Saturday, when Lynn Tech visits Northeast Regional for a 10:30 a.m. matinee, the coaches and players will step back from the fray long enough to talk, and learn, about choices.And the choices being discussed won’t be about whether to play a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense, or to put eight in the box. They’ll be discussing life choices.Of course, it often takes a tragedy to spur such talk, and both of these teams have known horrible ones. Rick Drislane, one of the true superstars in Tech history, was on his way home from a local roast beef stand 20 years ago next month when the car in which he was a passenger went out of control on Chatham Street. Drislane, who had torched Northeast only a week earlier, died instantly.Northeast Regional’s Ed Repucci, a few years later, lost his life in an auto accident as well. Due to those two tragedies, the schools award player-of-the-game plaques in Drislane’s and Repucci’s honor at the conclusion of the Tech-Northeast game.”At the end of the game,” says Tech coach Gary Sverker, “we circle the wagons and talk about choices.”Teenagers are faced with a lot of tough decisions,” Sverker says. “And the athletes, they’re all taking risks just by suiting up. But we want to make sure they’re aware of the choices they make – not only on the field, but off.”The game itself used to be Tech’s last of the season – before the Tigers agreed to a Thanksgiving-eve game against St. Mary’s.”This is our closest rival, distance-wise,” Sverker says. And before the St. Mary’s game was instituted, it was the Tigers’ final game of the season.The Golden Knights have struggled this season, going 0-5 thus far. The Tigers, on the other hand, are 3-0 and are coming off a dominating 36-0 win over Minuteman.So far, things have been clicking on all cylinders for Tech, with quarterback Jose Rios in sync with receivers Jake Canty, Moses Valentin and Stephon Carter. Otis Green and John Jones handle the bulk of the running.Sverker is also very happy with his defensive line, which consists of Aaron Smith, Jame Bazil and Alonzo Rivera.”They’ve done a very good job,” Sverker says.Also on tap for Saturday:Winthrop at SaugusAt Stackpole Field (11), this is as close as Saugus gets to a true rivalry anymore, now that Peabody is off the schedule and the first Chelsea game isn’t until Thanksgiving. In all other sports, Saugus-Winthrop is the official rivalry game.The rivalry has been extremely one-sided in this decade, but it could be a different story Saturday. The Vikings (3-2) come into Saugus on the heels of three straight wins, all against Northeastern Conference/Large opponents (Classical, English and Salem). Saugus comes in with three straight wins, too, against St. Mary’s, Lynnfield and Watertown.The Sachems (3-1) opened the season with a loss to Newburyport.Arlington Catholic at St. Mary’sAt Manning Field (7), the Spartans come into this one looking for a little revenge. Last year, St. Mary’s played one of its most inspired games of the season, only to come out on the short end of a 28-25 defeat at the hands of the Cougars. St. Mary’s scored the final 13 points in that game.This year, the Spartans have a win under their belt, and played Watertown to a very close 27-22 loss last weekend.St. John’s (D) at St. John’s (S)At Shrewsbury (1), to say the Eagles need a victory Saturday is a gross understatement.After starting the season at 2-0, the Eagles ran into Everett and Brockton on successive weeks, dropping both those games.While back-to-back losses to Eastern Massachusetts’ reigning powers might have been expected, a loss to Dracut last week was not.N. Andover at LynnfieldAt Lynnfield Middle School (2:30), coach Bill Adams can look at the season two ways – so far. The Pioneers have played four of their first five games on the road. They’re 1-4 – with their only win coming at the friendly confines of the Lynnfield Middle School.The Pioneers are at home Saturday.