If you can't make the trip to New Haven this weekend, don't worry. Cambridge will have its share of pigskin drama this afternoon when Quincy defends its House football championship title against a surprisingly potent Dunster-Mather eleven.

Most observers consider Q-World the favorite coming into today's matchup, but Dunster-Mather has consistently proven that it means business.

Several factors give Quincy the advantage, at least on paper, but Dunster-Mather--which baffled and upset a highly regarded Kirkland House in the semis--doesn't really care what the paper says.

In the season opener, a sleepy Quincy squad downed Dunster-Mather without much difficulty. Since then, both teams have steadily and dramatically improved their games by committing fewer mental mistakes.

In order to defeat Q-World Dunster-Mather must prove that it has improved even more than its fearsome opponent.

As it demonstrated in its last two contests. Quincy needs little help in piecing together a potent football force. It has it all.

The quarterback Terry Wilson to tightend Art "A-OK" O'Keefe combination has maintained an impressive aerial threat throughout the season. The running of explosive halfback Bob Maddox devastated South House in its semi-final match. Offensively, Q-World has little or no-trouble moving the ball all over the gridiron.

The Quincy defensive unit has been a roadblock to opposing offenses. The defensive lines--led by Jeff Levey. Ed Irwin and John Keane--has stymied most enemy ground attacks. The ends--notably Steve Nicholas, Wilson and Maddox--minimize yardage gained by the pass.

"We [Quincy] beat them already, so now it's just a question of their being able to beat us," said Irwin. "They are the ones who are going to have to come up with something new. We're pretty confident."

The Quincy defense may be good, but so is the Dunster-Mather offense. It's the best against the best. There is no more effective passing combination than quarterback Keith Douds and fullback Mark Rosen; the two are devastating. For the past three games, the Douds-to-Rosen rainbow connection has been unstoppable.

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Rosen has also steamrolled up and down the football field, producing several breakaway runs each game. But, once again, don't forget the Q-World defense. They're mean.

"Quincy has got a real good game, but we've really progressed," said Douds. "We've got a pretty balanced attack, too, I think we've really mixed it up. It'll be a very good game."

Dunster-Mather acknowledges that it must maintain excellent ball control. "We've got to hang on to the ball most of the time, because their offense is dangerous," said fullback Scott Elwell. "They're the most explosive, most organized team, and they don't make mistakes."

But a lot of the Quincy squad still worries. "We have to stop Rosen," said O'Keefe bluntly.

Ironically. Douds--after his team's initial loss to Q-World--maintained that Dunster-Mather would still meet Quincy in the finals. People laughed, but they didn't know.

House football fever. Catch it...