TUESDAY MORNING QB: Case, Tiverton, Bishop Stang all perfect through Week 3

Our question of the post-weekend goes to Anthony Palladino (Case High), Bob Murray (Tiverton High), and Dennis Golden (Bishop Stang), coaches of the remaining three undefeated/untied football teams in Greater Fall River. And the question is, may we officially get excited about your team? And if so, how excited?

“I’m excited every day,” Case coach Anthony Palladino said. “No different than any other season. Everyone starts off the year wanting to win championships, wanting to make runs. We’ve had good starts the past couple of years and then kind of faltered. We’ve talked about that. We’ve got to keep putting in the work on a daily basis.”

Last week’s win over Bourne included the season debut of senior captain and Herald News all-scholastic running back Chris Costa. He had missed the first two games with a hand injury.

“We’re just happy to have him back at all. He’s one of our captains. He’s part of our family,” Palladino said. “We love watching him do what he does. It’s special for us.”

And what does 3-0 mean for Tiverton High?

“Nothing,” Murray said. “4-0 won’t mean anything; 3-1 won’t mean anything. We’ll get excited at the end of the year when we know where we are. We’re just playing football, having fun. We’ve played pretty well.”

Tiverton’s high-scoring offense has featured both potent passing and rushing. Junior quarterback Matthew Gacioch proved himself a year ago and with better protection this year is torhcing opposing defenses. Halfback Nate Upchurch gives the Tigers their best breakaway threat in several years.

In the win at North Providence, Tiverton rushed the ball 25 times for 183 yards and passed 23 times for 135 yards. Upchurch gained 89 yards on 12 carries and caught two touchdown passes.

“Sooner or later, we’ll find what we’re looking for and hurt you with it,” Murray said.

Tiverton’s tough defense produced one of the exciting plays of the game. Late in the first half, with the score 21-0, North Providence had fourth-and-goal from the Tiverton 1 yard line. Linebacker Tony DeJesus intercepted a flat pass and returned deep into NP territory, setting up a Tiverton touchdown. “Instead of 21-7 at halftime, it was 28-0,” Murray said.

At Bishop Stang, Golden and his crew are enjoying the fast start but aren’t printing Super Bowl tickets.

“We’re excited to have won our games and we’re doing well,” he said. “But we also need to keep it in perspective. We’ve got a great challenge (at Carver) this week. And it was tough sledding (last) Friday night. It was 7-7 in the third quarter. Then Doug Chicca kicked a field goal, our first of the season. That was a big field goal.”

Quarterback Justin Lopes (6 touchdowns) has amerged as one of the top scorers in the area. Timmy Manley has three TDs and, Golden noted, Eric Camacho’s emergence at wide receiver has been a big help offensively.

Email Greg Sullivan at gsullivan@heraldnews.com. Follow him @GregSullivanHN.