Newton North travels to Wellesley for a 6 p.m. kickoff Friday, Oct. 16, looking to recover from its first loss and strengthen its position in the Division 1 football playoff race.
The Tigers enter at 4-1 against the winless Raiders (0-5). Wellesley will host the game at Darcey Field as part of its homecoming weekend.
North stands No. 16 in the MIAA’s Oct. 16 Division 1 power rankings, putting the Tigers near the qualifying cutoff. The tournament takes 16 teams per division, with eligibility requiring at least three wins and seven games played.
North opened the season with victories over Waltham, Newton South, Weymouth and Framingham before losing 37-14 to Natick on Oct. 9, according to Fig City News.
Senior Nico Atwood scored both Tigers touchdowns. Natick quarterback Matt Caissie threw four touchdown passes, three to Colin Bubonovich, according to New England Football Journal.
The defeat extended North’s losing streak against Natick to 24 games, Fig City News reported. The Tigers last beat the Redhawks in 2002.
Running back Domenic Busa has helped drive North’s strong start under coach Nick Capodilupo. In the Tigers’ 20-14 Garden City Bowl victory over Newton South, Busa finished with 122 receiving yards and 80 rushing yards, according to the Newton Beacon. He scored twice in the first quarter and credited the offensive line afterward.
Wellesley gives North an opportunity to respond, but the Tigers still have work ahead before tournament brackets are released Nov. 1.
After Friday’s game, North visits Cumberland on Oct. 23 and Braintree on Oct. 30, according to its schedule. The Tigers also host Brookline on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 26.
