Winless Manchester Essex hosts Amesbury, the team behind its only league loss last fall

Manchester Essex is still looking for its first football win of the season. Its next chance comes tonight against Amesbury, the team that beat the Hornets 40 to 0 last fall for their only Cape Ann League loss. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. at Hyland Field at Manchester Essex Regional High School.

The Hornets are 0 and 3 and the Redhawks are 2 and 1. Manchester Essex plays football in a co-op with Rockport, so the team includes Rockport players. Nicholas Broughton coaches the Hornets.

Manchester Essex opened with a 30 to 0 loss at Newburyport on Sept. 11, then lost 30 to 10 at home to KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate on Sept. 18 and 21 to 0 at home to Lynnfield last Friday. Lynnfield's Lucas Deraps ran for 95 yards and a touchdown on five carries in that game, the Boston Herald reported. The Hornets have scored 10 points in three games and allowed 81, according to MaxPreps.

Amesbury lost its opener 14 to 8 at Lynnfield, then won 32 to 15 at Pentucket and 22 to 20 at home against Portsmouth/Oyster River of New Hampshire. In that last win, Joe Puleo carried 20 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns, and the Herald named him one of its high school football stars of the week. The Redhawks have scored 62 points and allowed 49. Both teams have lost to Lynnfield.

Last season went much better for Manchester Essex. The Hornets finished 6 and 4 overall and 5 and 1 in the league, good for third place. The one league loss was Amesbury's 40 to 0 win in Manchester on Oct. 30, 2025.

Manchester Essex visits Hamilton-Wenham next Friday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m.

The forecast gives a chance of showers this evening. See the weather.