Xaverian Looks To Get Back Into Win Column Against 4-0 St. John's Shrewsbury

Every state in the country has a few teams considered the best. Here in Massachusetts, it's hard to deny Xaverian's status as the favorite.

The Xaverian Brother Hawks have had a grip on Massachusetts high school football for the better half of a decade now. They have captured 3 straight division 1 championships, bringing their all-time total to 13. They constantly produce top-tier talent and suffocate most of their opponents.

Although we're just four weeks into the season, this year may be different. Xaverian enters Week 5 with an even 2-2 record, with St. John's Shrewsbury on the clock.

Shrewsbury Enters the Matchup 4-0, With A History Of Upsets

Shrewsbury isn't usually a team that you expect to make a lot of noise. They often get overlooked because of St. John's Prep sharing a similar name, who were the runners-up last year. The Pioneers, however, are no strangers to a massive upset.

Back in 2021, the St. John's Prep Eagles were rolling. They began their season 6-1 and looked like the heavy favorite to win it all. Suddenly, the Pioneers took them down in Week 8. The Eagles went on to still win the championship, but the Pioneers walked away knowing they got the best of them that day.

So far this season, St. John's Shrewsbury has shocked a lot of people. They have scored 34 or more points in every game and have only given up 24 points in four games, shutting out two of their opponents.

Brad Perry Leads the Pioneers

Class of 2028 quarterback Brad Perry is the man under center for St. John's Shrewsbury. In the team's most recent matchup against Masconomet, Perry threw for 266 yards and five touchdowns. After the game, he was awarded the Corsac MVP alongside Owen Kerr, who was named best lineman.

One of the Pioneers' other weapons has been running back Liam Deso. The 6-foot-1 three-sport athlete is coming off a spectacular sophomore season, where he ran for over 1,000 yards and totaled ten touchdowns. Deso started this season off with a two-touchdown performance in the team's victory over Leominster.

Pioneers head coach Gary Senecal has only been at the helm for one full season, which was the 2025 season. Now, in his second year as head coach, he has proved to be one of the best head coaches in Massachusetts high school football, but he has his toughest challenge yet this coming weekend against Xaverian.

Don't Let the Record Fool You

Xaverian's record doesn't align with their previous teams, let alone this team's performances. The Eagles started off with a thrilling overtime victory over Bishop Feehan, backed by a six-touchdown game by quarterback Will Wood.

They followed that up by dismantling Everett, but the fun quickly stopped there. Their past two games have been devastating losses. In Week 3, they battled Springfield Central, falling 21-14, losing to the Golden Eagles' backup quarterback. In Week 4, it got even worse, losing to Central Catholic on a game-winning field goal.

Despite the 2-2 record, nobody is writing off Xaverian. Their team is loaded with talent and is still capable of winning their fourth straight state championship. This is, however, an important matchup and could determine the direction of their season.

St. John's Shrewsbury is underrated and has exceeded expectations so far. Xaverian will be desperate to get back in the win column and not fall below .500. Will the Pioneers have what it takes to remain undefeated, or will Xaverian get back on track?

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