CJ and André predict the winner of every Week 7 Cape Cod high school football game

We are down to the final two weeks of the regular season before the postseason arrives. This is the last chance for teams to make a statement over these last weeks. While some teams might look like they have their playoff spots locked up, others need a win to have chance in the MIAA State Tournament.

André and I (CJ) continued our hot streaks as he predicted six out of nine games correct, and I had one up on him with seven right.

Speaking of streaks, the hottest Cape team in Mashpee will try to keep its five-game win steak going, while Barnstable will look to bounce back from its first loss last week. Martha's Vineyard and Sandwich both sit at 3-3 and need a win this weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive.

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This week, there is only one Cape Cod matchup — Monomoy and Nantucket on Saturday. All the other teams will either host, or travel on the road, to face a non-Cape opponent.

Week 7 of football is here and let's see who we have winning this weekend slate.

Friday

Newton North (1-5) at Barnstable (5-1), 6 p.m.

The Red Hawks have come back down to earth after their first loss of the season to Marshfield last week, a team that is ranked right above Barnstable at the third spot in the latest MIAA Power Rankings. However, Barnstable is still the best team on Cape Cod, and one of the best in the state. They will look to bounce back at home, where they are undefeated (2-0), against a team that has not won since the season opener. Barnstable’s high powered offense (32 points per game) will be the key against a defense that has allowed 21 or more points in every loss this season. This combination, with the home field advantage, bodes well for the Red Hawks.

CJ’s pick: Barnstable 30, Newton North 17.

Spoiler alert, I'm still not picking against Barnstable. Yes, they were beaten for the first time, and yes the offense was held quiet for the first time this season, but I fully expect Barnstable to bounce back. What I'll really be watching is the manner in which the Red Hawks play. I fully expect head coach Ross Jatkola to have his team motivated, and have them prepared to compete. The true sign of a great team is how they respond to a bad loss. The Red Hawks had been on cruise control this season, so how will they respond to getting beaten for the first time? That will go a long way towards their momentum into the postseason.

André's pick: Barnstable 35, Newton North 16.

Durfee (1-5) at Dennis-Yarmouth (5-1), 6 p.m.

The Dolphins are a very good team at home where they are 3-0. They have not allowed more than one touchdown in any of those games, and have outscored opponents 101-19. After their only loss to the Red Hawks a couple of weeks ago, the Dolphins have been on fire on both sides of the ball. Led by quarterback Jayden Barber and all the weapons around him like Peyton Kellet, Walter Mayo, and Oliver Doto, the Dolphins are hard to slow down. The home defense will be the key in this game. They are only allowing 6 ppg to opponents, as opposed to giving up 40 ppg on the road. Until somebody stops the Dolphins at home, I think they will continue their winning ways.

CJ’s pick: Dennis-Yarmouth 28, Durfee 17.

The Dolphins have been almost automatic offensively this season, and have the second highest points per game average of any team on the Cape this season (32 ppg). This is the Dolphins final home game of the season, and I expect another big showing from the offense. Credit where credit is due, the Dolphins have responded in a big way on the defensive side of the ball after allowing Barnstable to drop 50 points. Since then, D-Y has only allowed a total of 13 points across two games. Durfee is a team that has largely struggled offensively this year, so the Dolphins defense could be primed for another big day.

André's pick Dennis-Yarmouth 32, Durfee 18.

St. John Paul II (2-4) at Martha’s Vineyard (3-3), 6 p.m.

The Lions were shut out for the second time over the last three games, but scored 46 points in an overtime win over Atlantis Charter two weeks ago. In that victory, they used the run game heavily behind running back Daniel Cordeiro’s 236 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. In the shutout game last week against Nantucket, Cordeiro was shut down, which threw off the whole offense for the Lions. They need to go back to the rush attack if they want to win.

After a two-game slide, the Vineyarders were back in the win column. In their three wins this season, the Vineyards are most effective with the run game like the Lions. This game will be a battle of the backfields, and will come down to which defense is able to stop the ground game.

CJ’s pick: Martha’s Vineyard 24, St.John Paul 13.

The Vineyarders will be looking to build off last week's win over Monomoy. The game tested Martha's Vineyard in multiple ways, and they passed each one as they came. After surrendering their early lead, the Vineyarders came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring twice on rushes from Guilherme Oliveira to complete the comeback. The win came on the heels of what Oliveira, and head coach Tony Mottola, said was the team's best week of practice all year. Maintaining that energy and effort feels like the biggest key for Martha's Vineyard. If they have another great week, it could lead to another win. Meanwhile, the Lions are coming off of a loss to Nantucket where the offense never got going. They'll need to get back to what they do best in order to compete in this one.

André's pick Martha's Vineyard 28, St. John Paul II 16.

Dighton-Rehoboth (1-5) at Nauset (0-5), 6 p.m.

The Warriors have not been in the win column yet this season, but this week is a good chance for them to get there. Dighton-Rehoboth has lost two straight and only have one win on the season. The difference is that Dighton-Rehoboth has shown signs of a good offense, like its 40 points last week. For Nauset, they have not scored over 15 points this season so far. I think Nauset will have its best game of the season this weekend, but this game will come down to the wire.

CJ’s pick: Dighton-Rehoboth 24, Nauset 23.

Nauset is still searching for answers this season, and enter this game coming off a forfeit to Barnstable two weeks ago. The good news for the Warriorrs, they've had their bye week come at the perfect time. The Warriors will enter this week's matchup with two full weeks of preparation, which can make all the difference for a team looking for an identity. Though Dighton-Rehoboth sits at 1-5 this season, the team is no slouch, with two of their losses coming by a combined six points. The Warriors defense will be tested in this one.

André's pick: Dighton-Rehoboth 28, Nauset 14.

Norwell (5-1) at Sandwich (3-3), 6 p.m.

The Blue Knights are at the No. 14 spot in the Division 6 MIAA Power Rankings (top 16 make the playoffs), and need a win to help their chances of securing a postseason spot. Unfortunately, the Blue Knights have their hardest matchup of the season against the top team in that Division in Norwell. The defense of Sandwich will be the X-factor in whether they win or not. They have allowed only nine points per game in their three wins, and will need to apply pressure on Norwell’s offense. I think Sandwich will put up a tough fight, but Norwell is just too much to handle on both sides of the ball.

CJ’s pick: Norwell 23, Sandwich 14.

This will be the toughest matchup of the season for Robert Lomp and the Blue Knights. They have the challenge of hosting a Norwell team that hasn't scored less than 21 points this season. Norwell will test the Sandwich defense for all 48 minutes and it'll take a complete performance to win this matchup. The Blue Knights offense is set up to build and maintain leads, rather than score quickly to mount a comeback, so getting off to a strong defensive start is critical.

André's pick: Norwell 38, Sandwich 18.

Case (2-3) at Bourne (4-2), 6:30 p.m.

Bourne has found its groove with three wins over their last four games. They are putting up points, as well as keeping opponents out of the end zone. Case has a good defense as well, as they have held three opponents to eight or less points. Bourne has scored at least three touchdowns in all of their wins this season. The Canalmen are led by do-it-all player Ty Kelley on both sides of the ball. I think Bourne’s momentum is carrying them, and with a playoff spot at risk, they will continue to stay hot and extend its winning streak.

CJ’s pick: Bourne 20, Case 13.

Bourne has been perhaps the biggest surprise out of all the teams on the Cape this season. At 4-2 the Canalmen are coming down the home stretch of the season firmly in the mix for a playoff berth. The Canalmen are currently No. 11 in Division 8 and have a chance this week to put together three straight wins. Ty Kelley has been the star, and stood out once again in Bourne's 28-16 win over Seekonk, recording two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) on offense, and snagging two picks on defense. The Case offense has struggled to score this season, so look for Kelley and the Canalmen to extend their win streak to three.

André's pick: Bourne 28, Case 12.

Holbrook/Avon (2-4) at Cape Tech (2-3), 6:30 p.m.

Holbrook’s defense has given up over 20 points every game this season, and the Crusaders offense has to take advantage of that. However, Holbrook has also scored over 20 points in four of its six games, so the Crusaders have to be ready to defend an offense that knows how to put points on the board. Cape Tech has lost its last two, and allowed over 40 points in both games. The Crusaders have only scored more than two touchdowns in one game this season, so they have to find ways to score in order to win this game.

CJ’s pick: Holbrook/Avon 27, Cape Tech 24.

Cape Tech enters this game coming off a tough loss to Old Colony last week, but this week presents a chance for the Crusaders to get back to .500. Should they do that, it'll see the Crusaders eclipse last season's win total with two games to spare. The 46 points allowed was the most Cape Tech has allowed all season long, so the defense will be looking to leave it in the rearview. Head coach Calvin Castillas has been big on seeing resiliency from his team, and has worked to build up the culture of his team in his first year at the helm. The Crusaders bounced back from a bad loss earlier in the season, can they do it again?

André's pick: Cape Tech 32, Holbrook/Avon 21.

Mashpee (5-1) at Cohasset (2-3), 7 p.m.

Since their two-point season opener loss to Dennis-Yarmouth, the Falcons have not lost a game since. They have a tough challenge ahead against the Division 7 state champs. Although they have lost two in a row, Cohasset still has some talent and knows how to score with a 60 point game this season. The Falcons defense will be the difference maker in this game. After giving up 40 points in the season opener, they have given up a total of 30 points over the last five games. The loss against D-Y woke up something in the Falcons that has them flying high. Not only that, but they have not scored below 24 points this season. I think Mashpee makes a statement with a win over the defending champs.

CJ’s pick: Mashpee 27, Cohasset 20.

The Falcons will bring their five-game win streak on the road, and in order to pick up win number six, the defense, which has led the way, will need to set the tone once again. The defense has been dominant this season, better than any team on Cape, and I think this is another good chance for them. Mashpee's defense has played so well that it hasn't even mattered who has started at quarterback for Mashpee this season. Last week the Falcons dropped 35 points on Hull, and it was led by Makai Hue's four touchdowns. Hue also had an interception, to go with nine tackles, impacting both sides of the ball.

André's pick: Mashpee 32, Cohasset 16.

Upper Cape (0-6) at Old Colony (5-1), 7 p.m.

The Rams have struggled to find the end zone this season. They now face a team who is the exact opposite, having put up over 35 points four times this season. The Rams had their best offensive game last week with 16 points, and will need to continue to build off of that in order to compete with Old Colony.

CJ’s pick: Old Colony 30, Upper Cape 10.

This week presents another tough matchup for the Rams. Old Colony enters the game having won three straight games, and dropped 46 in last week's win over Cape Tech. The issues continue to be on the offensive side of the ball, and will need to find to figure out a way to score points on the road.

André's pick Old Colony 35, Upper Cape 14.

Saturday

Saugus (3-3) at Falmouth (1-5), 1 p.m.

The Clippers have only scored more than one touchdown in one game, which is also the only game they won. In the losses, Falmouth has been shutout three times, and are averaging just 2.4 points per game in those losses. The Clippers have a chance to bounce back against a Saugus team that started 3-0 are now 3-3 on the year. I believe the Clippers will have one of their best games of the season on both sides of the ball, but it may not be enough to get back in the win column.

CJ’s pick: Saugus 24, Falmouth 16.

Falmouth has struggled offensively all season, and have only scored 30 points all season. The strength of the team still lies in the run game, and the Clippers will need a big game on the ground if they want to beat Saugus. The good news for Falmouth, is that Saugus will enter the game having lost three straight games, and have only scored just over nine points per game in that stretch. The recipe for a Falmouth victory starts with controlling the clock, ensuring that their defense doesn't get too taxed, and then getting the offense moving utilizing the ground game.

André's pick: Saugus 28, Falmouth 12.

Monomoy (2-4) at Nantucket (2-4), 5 p.m.

After a 0-3 start, the Whalers' defense has them sitting at 2-4 on the season. They have allowed a total of six points in those two wins, which includes a shutout over JPII last week after the Lions scored 46 the previous week. Although the defense has carried them, the Whalers still have to figure it out on offense. They have only scored more than one offensive touchdown in one game.

For the Sharks, after winning their season opener, they have lost four of their last five games. The defense has been keeping them in those games, as no team has hit the 30-point mark on them yet. This defensive game will come down to which offense will step up.

CJ’s pick: Monomoy 20, Nantucket 14.

Nantucket put together perhaps their best four quarters all season, shutting out the Lions last week for win number two. Jake Haigh had two interceptions to lead the way, and ran one of them back for a touchdown. The Whalers will need another standout performance from Haigh and the rest of the defense to contain the Monomoy offense. Offensively, the Whalers didn't find the end zone until the final seconds of the game. They'll need a stronger performance over four quarters to beat the Sharks. Monomoy nearly beat the Vineyarders last week, but turnovers and mistakes ultimately cost them. Head coach Rob Sliney said he wanted to see a increased focus from his team, and that will go a long way towards their success this week. Monomoy nearly pulled out the win last week, and if they can clean up the mistakes, have a good chance of getting back in the win column.

André's pick: Monomoy 28, Nantucket 14.

CJ's picks: Last week 7-2

Overall 38-15

André picks: Last week 6-3

Overall 33-20

Contact Courtney Jacobs at cjacobs@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter/X: @CJ_Journalist.

André Simms covers high school sports for the Times. Contact him at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @that1guyandre.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Predicting every Week 7 Cape Cod high school football game