Week 1 football previews sees Bristol teams at home for CCC battles against Manchester and RHAM

TOPICS:
Football

Posted By: Michael Letendre September 9, 2022

By Michael Letendre 

Week one of the scholastic football season is upon us as both Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern are home to open the campaign.

The Rams battle Manchester while the Lancers have a unique rematch from last season, going up against RHAM.

It’s a chance for both public school programs in town to get to 1-0 as each of the Bristol squads have the capability to win tonight.

Here’s a quick look at what to expect in Bristol as the Rams and Lancers hit the turf in gridiron battle for the first time in 2022:

Manchester at Bristol Central

Time: 6 p.m. (Bristol Central turf field at BCHS)

The Game: The battle is the 19th all-time showdown between the schools.

The Series: This one does not favor the Rams, going back to CCIL days gone by. Manchester leads the all-time series 12-5-1.

Last Season: It was a tough year for Manchester, going just 1-9 with a 44-43 win over Enfield back on November 12 as its only triumph…Bristol Central went a sterling 9-2, making the postseason for the first time since 1987.

Game Facts: Manchester is a member of Tier III this year due to its tough finish over the last couple of seasons…It could be another long campaign for the visiting program with a new QB at the helm and a team still looking to forge its own identity…On the flip side, Central has the offensive weapons to overwhelm Manchester and it’s exciting to see what receiver Tre Blair, quarterback Nick Salinas, and running back Carmelo Thompson can accomplish during Week 1 against a young program…This might be a tailor-made opponent for the Rams to see where the program is at while tallying that all important first win in the process…This could be a big confidence booster for Central if all the parts fall into place against Manchester.

RHAM at Bristol Eastern

Time: 6:30 p.m. (Alumni Field on the campus BEHS)

The Game: The battle is the fourth between the programs.

The Series: Eastern has a leg-up on RHAM, holding a 2-1 edge over the team.

Last Season: The Sachems, a CCC Tier III program, went 5-5 overall while the Lancers were 4-6, losing two games by a single point. It was really that close.

Facts: This is probably a revenge game for RHAM because last season’s contest went down to the wire in bizarre fashion…Eastern had to battle RHAM, the officials and a poorly run game clock as the final TD of the showdown, which was scored at the buzzer, had to be overturned and should have never been tallied in the first place – leading to the Lancers’ 13-7 victory and a 2-0 start to the year…The contest was a huge mess and upset everyone due to the clock running on its own several times throughout the game…The CCC tilt, this time contested in Bristol, is a rematch from last season’s Week 2…The Lancers would love to get to the pay window because a four-game road trip looms in the distance…This could be a coming out party for Eastern QB Kamden Laprise and the Lancers’ offense with the likes of Rayshon Andrews sprinting by helpless defenders…It should be a fun one at Alumni Field on Friday….“The kids have been working really hard,” said Eastern coach Anthony Julius. “August is a long month. You know we’re only out there for half the month and it’s a long month. They’ve worked hard and we’re hopeful they’re going to put together a good product on Friday night against RHAM and keep that continuing throughout the season.” 

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