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Methuen Rangers Football '07

Methuen seniors: Front row (from left) Ricky Joaquin, Joey Silva, Jordan Boss, Dan Higgins, Matt Dugan and Eric Eldred. Back row (from left) Matt Naylor, David Koerner, Steve Saba, Sean Gallagher, Chris Getchell and Giuliano Pizzo. » Roger Darrigrand, Staff Photographer

Methuen looking to make final statement

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The Valley is watching Pat Graham this Thanksgiving. So aren't West Methuen, and the Arlington district, and the folks out at Homestead Acres, too.

The rookie Ranger coach understands it, and says his club will be ready for Dracut.

"A win over Dracut would really say we're improving," said Graham, whose 2-8 Rangers travel to the 5-5 Middies to deal with coach Pat Murphy's dangerous spread offense.

"We're getting better, all the time. I know that. But a win on Thanksgiving could really give us something to build on for next year."

Graham says the injury-ravaged Rangers are getting closer to healthy, but he'll go to battle without three good ones in David Koerner, Matt Naylor and Sean Gallagher. Continuity continues to be a problem.

"We just haven't been able to run the same five offensive linemen out there, or the same four defensive linemen out there week to week," said Graham. "We are a junior team, and it's given a lot of guys valuable experience, but it's been tough."

What he does have is the Bartlett twins, Mike and Matt. Mike leads the attack with 546 yards on 89 carries, a healthy 6.1-yard-per-carry average.

Matt, with 980 yards on 64 of 158 passing, is primed to break the 1,000-yard passing barrier in his first season as a starter.

"Mike has been our most explosive offensive player all season," said Graham. "Matt continues to improve each week." Elusive quarterback Matt Grimard (7 TDs, 10 TD passes) and Jordan Murphy (7 TDs) power the Dracut spread attack.

The insertion of Rakeem Shepperd has made the attack even more diverse and dangerous. The Middies are one of only two teams to beat Billerica this year.

"They're a well-coached team, and they run the system well," said Graham. "The idea with the spread is they don't get themselves into a lot of third-and-longs. So it's tough to defend."

Dracut, which has won the last four matchups with the Rangers, leads the overall series, 23-18-3.

Did You Know? Considering Matt's 980 yards passing and Mike's 546 yards rushing, the Bartlett twins represent 70.8 percent of Methuen's total offense this year.

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