- The Warwick Vets football team (0-5) has had a tough season, but it has come close to victory on a couple of occasions. To open the campaign, Vets lost a non-league defensive battle to Chariho, 6-2, at home. Three weeks later, the ’Canes played host to Coventry, which was also winless coming into the matchup. Vets played the Oakers close all night, eventually falling 26-20. This week, though, may be its best chance to grab win No. 1. The Narragansett Mariners will travel to Warwick tomorrow, allowing a Division III-high 193 points with a record of 1-4. Narragansett is on a three-game losing streak, with a 60-18 drubbing from Pilgrim as the latest blemish. Look for the ’Canes to take advantage of a weak Mariners team that can’t do much to stop the ground game. It will be close, but Vets will put one in the win column this weekend.

Score: Narragansett 20, Vets 30

- For me, the surprise of the season so far has been Toll Gate. The Titans are in prime position for the fourth and final playoff spot at 3-1 after just a one-win campaign in 2014. They are led by the strong rushing of Alex Mowry and Sean Devlin, who have worked in tandem to give opposing defenses fits. Austin Giard has also filled in admirably for the injured Michael Negri, giving the Titans an imposing rushing attack. After a 55-20 blowout loss to Division III favorite East Greenwich, Toll Gate responded with a 26-20 overtime victory over Middletown and a 14-0 shutout against Hope. However, the matchup that could decide the Titans’ postseason fate comes this Saturday against Lincoln. The Lions are 3-2 overall and riding a three-game winning streak, but a loss to Toll Gate could spell disaster for their playoff hopes. A defeat would drop them to 3-3 with a game against the undefeated Avengers looming before senior day against the Mariners. Toll Gate, too, can’t afford to lose, with games against Classical (3-1) and Pilgrim (3-1) still remaining before closing out the regular season slate against Ponaganset. A must-win for both sides, but I think home-field advantage pushes the Titans over the edge.

Score: Lincoln 23, Toll Gate 26

- Pilgrim bounced back from its 19-14 home loss to Classical in a big way. The Pats ripped off a 50-13 win over Ponaganset on Oct. 10 before outdoing themselves with their aforementioned 60-18 laugher against the Mariners. Five different Patriots accounted for nine rushing touchdowns against Narragansett, including three from Owen Kelly and two apiece from Devon Maxwell and Sean Cooney. Kelly has six rushing touchdowns in the past two games, while teammate Darren Grant has been all over the stat sheet with a defensive, receiving and rushing score. When the Pats visit East Greenwich on Nov. 13, we could be getting a preview for the Division III final featuring the league’s two most explosive offenses. For now, though, Pilgrim will travel to Hope for the final game of a three-week road trip. The Blue Wave is 1-3 and hasn’t scored double-digits in a league game since its 41-14 loss to Classical on Sept. 26. Look for Pilgrim to continue its torrid pace on offense this Saturday afternoon.

Score: Pilgrim 48, Hope 8

- Bishop Hendricken sits atop Division I with a 5-0 record, the most points scored of any team (155) and the fewest points allowed (33). However, its 23-20 overtime win over Cumberland this past weekend was a little too close for comfort. Head coach Keith Croft said games like that can be good for a team, and to an extent he’s right. Cumberland was 1-3 heading into the game, but had an impressive road win over Portsmouth on its résumé. The Hawks were given a reality check after three consecutive blowout victories, but a loss to Cumberland could have spelled the end to their hopes for the No. 1 overall seed with undefeated South Kingstown and La Salle still on the docket. The Rebels are a couple weeks away, but for now the focus is on the Cranston West Falcons. After suffering three straight D-I losses, West got its licks against Division-II Chariho in a non-league, 49-0 win. The Falcons, though, will have to get used to D-I play again quickly. They allow the third-most points (98) of any team in the division and face, as previously stated, the best offense in the state to date. Hendricken might have a chance to rest its starters late in preparation for a grueling couple of weeks that lie ahead, comprised of a trip to La Salle and a duel with South Kingstown on senior night.

Score: West 6, Hendricken 42