New High School Football Playoff Format Brings Major Schedule Changes

The new Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association football playoff schedule will mean a much different schedule for the Watertown Raiders this year.

The Raiders travel to Medway for the season opener and play Shawsheen Tech in the home opener the following week. Watertown will host Belmont in the Thanksgiving Day game, but the rest of November is not clear.

Rather than the usual Super Bowl structure that featured teams playing in playoff games after Thanksgiving, the playoffs will start at the beginning of November.

Teams that don’t make the playoffs will play other non-playoff teams in the weeks leading up to the annual Thanksgiving game. The six state championship games will take place after Thanksgiving.

Confused – and just want to know the Watertown High schedule? Here’s the schedule for the upcoming varsity football season (please note that Watertown will play three football games between Oct. 25 and Thanksgiving, but they won’t find out who they're playing until after the playoff teams are announced at the end of October). 

2013 Watertown Football Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 12 – at Medway, 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 20 – Shawsheen Tech, 7 p.m. Home Opener

Friday, Sept. 27 – Stoneham, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 – at Wakefield, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 11 – at Melrose, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 18 – Burlington, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25 – Wilmington, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1 – TBA

Nov. 8 – TBA

Nov. 15 – TBA

Thursday, Nov. 28 – Belmont, 10:15 a.m.