Football Recap: Ryan Ricker and Javian Valdez Pace Leominster Defense

Osiris Lopez

Passer Rating

09/05/25 vs St. John's	141.3
10/17/25 vs Shrewsbury	124.3
10/10/25 @ Algonquin Regional	122.8
09/12/25 vs Milford	100.7
09/19/25 @ Doherty Memorial	72.4
+ 1 more games

If Shrewsbury wanted to avenge their loss from the last time they played Leominster, they should've done a better job of containing Osiris Lopez. The Blue Devils enjoyed a cozy 55-40 victory over the Colonials on Friday for which the team can thank Lopez, who threw for 335 yards and five TDs while picking up 11.6 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 77 yards and one score on only six carries. His passing game has become a key predictor of Leominster's success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 110 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise.

Ryan Ricker was Lopez's top target, picking up 154 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ricker also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, making three total tackles and defending two passes in addition to snagging an interception.

Leominster didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ricker and Javian Valdez.

Leominster is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 4-2 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 35.8 points over those games. As for Shrewsbury, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 3-3 record this season.

We've got plenty of inter-league action coming up soon. Leominster will face off against rival Westborough at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, Shrewsbury is set to take on their familiar foe Algonquin Regional at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.