, adding five rushing scores. After the Sept. 18 Garden City Bowl win over Newton South, Busa told the Newton Beacon he gives the credit to his linemen. "A running back can't be a running back without the big guys up front," he said. "I'm going to do my job if they give me the holes, and that's really it."

Natick (1-3) enters on a three-game losing streak, but the Redhawks still sit 10th in the Division 1 power rankings, per MassLive. Head coach Mark Mortarelli, in his 17th season, brought a career record of 125-46 entering 2026. Quarterback Matt Caissie has weapons in receivers Colin Bubonovich and Mike Mortarelli and running back Levi Oliveira.

Capodilupo, a Newton North graduate and former captain, was named New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week after the Tigers' 14-12 comeback over Weymouth on Sept. 25. That game featured a surprise onside kick to open the second half that flipped a 6-0 deficit. NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett visited the school and presented a $1,000 donation from the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation.

The Tigers' four wins have come over Waltham, Newton South, Weymouth and Framingham. The program's early success has drawn newcomers: the freshman team has 10 more players this year than in past seasons, according to the Globe.

Kickoff is 6 p.m. Friday at Newton North.