Crimson Tide football begins practice for the 2023 campaign on Aug. 16

Second-year coach Justin Flores schedules three non-league powerhouses to improve chances for the postseason

By Joe McConnell

Summer vacation is almost over for head coach Justin Flores and his Everett High School football team. Flores, the Crimson Tide’s second year coach, will be welcoming his players back to the field for the first official day of practice on Aug. 16.

One year ago, the Everett boys won another Greater Boston League (GBL) title with a 6-0 record. They were 9-2 overall. But despite their success in 2023, they were denied a Division 1 playoff berth, because of the power rankings. The Top 16 teams qualify for the postseason, but the Tide ended up 18^th, even though they defeated BC High (5-3), the eighth seed, during a regular season game.

Flores hopes to avoid that scenario this year by adding three traditional powerhouses to the non-league schedule. “We have switched out Somerville, Lynn English and Malden for Mansfield, Taunton and Brockton,” he said.

The Tide will open up the season against Mansfield at home on Sept. 6, starting at 7 p.m. Medford will follow Mansfield to town on Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. Xaverian will complete the homestand on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.

The Tide will then hit the road to take on BC High in Dorchester on Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. They will return home to face Taunton on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m., before heading to Brockton to go up against the Boxers on Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. A trip to Lynn’s Manning Field follows on Oct. 26 for a game against Lynn Classical at 6 p.m. Revere will provide the competition on Nov. 1 at home, beginning at 6 p.m. The playoffs will start the following week, and hopefully by modifying the schedule to include teams from leagues with a higher power ranking it will be enough for Everett to slip into the Top 16 in Division 1.

To that end, the Tide players have been working hard throughout the offseason to make sure they don’t leave anything to chance.

“The kids have been working out all offseason,” said Flores. “We averaged over 40 kids per session, which is a great turnout. We have also participated in multiple 7-v-7 leagues. I have not kept track of the records from those scrimmages, but I have been very impressed by some of the younger players, along with some of the returning starters.”

Some of those returning players include quarterback Carlos Rodrigues, wide receiver Yariel Ortiz, wide receiver / defensive back Joao Barreiros, offensive linemen Marvin Desruisseaux and Chris Ruiz, linebacker Kevin Diaz, linebacker / safety Armani Negron, linebacker Fabrice Michaud, defensive back / wide receiver Gidion Legall, running back Manny Santiago and defensive back / wide receiver Elijah Lassister.

Flores anticipates a large turnout for the first day of practice on Aug. 16. “We are expecting 70 players to be in the program this year that includes a serious increase in the numbers from the freshman and sophomore classes,” he said. “We expect at least 20-plus freshmen, many of whom have been working out with the team or participating in clinics or flag football games.”

The second-year coach is planning a large intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 24, which will start at 11 a.m. Three days later on Aug. 27, Arlington comes to Everett to take on the Tide in a scrimmage that will serve as a tune-up against a quality opponent, before the Mansfield opener.

Almost everything is set to go to begin a brand-new campaign, but there’s still one piece of business that remains up in the air, before the regular season kicks off on Sept. 6. Flores is still looking for a Thanksgiving Eve opponent. Last year on the night before the big holiday, the Tide beat St. Mary’s of Lynn, 56-28 at Everett Memorial Stadium.