Daily Item 2018 Thanksgiving Football Preview
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<strong>2018</strong> HIGH SCHOOL<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> <strong>Preview</strong>
2 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
Classical looks to keep the ball rolling<br />
By Steve Krause<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
Brian Vaughan has had every<br />
chance to throw it in the faces of<br />
the MIAA about the inequities of its<br />
post-season football format.<br />
But he didn’t do any complaining<br />
when the Rams missed the cut in Division<br />
3 North despite a 4-3 record,<br />
kept quiet as his team went out and<br />
throttled its three non-playoff opponents<br />
(including 44-20 and 41-0 wins<br />
over Marblehead and Beverly respectively)<br />
and refuses to take the bait<br />
now on the eve of Thursday’s 105th<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> game against English<br />
(10 a.m., Manning Field).<br />
Classical may lead the series 55-<br />
40 with nine ties, but the Bulldogs<br />
romped last year, 38-0. One would<br />
think that score has been written on<br />
CLASSICAL (7 -3)<br />
9/7................. Classical 52, Medford 8<br />
9/14............... Classical 41, Malden 8<br />
9/21............... Classical 16, Revere 19<br />
9/28............... Classical 22, Gloucester 26<br />
10/5............... Classical 20, Danvers 29<br />
10/12............. Classical 55, Somerville 15<br />
10/19............. Classical 36, Salem 0<br />
10/27............. Classical 38, Wilmington 8<br />
11/3................ Classical 44, Marblehead 20<br />
11/10.............. Classical 41, Beverly 0<br />
11/22.............. at English (10)<br />
some upper-right-hand corner of the<br />
team blackboard. And perhaps it has<br />
been. But if so, Vaughan isn’t biting.<br />
“I think,” said the second-year<br />
coach who played his football for the<br />
Bulldogs, “we have just focused on<br />
the task at hand. Just win as many<br />
games as possible. All we want to do<br />
is prepare our kids to go out and play<br />
their best football on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
morning. Those are the things we can<br />
control.”<br />
The 7-3 Rams ended the<br />
pre-<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> portion of their<br />
season with five straight wins. They<br />
were 4-3 but they didn’t have the<br />
points to make it into the Top 8 in Division<br />
3 North.<br />
“Were we disappointed? Of course,”<br />
he said. “But that wasn’t something<br />
we were going to be able to control.”<br />
The Rams certainly had a lot going<br />
for them.<br />
“Defensively we’re playing well,”<br />
Vaughan said, “and we’re starting to<br />
click offensively too.”<br />
This starts with receiver Nashaun<br />
Butler, who, for the second straight<br />
season, has eclipsed the 1,000-yard<br />
mark (1,132). He’s also caught 13<br />
touchdown passes.<br />
“I don’t know of too many people<br />
around here who have done that,”<br />
Vaughan said.<br />
Quarterback Keith Ridley went<br />
over 2,200 yards this season, and<br />
Vaughan — offhand — doesn’t know<br />
of too many Classical quarterbacks<br />
lately who have done that. Running<br />
backs Marcus Tucker and Malcolm<br />
Best are getting back in form after<br />
mid-season injuries.<br />
“We missed Marcus when he was<br />
out,” Vaughan said. “He’s a special<br />
kid. Malcolm’s our thunder, and he’s<br />
our lightning.”<br />
He’s impressed with the 7-3 Bulldogs<br />
too.<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
Nashaun Butler went over the 1,000-yard mark for receiving for<br />
the second straight year.<br />
“They have some guys over there,”<br />
he said. “Not just some. A lot. It obviously<br />
starts with (Matt) Severance,<br />
who might be the best football player<br />
on the North Shore. He is a special<br />
kid. If he gets going early, it’s going<br />
to be ‘good night.’<br />
“(Ishmile) Bangura and (Prince)<br />
Brown are having great seasons too,”<br />
he said.
THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 3<br />
English seeking a successful ending<br />
Steve Krause<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
Last year was magical for English.<br />
The Bulldogs won 10 games -- only<br />
the third time in school history that<br />
has happened -- and capped the season<br />
off with a resounding win over<br />
archrival Classical.<br />
Duplicating that this season while<br />
rebuilding their core defensive front<br />
was going to be a mean feat. Still,<br />
heading into Thursday’s game with<br />
Classical (10 a.m., Manning Field),<br />
this has been a successful season.<br />
The Bulldogs are 7-3, with having to<br />
replace their entire front seven and<br />
start 10 sophomores.<br />
The Bulldogs know what they’re up<br />
against.<br />
“I don’t know,” said coach Chris<br />
Carroll, “whether there’s a carryover<br />
ENGLISH (7-3)<br />
9/8................. English 38, Beverly 21<br />
9/14............... English 31, Somerville 9<br />
9/21............... English 28, Mald. Cath. 41<br />
9/29............... English 42, Saugus 35<br />
10/6............... English 27, Swampscott 14<br />
10/12............. English 41, Salem 14<br />
10/19............. English 41, Winthrop 13<br />
10/26...............English 35, Concord-Carlisle 33<br />
11/2................ English 7, Danvers 28<br />
11/9º.............. English 7, Marblehead 31<br />
11/22.............. Vs. Classical (10)<br />
from last year or not. But from our<br />
perspective, there’s the season, and<br />
then there’s <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>. It’s our<br />
seniors’ last game, and everybody<br />
wants to go out a winner.”<br />
Two of those seniors are quarterback/safety<br />
Matt Severance and running<br />
back Ishmile Bangura.<br />
Earlier this season, Severance<br />
broke his coach’s school passing record<br />
in a win over Swampscott. He’s<br />
gone on to pass for 1,450 yards and<br />
throw for 14 touchdowns. He has run<br />
for 300 more yards and nine touchdowns.<br />
On defense, he has 102 tackles<br />
and four picks. Bangura goes into<br />
Thursday’s game with 901 yards and<br />
15 touchdowns.<br />
Another solid contributor has been<br />
senior receiver Prince Brown.<br />
In addition, English has had stellar<br />
seasons from defensive backs Mathias<br />
Fowler and Taj Purter, “who had<br />
a big catch in our win over Swampscott.<br />
Taj and Mathias are a special<br />
pair together,” said Carroll.<br />
He’s also high on Thomas Gaylord,<br />
“who has been an undersized twoway<br />
starter. He’s a great leader and<br />
a great kid.”<br />
After getting off to a 2-0 start, “we<br />
ran into a little bit of a hiccup in a<br />
loss to Malden Catholic,” Carroll<br />
said. After that, though, the Bulldogs<br />
ran the table with wins over Saugus,<br />
Swampscott, Salem and Winthrop to<br />
enter the Division 3 playoffs at 6-1,<br />
good enough for a second seed.<br />
Especially nice, said Carroll, was<br />
the win over Swampscott.<br />
“You have the Blydell Cup, and it’s<br />
a natural rival,” he said. “And that<br />
game, and Salem after it, were our<br />
two best wins. I hope we can get back<br />
to playing like that.”<br />
English beat Concord-Carlisle, 35-<br />
33, in the MIAA quarterfinal before<br />
losing to Danvers in the semis, and<br />
then at Marblehead in Week 10.<br />
Good luck, Seniors! Thanks for 4 great years!<br />
From Columbia Insurance Agency, Inc.<br />
31 Central Square • Lynn MA 01901 • 781-598-5000<br />
www.columbiainsuranceagency.net<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTOSS<br />
Matt Severance has passed for 1,450 yards and 14 touchdowns.<br />
As for 7-3 Classical, the Rams have<br />
been on a tear since being passed<br />
over in the MIAA playoffs. After winning<br />
two straight to end the regular<br />
season, the Rams have run of three<br />
lopsided wins over Wilmington,<br />
Marblehead and Beverly to go into<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> on a 5-game streak.<br />
“They’re playing good ball right<br />
now. They have a good offense.<br />
(Quarterback) Keith Ridley is a good,<br />
strong player.”<br />
Good Student Discounts Available!<br />
For your insurance needs, call 781-598-4700<br />
Good luck to all the teams!<br />
HAPPY THANKSGIVING<br />
297 Broadway Lynn, Wyoma Square ● www.ajameslynch.com
4 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
St. Mary’s will have a lot at stake<br />
By Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR<br />
St. Mary’s football coach Sean<br />
Driscoll feels his team’s in a special<br />
place at this point in the season.<br />
Prior to Thursday’s <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
game between his Spartans and Fenwick,<br />
which is for the Catholic Central<br />
League title, St. Mary’s won the<br />
Division 7 North championship at<br />
Nashoba Valley and played against<br />
Cohasset in the state semifinal.<br />
“We talked about that as coaches.<br />
We’re hoping to carry some momentum<br />
into <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>,” Driscoll<br />
said. “That’s what we’re preaching.<br />
We’re playing for three championship<br />
games in a row. It’s quite the<br />
challenge for the kids to be able to<br />
compete at a high level for three<br />
weeks in a row.”<br />
ST. MARY’S (7-3)<br />
9/7............ St. Mary’s 30 Millis 12<br />
9/15.......... St. Mary’s 39 So. Boston 22<br />
9/21.......... St. Mary’s 14 Cath. Mem. 42<br />
9/29.......... St. Mary’s 40, Spellman 22<br />
10/6.......... St. Mary’s 28 Arl. Cath. 12<br />
10/13........ St. Mary’s 20 Williams 27<br />
10/19........ St. Mary’s 24 Mashpee 30<br />
10/26........ St. Mary’s 49 Georgetown 6<br />
11/2........... St. Mary’s 30 Gr. Lawrence 24<br />
11/9........... St. Mary’s 39 Nashoba Tech 14<br />
11/16......... vs. Cohasset (at Medford, 7)<br />
11/22......... at Fenwick (10)<br />
The Crusaders aren’t the same<br />
team St. Mary’s saw last season.<br />
Fenwick earned the No. 4 seed in the<br />
Division 5 North state tournament<br />
and reached the sectional semifinal<br />
before falling to No. 1 Stoneham.<br />
The Crusaders made quick work<br />
of Ipswich the following week in a<br />
non-playoff tilt.<br />
“I’ve seen them a couple of times<br />
in person,” Driscoll said. “I think<br />
they’re very good. (David Cifuentes)<br />
is one of the better backs we’ll face.<br />
On defense they get to the ball pretty<br />
quick. They make plays. I didn’t see<br />
their playoff game against Stoneham<br />
but I can say Fenwick’s one of the<br />
better teams we’ll play all year.”<br />
Offensively, the Spartans will look<br />
to control the line of scrimmage and<br />
move the chains in hopes of keeping<br />
Fenwick’s offense off the field. Running<br />
backs Jalen Echevarria, George<br />
Freeman and Connor Donohue have<br />
done the bulk of the damage on the<br />
ground this season.<br />
“I think we have to keep their offense<br />
off the field and control the line<br />
of scrimmage when we have the football,”<br />
Driscoll said. “I always think<br />
kickoff returns and punt returns<br />
are important this time of the year.<br />
We played a game before this and<br />
Fenwick had a week off. I know St.<br />
Mary’s dealt with that last year but<br />
still prepared well and got a win at<br />
home. I’m hoping we do the same. I<br />
know it’s going to be a challenge getting<br />
ready to play for this game.”<br />
Defensively, Mathias Haley and<br />
Freeman lead the Spartans in tackles.<br />
Driscoll said he’s looking forward<br />
to his first go-round in the St.<br />
Mary’s-Fenwick rivalry.<br />
“I think every coach in general loves<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> football,” Driscoll said.<br />
IITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
Jalen Echevarria (10) has been a key cog in St. Mary’s backfield.<br />
“For me it’s new. Getting a chance<br />
to play at their place on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>,<br />
it’s cool. It’s exciting to play for a<br />
share of the CCL title. It’s important<br />
for us to get off to a good start and<br />
be healthy to be able to compete with<br />
them.”<br />
Kickoff for Thursday’s game is<br />
scheduled for 10 p.m. at Donaldson<br />
Field≠≠≠.<br />
Good luck to the players and coaches<br />
GO SPARTANS!<br />
Joan McGovern Regan • 617-529-1785<br />
joan.regan17@gmail.com • century21hughes.com<br />
Happy <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>!
THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 5<br />
Bishop Fenwick has league title on line<br />
Steve Krause<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
After being the <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> football<br />
version of “A Man Without a<br />
Country” for more than a decade,<br />
seeing St. Mary’s from across the<br />
50-yard line Thursday will do coach<br />
Dave Woods’ heart a lot of good.<br />
The fact that the game will be for<br />
a Catholic Central League championship<br />
makes it even better.<br />
“Anytime we play St. Mary’s in<br />
anything, it adds a little extra,” said<br />
Woods, on the eve of Thursday’s game<br />
(10) at Donaldson Field against the<br />
Spartans. “But with a league title on<br />
the line, it adds extra implications.”<br />
The fact that the value of winning a<br />
league title has been de-emphasized<br />
in terms of qualifying for the Super<br />
Bowl is of no consequence when it<br />
BISHOP FENWICK 8-2)<br />
9/7................. Fenwick 28, Ham-Wen 0<br />
9/14............... Fenwick 20, Dedham 29<br />
9/21............... Fenwick 33, Pentucket 7<br />
9/28............... Fenwick 42, Arl. Cath. 14<br />
10/ 5.............. Fenwick 28, Williams 0<br />
10/ 12............ Fenwick 13, Malden Cath. 7<br />
10/ 19............ Fenwick 56, Spellman 6<br />
10/ 26............ Fenwick 55, Gr. Lowell 0<br />
11/ 1............... Fenwick 20, Stoneham 48<br />
11/9................ Fenwick 46, Ipswich 27<br />
11/22.............. vs. St. Mary’s (10)<br />
comes to playing the game.<br />
“It’s two good programs, and whoever<br />
wins is going to be (Catholic<br />
Central League) champion,” Woods<br />
said. “It’s going to be fun.”<br />
Fenwick has run the table in the<br />
CCL up to now, but that’s a bit deceiving.<br />
Austin Prep dropped out of<br />
the CCL Large and right now there<br />
are only five teams in the division.<br />
The Crusaders have beaten the three<br />
they’ve played — Williams, Spellman<br />
and Arlington Catholic — with St.<br />
Mary’s left. The Spartans lost to Williams.<br />
A St. Mary’s win would leave<br />
each team at 3-1 in the league, with<br />
the Spartans having the tiebreaker<br />
in head-to-head.<br />
In the world of the CCL, the lord<br />
giveth and taketh away for Fenwick.<br />
The Crusaders celebrated the return<br />
in Week 4 of quarterback Cory<br />
Bright, who, in the half-season since,<br />
has thrown for 1,100 yards and 16<br />
touchdowns.<br />
“That’s a season for most kids,”<br />
Woods said. “He’s been phenomenal.”<br />
However, all-everything-else Keegan<br />
O’Connor broke his arm last Friday<br />
night against Ipswich, and that’ll<br />
be a tough loss for the Crusaders to<br />
absorb.<br />
“He wants to (play),” said Woods,<br />
“but I don’t know. It might be too<br />
soon to talk about doing that. It’s a<br />
tough break. He’s a senior.”<br />
Also playing their last games are<br />
Derek DelVecchio, George Fiskatoris,<br />
Ian Connor and Tommy McDonald.<br />
All six have been invaluable, Woods<br />
said.<br />
Underclassmen who have emerged<br />
as key contributors are David Cifuentes<br />
and Joe Rivers.<br />
“They’re our 1-2 punch at tailback,”<br />
said Woods. “David gets the ball more,<br />
but Joe scores about 20 percent of the<br />
time he touches the ball. We have to<br />
get him the ball more.”<br />
The Crusaders went into the Division<br />
6 playoffs at 6-1 with the fourth<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
David Cifuentes emerged this season as key runner for the Crusaders.<br />
seed, and defeated Greater Lowell in<br />
the quarterfinals before falling to No.<br />
1 Stoneham in the semis.<br />
“Stoneham is a great team,” said<br />
Woods. “I think they could play with<br />
anyone from Division 3 on down.<br />
Maybe not a team like St. John’s<br />
Prep, but from 3 down, they can play.”<br />
Fenwick tuned up for St. Mary’s<br />
with a win over Ipswich to enter<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> at 8-2. St. Mary’s, not<br />
counting its state semifinal game<br />
with Cohasset, is 7-3.<br />
WISHING ALL THE PLAYERS THE BEST OF LUCK<br />
AND A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!<br />
Charles Gaeta, Executive Director and the LHAND staff<br />
Where opportunity and achievement meet<br />
Bishop Fenwick High School, Peabody, MA<br />
www.fenwick.org • 978-587-8300
6 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
Tech happy to be part of all-Lynn rivalry<br />
By Mike Alongi<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
Move over Classical-English,<br />
there’s a new all-Lynn <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
football rivalry coming to town this<br />
year. After playing a regular season<br />
game against each other last year,<br />
the Tech and KIPP football teams<br />
will go head-to-head on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
Eve for the first time Wednesday.<br />
“It’s nice to get another all-Lynn<br />
game for <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>,” said Tech<br />
coach James Runner. “The kids are<br />
always talking about it to each other,<br />
and our schools are just a stone’s<br />
throw away from each other, so it’s<br />
only right. Plus, it’s great for the<br />
fans who now don’t have to travel to<br />
a different city for the <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
game.<br />
“Don’t get me wrong, playing Aus-<br />
LYNN TECH (6-4)<br />
9/8................. Tech 6, Nashoba Valley 2<br />
9/15............... Tech 51, Mystic Valley 6<br />
9/22............... Tech 34, Minuteman 6<br />
9/29............... Tech 32, Northeast 34<br />
10/6............... Tech 8, Gr. Lowell 34<br />
10/12............. Tech 43, Georgetown 15<br />
10/20............. Tech 55, Chelsea 0<br />
10/27............. Tech 14, Roxbury Prep 0<br />
11/3................ Tech 0, Pope John 24<br />
11/9................ Tech 8, Gr. Lawrence 36<br />
11/21.............. vs. KIPP (6)<br />
tin Prep for the past couple of years<br />
has been great and we really enjoyed<br />
it,” Runner continued. “But there’s<br />
nothing like a city rivalry.”<br />
Tech is coming into this year’s<br />
game as the likely favorite despite<br />
not being quite as powerful as last<br />
year’s MVADA Small championship<br />
team. Standing at 6-4, the Tigers<br />
have changed things up this season<br />
offensively. With the talented running<br />
back duo of Steffan Gravely and<br />
Keoni Gaskin gone, Tech has moved<br />
to more of a running back-by-committee<br />
approach in addition to adding<br />
more of a passing attack to its<br />
arsenal. Quarterback David Barrios<br />
runs the show, while a combination<br />
of Haidar Bdaiwi, Chance Buono and<br />
Giuliani Daniells lead the way on the<br />
ground.<br />
“It’s nice to be able to spread the<br />
ball around to all of our different<br />
playmakers,” said Runner. “We have<br />
a lot of guys who have been able to<br />
contribute this season, and it keeps<br />
the other team off balance when we<br />
keep changing guys out.”<br />
As for the defense, everything revolves<br />
around star linebacker Emerson<br />
Ramirez. With over 100 tackles<br />
this year, the senior has improved on<br />
last fall’s impressive junior season.<br />
Add in the dominant play of defensive<br />
lineman Ali Bdaiwi and Barrios’<br />
prowess at safety, and the Tigers<br />
have a lot to offer defensively as well.<br />
“Those guys have all really stepped<br />
up this year, and I think they’re all<br />
going to want to go out with a bang<br />
and play well in their final game,”<br />
Runner said.<br />
As for next Wednesday’s game,<br />
Runner and the Tigers don’t plan on<br />
doing anything out of the ordinary.<br />
“We’re just going to approach it<br />
like any other game,” said Runner.<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
David Barrios will be calling signals for the final time in Wednesday’s<br />
game<br />
“We’re going to try to control the line<br />
of scrimmage on both sides of the ball<br />
and try to negate their speed. We can<br />
spread it out or bring it in and pound<br />
the ball, so we’ll let the game dictate<br />
what approach we’re going to use.”<br />
The Tigers and KIPP face off<br />
Wednesday night at Manning Field<br />
(6).<br />
Marion Street Autobody<br />
44 Marion St., Lynn<br />
781-592-7001<br />
Go Lynn Tech Tigers!<br />
Mark A. King, Class of 1978<br />
“Best of luck to all<br />
the Lynn Teams. LVTI”
THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 7<br />
KIPP happy to be part of the festivities<br />
By Mike Alongi<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
The KIPP football team remembers<br />
what happened in Week 5 of its inaugural<br />
season last year, when the<br />
Panthers were handed a 47-0 loss<br />
by Tech. Now KIPP will try to take<br />
its revenge on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> Eve in<br />
a new all-Lynn football rivalry game.<br />
“The guys remember last year,<br />
there’s no question about it,” said<br />
KIPP coach Jim Rabbitt. “We obviously<br />
went up against a very talented and<br />
well-coached team, and it will be no<br />
different this year. We know it’s going<br />
to take a lot, and we’re ready for it.”<br />
Revenge aside, Rabbitt is aware of<br />
how important it is for his team and<br />
the KIPP program as a whole to be a<br />
part of an all-Lynn football rivalry on<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong>.<br />
KIPP (3-7 )<br />
9/8................. KIPP 6, Gr. Lowell 34<br />
9/15............... KIPP 12, Roxbury Prep 36<br />
9/22............... KIPP 28, Chelsea 6<br />
9/27............... KIPP 0, Nashoba Tech 39<br />
10/4............... KIPP 38, Mystic Valley 14<br />
10/11.............. KIPP 26, Keefe Tech 16<br />
10/20............. KIPP 6, Minuteman 12<br />
10/26............. KIPP 12, Brighton 8<br />
11/2................ KIPP 6, Charlestown 14<br />
11/9................ KIPP 24, Matignon 30<br />
11/21.............. at Tech (6)<br />
“I think this is one of the best things<br />
about our town,” Rabbitt said. “I can’t<br />
think of any other city that has two<br />
in-city football rivalries like this.<br />
Obviously you have the more than<br />
100-year history between English<br />
and Classical, and now to be a part<br />
of a <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> game with Tech, I<br />
think it just says so much about the<br />
football culture in this city.”<br />
The Panthers come into the<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> game at 4-6, but don’t<br />
let that fool you. KIPP’s last three<br />
losses have each come by one touchdown,<br />
with two of those losses coming<br />
against playoff teams.<br />
“We’ve been incredibly competitive<br />
in all of those games,” said Rabbitt.<br />
“A couple plays here and there, and<br />
we could be coming into this game at<br />
7-3.”<br />
The Panthers rely on a high-flying<br />
offensive attack, running a spread<br />
offense that distributes the ball to<br />
playmakers such as receiver Taj<br />
White-King and running back Daniel<br />
Oluwasuyi. White-King has logged<br />
nearly 1,000 receiving yards this<br />
season, while Oluwasuyi has multiple<br />
100-yard games on the ground.<br />
Then there’s the quarterback duo of<br />
J’ddon Vincent and Pierro Canales,<br />
who both power the offensive machine<br />
with their legs and their arms.<br />
Offensive linemen Mike Bryce and<br />
Dave Filias round out the talented<br />
offense.<br />
Pierro Canales (2) is part of KIPP’s quarterback tandem.<br />
As with many high school football<br />
teams, the defense also features<br />
many of those offensive stars. Filias<br />
and Oluwasuyi lead the way at the<br />
linebacker position, while White-<br />
King has logged 10 interceptions<br />
from the safety position.<br />
In order to take down the Tigers,<br />
KIPP knows it has to be sound on<br />
both sides of the ball.<br />
“We know it’s going to be a difficult<br />
task and we have our work cut<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
out for us,” Rabbitt said. “Not only<br />
is Tech talented, but they’re also<br />
well-coached. I think (Tech) Coach<br />
(James) Runner is one of the best<br />
coaches in the Commonwealth. He’s<br />
going to have his team ready to go, so<br />
we’re going to have to be prepared for<br />
a real battle.”<br />
KIPP and Tech go head-to-head<br />
Wednesday night at Manning Field<br />
(6).<br />
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8 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
Big Blue hope it’s their turn this time<br />
By Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
Swampscott football coach Bobby<br />
Serino doesn’t need to be reminded<br />
how many years its been since the<br />
Big Blue have defeated Marblehead<br />
on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>. The Magicians,<br />
who defeated Swampscott 35-17 last<br />
fall, haven’t lost to the Big Blue since<br />
2012.<br />
“Everyone keeps reminding me of<br />
how many years its been since we’ve<br />
won it,” Serino said. “The last year we<br />
won it was 2012, my son’s (Robert Serino)<br />
year and we were 25-point underdogs.<br />
You throw the records out. I<br />
speak at the Old Timer’s dinner and<br />
people remind me how many years<br />
it’s been since we’ve won. <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>’s<br />
like a one-game season. I don’t<br />
want to be the only coach that hasn’t<br />
SWAMPSCOTT (9-1)<br />
9/8.......... Swampscott 21 Gr. Lawrence 30<br />
9/14........ Swampscott 49 Triton 0<br />
9/21........ Swampscott 40 Winthrop 6<br />
9/29........ Swampscott 36 Salem 21<br />
10/6........ Swampscott 14 English 27<br />
10/13...... Swampscott 27 Revere 7<br />
10/19...... Swampscott 42 Saugus 0<br />
10/26...... Swampscott 42 Triton 20<br />
11/3......... Swampscott 34 Pentucket 0<br />
11/10....... Swampscott 34 Amesbury26<br />
11/16....... vs. Scituate (at Westwood, 7)<br />
11/22....... vs. Marblehead (10)<br />
beaten Marblehead, that’s for sure.”<br />
The Big Blue, who won the Division<br />
5 North sectional title and advanced<br />
to the state semifinal earlier this<br />
month, know exactly what to expect<br />
from the 7-3 Magicians.<br />
“Every year it seems like they reload,”<br />
Serino said. “It shouldn’t be<br />
anything different. Their talent<br />
changes at every position each year.<br />
I’m glad there aren’t any Gillises<br />
or Marinos on the team this year. I<br />
think we match up well with them.<br />
“They have a solid team. (Magicians)<br />
Coach (Jim) Rudloff will say<br />
he’s weak here or weak there but every<br />
year he gets them ready to play<br />
us. It doesn’t matter about the playoff<br />
system.<br />
You put two teams on the field on<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> and it’s like a championship<br />
game every year.”<br />
Offensively, it starts with Big Blue<br />
junior quarterback Graham Inzana.<br />
A three-sport player who’s also on<br />
the school’s basketball and baseball<br />
teams, Inzana has emerged as one of<br />
the better quarterbacks in the Northeastern<br />
Conference. Running back<br />
Dylan January does the majority of<br />
the damage on the ground and receivers<br />
Andrew Augustin, Jonathan<br />
Oriakhi and Arturo Vasquez are consistent<br />
playmakers.<br />
Defensively, Jake Bartram holds<br />
down the fort in the trenches. January<br />
quarterbacks the defense at the<br />
linebacker position with help from<br />
Oriakhi. Nick Reiser has come along<br />
nicely as of late. Zack Palmer, Inzana<br />
and Augustin are the key contributors<br />
in the secondary.<br />
“Hopefully it’s not below 50 and it’s<br />
not raining,” Serino said. “Other than<br />
that, we just can’t turn the ball over.<br />
We have to play well in all three<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
Graham Inzana has emerged as a top quarterback on the North<br />
Shore.<br />
phases of the game and we are right<br />
now. We’ve gotten better and better<br />
each week. We can’t get hyped out<br />
because it’s <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>. If our defense<br />
can stay healthy, they’re going<br />
to give us a great shot to win.”<br />
Kickoff for Thursday’s game is<br />
scheduled for 10 a.m. at Blocksidge<br />
Field.<br />
(781) 596-0703 • sanphypodiatry.com/<br />
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Tradition never graduates, Good Luck!
THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 9<br />
Marblehead has 5-game streak on the line<br />
By Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR<br />
The recent trend points to the<br />
Marblehead football team being<br />
the favorite in Thursday’s <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
game against rival Swampscott.<br />
Marblehead has dominated the<br />
Turkey Day rivalry as of late and<br />
hasn’t lost to the Big Blue since 2012.<br />
But anything can happen when two<br />
teams take the field, especially in<br />
high school sports.<br />
With Swampscott having won the<br />
Division 5 North sectional championship<br />
and advancing to the state semifinal,<br />
the Big Blue have momentum<br />
on their side.<br />
Marblehead, on the other hand, is<br />
coming off a 31-7 non-playoff win<br />
over English in which Magicians<br />
MARBLEHEAD (8-2)<br />
9/7................. Marblehead 55, Triton 0<br />
9/14............... Marblehead 18, Revere 6<br />
9/21............... Marblehead 28, Peabody 7<br />
9/29............... Marblehead 27, Beverly 6<br />
10/5............... Marblehead 35, Malden 0<br />
10/12............. Marblehead 37, Gloucester 12<br />
10/19............. Marblehead 10, Danvers 7<br />
10/26............. Marblehead 14, Dracut 28<br />
11/ 3............... Marblehead 20, Classical 44<br />
11/9................ Marblehead 31, English 7<br />
11/22.............. at Swampscott (10)<br />
junior running back Tim Cronin<br />
dominated the Bulldogs and scored<br />
four touchdowns. Another key<br />
threat on Marblehead’s offense is<br />
quarterback Chris Gally, who can<br />
run the ball as effectively as he<br />
throws it.<br />
The Magicians ran the table in the<br />
Northeastern Conference. They won<br />
the NEC crown outright and finished<br />
their regular season undefeated<br />
at 7-0. They earned the No. 1 seed<br />
in the Division 4 North state tournament<br />
but fell in the quarterfinal<br />
round, 28-14, to No. 8 seed Dracut<br />
of the tough Merrimack Valley Conference.<br />
Marblehead lost a non-playoff game<br />
in Week 9 to Classical, 44-20, at Manning<br />
Field. The Magicians bounced<br />
back with the big win over English<br />
in Week 10.<br />
“Our guys did a good job on defense,<br />
even though we made a few<br />
mistakes to put it on our defense,”<br />
Magicians coach Jim Rudloff said.<br />
“The most important thing for us<br />
is we bounced back. We played so<br />
bad the last two games (Classical,<br />
Dracut), especially in the second<br />
half (at Classical). We were terrible<br />
but we bounced back (against English).”<br />
The Magicians are 8-2 this season.<br />
Swampscott’s 9-1, excluding its Division<br />
5 state semifinal game against<br />
South champion Scituate.<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
Tim Cronin has been the go-to runner for Marblehead this season.<br />
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL<br />
THE PLAYERS! GOOD LUCK!<br />
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10 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
Saugus rallies around its senior class<br />
Dan Kane<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
Saugus football coach Mike Mabee<br />
knows firsthand just how important<br />
the Sachems’ (4-6) yearly matchup<br />
against Peabody is to his players and<br />
how his team will be tested in the<br />
game.<br />
“It’s a game I’m really familiar<br />
with,” Mabee said. “I went to Saugus<br />
High School and we played Peabody<br />
all four years. It’s a game where you<br />
can pretty much throw both the records<br />
out the window. Even though<br />
we both have similar records it<br />
means nothing.”<br />
Mabee has looked for his players to<br />
rally around the senior class in the final<br />
weeks of the season and that will<br />
be no different when Saugus travels<br />
to Peabody on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> (10).<br />
SAUGUS (4-6)<br />
9/7................. Saugus 12, Amesbury 30<br />
9/14............... Saugus 18, Northeast 26<br />
9/22............... Saugus 14, Salem 0<br />
9/29............... Saugus 35, English 42<br />
10/5............... Saugus 15, Gloucester 61<br />
10/12/............ Saugus 20, Winthrop 14<br />
10/19............. Saugus 0, Swampscott 42<br />
10/26............. Saugus 27, Weston 6<br />
11/2................ Saugus 0, Amesbury 20<br />
11/10.............. Saugus 21, Pentucket 7<br />
11/22.............. at Peabody (10)<br />
“It’s a big game that our seniors are<br />
looking forward to,” Mabee said. “We<br />
are looking for younger players to<br />
play for the seniors. We have a really<br />
tight-knit group and they’re all close<br />
so that shouldn’t be a problem.<br />
“This group is really loose,” Mabee<br />
added. “So there hasn’t really been a<br />
shift at practice this last week. But<br />
as <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> gets closer and the<br />
end is approaching I expect to see a<br />
change in the atmosphere.”<br />
The Sachems will look to linebacker<br />
Dante McGrane and defensive<br />
lineman Jake Morgante to help combat<br />
the Tanners offense.<br />
“We look for Dante and Jake to sort<br />
of lead our defense and players feed<br />
off them defensively,” Mabee said.<br />
“Everything they do for us helps free<br />
up a lot of other players. Jake is a<br />
great defensive lineman and a lot of<br />
the focus on him allows other players<br />
to get chances to make plays.”<br />
On offense, junior running back<br />
Marvens Jean has been the primary<br />
threat for much of the season, including<br />
a 266-yard performance against<br />
Weston in the Division 5 North<br />
quarterfinal game. Jean cracked the<br />
1,000-yard mark for the season in a<br />
win over Pentucket.<br />
Junior offensive lineman Zach Kesbia<br />
has also been a huge help this<br />
season.<br />
“He has been our biggest leader on<br />
the line,” Mabee said of Kesbia. “Zach<br />
has been great for us all year. I think<br />
of him as the brains of the offensive<br />
line. All year I’ve looked to him to<br />
help his teammates understand the<br />
blocking schemes. He always knows<br />
what everyone’s job is.”<br />
Along with the running game, the<br />
Sachems have also been able to expand<br />
their offensive attack with<br />
quarterback Mason Nickolas stepping<br />
up late in the season.<br />
“In last Saturday’s game Mason<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTOS<br />
Marvens Jean went over the 1,000-yard mark in Saugus’ win over<br />
Pentucket.<br />
threw a touchdown pass and probably<br />
had over 100 passing yards,”<br />
Mabee said. “Some games we just<br />
haven’t been able to run as well. He<br />
has really stepped up if our running<br />
game isn’t working. It’s good to have<br />
that option on offense now.<br />
“Overall I know it can be an an<br />
emotional week,” Mabee added. “It<br />
means a lot to our players and it’s a<br />
great opportunity for the kids so we<br />
are looking forward to it.”<br />
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THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 11<br />
Peabody wants to end on an up-note<br />
By Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR<br />
The goal for Peabody football coach<br />
Mark Bettencourt and his Tanners<br />
coming into their <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
game against Saugus is simple. Peabody,<br />
4-6 this season, won’t accept a<br />
loss to close a tough, injury-riddled<br />
<strong>2018</strong> campaign.<br />
“The seniors want to end the season<br />
on a win,” Bettencourt said. “Our goal<br />
of finishing the season over. 500 or at<br />
.500 was lost. Finishing at 5-6 is the<br />
best we can do and we have to make<br />
sure we do that. Finishing 4-7 isn’t<br />
an option, that doesn’t speak for the<br />
work we’ve put in this year.”<br />
Saugus, however, will have other<br />
plans. Bettencourt has studied the<br />
Sachems on film and knows they aren’t<br />
an easy opponent to beat.<br />
PEABODY (4-6)<br />
9/7................. Peabody 36, Somerville 7<br />
9/14/.............. Peabody 3, Danvers 30<br />
9/21............... Peabody 7, Marblehead 28<br />
9/28............... Peabody 25, Revere 27<br />
10/5............... Peabody 21, Masconomet 6<br />
10/12............. Peabody 42, Malden 12<br />
10/20............. Peabody 7, Beverly 28<br />
10/26............. Peabody 21, Reading 35<br />
11/2................ Peabody 20, Haverhill 10<br />
11/9................ Peabody 24, Woburn 28<br />
11/22.............. vs. Saugus (10)<br />
“They’re tough kids,” Bettencourt<br />
said. “The story early in the season<br />
about what happened there and the<br />
way they’ve persevered with Coach<br />
Mike Mabee, he’s done a great job<br />
rallying these kids, motivating them<br />
and giving them something positive.<br />
When you inspire kids to overcome<br />
adversity you get good results. Watching<br />
the film, they had growing pains<br />
early in the year but they’re playing<br />
cleaner with every game. They’re<br />
coming here expecting to win.”<br />
Peabody plans to control the line of<br />
scrimmage and establish an effective<br />
running game in hopes of creating<br />
opportunities through the air. That<br />
makes it a big game for Peabody’s offensive<br />
line, led by Abe Kabba, Chris<br />
Glass and Mike Lock, and running<br />
backs Luis Guridys and Angel Paulino.<br />
“The biggest key is up front,” Bettencourt<br />
said. “We have to control<br />
the line of scrimmage. In the games<br />
we’ve won we’ve controlled the line of<br />
scrimmage. We’ve shown we can do it<br />
against teams a little bigger than us.<br />
We did it against Masco and Haverhill.<br />
If we can’t establish a running<br />
game, it affects our passing game.<br />
“If we can control the trenches, it<br />
allows us to do a lot more with ball<br />
control and that allows us to control<br />
the passing game.”<br />
Other key offensive contributors include<br />
quarterback Alex DeNisco and<br />
PHOTO | XYXY<br />
Luis Guridys has come through for Peabody this year in the offensive<br />
backfield.<br />
kicker Austin Leggett.<br />
Defensively, Bettencourt pointed to<br />
sticking to assignments as Peabody’s<br />
key. He also foresees a tall task ahead<br />
for cornerbacks Dylan Peluso and<br />
Carlos Hernandez, who’ll be relied on<br />
to prevent big plays in Saugus’ passing<br />
game. Linebackers Tyler Norman<br />
and Kyle Maglione have played well<br />
as of late.<br />
“Defensively, we have to read our<br />
keys and trust what the coaches<br />
are telling them to do,” Bettencourt<br />
said. “When we get away from reading<br />
our keys, we step into problems.<br />
The defense we run relies on 11 guys<br />
doing their jobs. What helps us is<br />
we’ve played some really good teams.<br />
Haverhill, Masco and Woburn were<br />
good teams. Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead,<br />
that’s going to help.<br />
“We have to step up and make sure<br />
we play our best game on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
morning or the turkey might not<br />
taste so well.”<br />
Kickoff for <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>’s clash between<br />
Peabody and Saugus is scheduled<br />
for 10 a.m. at Coley Lee Field.<br />
Warmest wishes for a happy and healthy <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>. Good Luck Teams!<br />
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12 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
Revere has had a ‘never-quit’ attitude<br />
By Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR<br />
When Revere football coach Lou Cicatelli<br />
reflects on the season his Patriots<br />
have had this fall, what stands<br />
out the most is how they’ve battled<br />
with top-notch opponents. At 6-4 on<br />
the season, three of the Patriots four<br />
defeats came at the hands of opponents<br />
who are still alive in the state<br />
tournament.<br />
“We’ve gotten better week by week,”<br />
Cicatelli said. “We’re 6-4 and two of<br />
the teams we played are (playing<br />
for) the Super Bowl; Swampscott and<br />
Gloucester.<br />
“For us, the most impressive thing<br />
is these kids have had a ‘no quit’ attitude,”<br />
Cicatelli added. “We had to play<br />
Gloucester twice, we played Swampscott<br />
at their place and Marblehead<br />
REVERE (6-4)<br />
9/7................. Revere 6,Gloucester 29<br />
9/14............... Revere 6, Marblehead 18<br />
9/21............... Revere 19, Classical 16<br />
9/28............... Revere 27, Peabody 25<br />
10/5............... Revere 27, Medford 21<br />
10/13............. Revere 7, Swampscott 27<br />
10/19............. Revere 28, Somerville 8<br />
10/26............. Revere 27, North Reading 21<br />
11/2................ Revere 7, Gloucester 38<br />
11/9................ Revere 32, Burlington 29<br />
11/22.............. vs. Winthrop (10)<br />
was no walk in the park. Those three<br />
teams are 26-4 combined.”<br />
But a good season isn’t remembered<br />
in Revere unless it ends with a win<br />
over rival Winthrop at <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>.<br />
“It’s our Super Bowl every year,”<br />
Cicatelli said. “It’s a huge rivalry. It’s<br />
one of the bigger ones around here.<br />
We played them last year and beat<br />
them at their new stadium. They’ll<br />
be hungry. Our guys will be focused.<br />
They want to get to 7-4. We have one<br />
more to go. The kids know the importance<br />
of the game. Hopefully we play<br />
well.<br />
“We had a great year this year. I<br />
think as far as Winthrop goes, it’s<br />
the game. We have the trophy. We’ve<br />
beaten them the last two years.”<br />
The Vikings, 5-5 this season and<br />
winners of three straight, won’t be<br />
an easy task.<br />
“They’re a wing-T team,” Cicatelli<br />
said. “They have some size up front.<br />
They’re a solid football team. We’re<br />
going to have to bring our A-game to<br />
beat them.<br />
They’re at .500 this year, they’re<br />
having a solid season but we throw<br />
the records out the window. The<br />
games are always close. We know it’s<br />
going to be a tight game and my kids<br />
are excited to play in this game.”<br />
Offensively, the Patriots are led by<br />
running back Darius McNeil. A team<br />
captain, McNeil has come around<br />
nicely in the closing stretch of the<br />
season. He ran for over 200 yards in<br />
Revere’s non-playoff win over Burlington.<br />
Jonathan Murphy has done a solid<br />
job filling in at quarterback for<br />
injured starter Calvin Boudreau.<br />
Running backs Frank Sims and Zach<br />
Furlong, and receiver Eric Bua have<br />
also made key contributions.<br />
If it comes down to attempting<br />
a game-winning field goal, Revere<br />
might have the edge. Patriots kicker<br />
Rayan Riazzi has been clutch all<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO<br />
Jonathan Murphy stepped in at quarterback during Week 2.<br />
season long and Cicatelli has nothing<br />
but confidence in him.<br />
“Rayan’s one of the biggest reasons<br />
we’ve had some of the biggest wins<br />
we’ve had,” Cicatelli said.<br />
Defensively, safety Furlong, defensive<br />
tackle Devin Mathhias, linebacker<br />
Zac Carifio and cornerback<br />
Lucas Barbosa have led the way.<br />
Kickoff for the <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> clash<br />
between the Vikings and Patriots is<br />
scheduled for 10 a.m. at Della Russo<br />
Stadium.<br />
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THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 13<br />
Winthrop has made the most of its season<br />
Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR<br />
When the Winthrop football team<br />
found itself at 2-5 at the end of the<br />
regular season, the Vikings had two<br />
choices. They could’ve taken the easy<br />
way out by throwing the towel on the<br />
season. Instead, first-year coach Jonathan<br />
Cadigan and his players decided<br />
to turn things around and give<br />
themselves a chance at ending with a<br />
winning record.<br />
They’ve won three in a row and<br />
they’ll have a chance to reach their<br />
goal on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> when they visit<br />
rival Revere.<br />
“We got to 5-5 which was our goal<br />
when we were 2-5,” Cadigan said.<br />
“We wanted to play for a winning<br />
season on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>, so that’s a<br />
positive.”<br />
WINTHROP (5-5)<br />
9/7................. Winthrop 12, Pentucket 27<br />
9/14............... Winthrop 28, Medford 20<br />
9/21............... Winthrop 6, Swampscott 40<br />
9/28............... Winthrop 7, Lynnfield 6<br />
10/5............... Winthrop 14, Salem 24<br />
10/13............. Winthrop 14, Saugus 20<br />
10/19............. Winthrop 13, English 41<br />
10/26............. Winthrop 15, Shawsheen 0<br />
11/3................ Winthrop 20, Arl. Cath. 6<br />
11/10.............. Winthrop 15,Essex Tech 6<br />
11/22.............. at Revere (10)<br />
MARR<br />
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Happy<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
— House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo<br />
72 Crystal Cove Ave.<br />
Winthrop, MA 02152<br />
617.846.3000<br />
617.846.4444 fax<br />
jmarr@marrrealestate.com<br />
www.marrrealestate.com<br />
Bobby Hubert has been a leader for the Vikings.<br />
A former Vikings player himself,<br />
Cadigan knows firsthand what it’s<br />
like to be part of the Winthrop-Revere<br />
rivalry. Cadigan feels his players<br />
understand the tradition that<br />
comes with playing against Revere<br />
on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>.<br />
“It’s the great thing about playing<br />
football, in Massachusetts especially,”<br />
Cadigan said. “Every year, no<br />
matter what our record is, we’re playing<br />
for a championship. They have it<br />
and it’s hard to talk about. I was able<br />
to win four straight against Revere<br />
when I was in high school. A lot of<br />
Winthrop players have been able to<br />
do that the last 20 years. It’s been<br />
hard seeing that go the other way the<br />
last few years.<br />
“This game is a big deal and it’s<br />
great,” Cadigan added. “It’s great to<br />
be involved in something like that<br />
and look forward to something like<br />
that every year.”<br />
Offensively, the Vikings are led by<br />
senior quarterback/running back<br />
Bobby Hubert. Senior running back<br />
Feedle Small has done the heavy<br />
lifting on the ground. Sophomore<br />
running back Austin Daigneault has<br />
come around nicely to round out the<br />
offense.<br />
Defensively, the Vikings received<br />
a boost when sophomore linebacker<br />
Brian Conceicao returned to action<br />
after missing a few weeks with a concussion.<br />
Senior defensive back Jonathan<br />
Applebee has recorded an interception<br />
in three consecutive games.<br />
Senior defensive lineman Chris Castro<br />
causes havoc in the trenches.<br />
Winthrop lost to Revere, 17-14,<br />
when the rivals met last fall in the<br />
first game played at the new Miller<br />
Field. Cadigan’s hopeful the Vikings<br />
will erase the sour memories<br />
from last year’s game with a victory<br />
Thursday.<br />
“It’s one of those things where you<br />
tell the kids you’re not looking past<br />
this opponent or that opponent,”<br />
Cadigan said. “I think they know the<br />
tradition that goes into it, especially<br />
around here. We had a lot of players<br />
come back and talk to the team. We<br />
wore throwback jerseys from the ‘90’s<br />
against Essex Tech. We have a tradition<br />
and we’re pretty well versed in<br />
it. They understand the tradition of<br />
the game and they want to get that<br />
trophy back.”<br />
Kickoff for Thursday’s game is<br />
scheduled for 10 a.m. at Della Russo<br />
Stadium.<br />
GO VIKINGS!<br />
HAPPY THANKSGIVING<br />
ITEM FILE PHOTO
14 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
In Lynnfield, pride is still on the line<br />
Anne Marie Tobin<br />
ITEM STAFF<br />
There will nothing but Pioneer<br />
Pride on the line in this year’s Lynnfield<br />
<strong>Thanksgiving</strong> clash against visiting<br />
North Reading (10).<br />
Pride, and the desire to finish<br />
what’s been an up-and-down season<br />
on a high note with the Pioneers’<br />
fourth win of the season.<br />
Coach Pat Lamusta knows what<br />
the rivalry is all about, which dates<br />
back to 1959, having played in four<br />
straight Turkey Day games from<br />
2004-2007.<br />
“We struggled and lost all of them,”<br />
said Lamusta, a 2008 LHS grad. “The<br />
rivalry runs deep, but fortunately I<br />
have been part of two <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
Day victories as an assistant coach<br />
(2014, 2015). Regardless, it means<br />
LYNNFIELD (3-7)<br />
9/7................. Lynnfield 13, Newburyport 15<br />
9/14............... Lynnfield 7, Wayland 28<br />
9/21............... Lynnfield 9, Amesbury 30<br />
9/28............... Lynnfield 6, Winthrop 7<br />
10/5............... Lynnfield 36, Man-Essex 6<br />
10/12............. Lynnfield 14, Ipswich 21<br />
10/20............. Lynnfield 0, Ham-Wenham 16<br />
10/26............. Lynnfield 2, Watertown 7<br />
11/2................ Lynnfield 29, Wakefield 22<br />
11/9................ Lynnfield 23, Salem 20<br />
11/22.............. vs. North Reading (10)<br />
more to me that we win this game for<br />
the players because they have put in<br />
a ton of work this year and it would<br />
be a very positive way to end the season<br />
and reset the <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> rivalry<br />
on our terms.”<br />
While the Pioneers (3-7) hold a 35-<br />
25 rivalry edge, the Hornets (5-5)<br />
have won the last two games. They<br />
have one of the top offenses in the<br />
league, averaging 26 points a game<br />
with a potent running attack. Both<br />
teams have rock-solid defenses, each<br />
allowing about 18 points per game.<br />
But Lynnfield may be peaking at<br />
the right time, after putting up a<br />
combined 52 points in its last two<br />
wins (both wins against Wakefield<br />
and Salem) heading into the <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
game.<br />
Lamusta said the key to the offense<br />
will be getting the running game going<br />
with Jaret Simpson, Leo Quinn<br />
and D.J. Capachietti getting the lion’s’<br />
share of the handoffs.<br />
“That’s the key and we need to<br />
get those guys running behind our<br />
improving offensive line,” Lamusta<br />
said. “Hunter Allain and Cole Moretti<br />
continue to do a great job leading<br />
the O-line.<br />
“Clay Marengi, Jack Ford and John<br />
Lee are great football players and<br />
have big play potential.”<br />
The Pioneers’ biggest challenge will<br />
be containing the Hornets’ running<br />
attack.<br />
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Saugus MA 01906<br />
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We are open<br />
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“It is going to take the whole defense<br />
executing to stop the North<br />
Reading run game,” said Lamusta.<br />
“They have been very effective in<br />
that phase all year, but we will continue<br />
to lean on our seniors on defense<br />
to bring the defensive intensity<br />
on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>.”<br />
Good luck teams!<br />
Should you suffer an injury, please keep in mind that:<br />
80% of those with opioid addiction reported<br />
that their first opioid was a prescription drug.<br />
Please clean out your medicine cabinet, and if your<br />
child is prescribed an opioid, keep it under lock and key.<br />
PHOTO | KERRIANNE ALLAIN<br />
Clayton Marengi has big-play potential, coach Pat Lamusta says.<br />
Key defensive players include defensive<br />
back Matt Fiore, linebackers<br />
Quinn and Simpson, and two-way<br />
lineman Moretti.<br />
“They will all be important factors<br />
on defense against the Hornets run<br />
game,” Lamusta said.<br />
Contact:<br />
Prevention Werks Team<br />
781-776-4104<br />
msimons@bridgewell.org<br />
Facebook.com/PreventionWerks<br />
Happy <strong>Thanksgiving</strong><br />
to all Players and CoacheS
THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 15<br />
Fenway and Xaverian on Prep’s menu<br />
By Harold Rivera<br />
ITEM SPORTS EDITOR<br />
Perhaps there’s no area team more<br />
fortunate than St. John’s Prep, which<br />
will play its next two games at professional<br />
sports venues. It starts<br />
Wednesday night when the Eagles<br />
travel to Fenway Park to clash<br />
against rival Xaverian for the Catholic<br />
Conference title.<br />
“It doesn’t need to be explained,” St.<br />
John’s coach Brian St. Pierre said. “It<br />
goes without saying at St. John’s. Xaverian’s<br />
our biggest rival, football wise.<br />
We’re playing for a Catholic Conference<br />
title which means an awful lot.”<br />
After playing Xaverian, the Eagles<br />
will make their way to Gillette Stadium<br />
on Saturday, Dec. 1 to battle<br />
Catholic Memorial for the Division 1<br />
state championship.<br />
ST. JOHN’S PREP (9-1)<br />
9/7................. St. John’s 43, Haverhill 14<br />
9/14............... St. John’s 31, Cent. Cath. 12<br />
9/22............... St. John’s 14, Everett 26<br />
9/28............... St. John’s 42, Westford 0<br />
10/6............... St. John’s 27, Cath. Mem. 20<br />
10/13............. St. John’s 40, BC High 19<br />
10/19............. St. John’s 30, Bridge-Ray 7<br />
10/26............. St. John’s 41, Haverhill 0<br />
11/2................ St. John’s 55, Acton-Box 28<br />
11/10...............St. John’s 21, Cent. Cath. 0<br />
11/21................vs. Xaverian (at Fenway Park, 5)<br />
12/1................vs. Cath. Memorial (TBD)<br />
“I think we’re incredibly fortunate,”<br />
St. Pierre said. “The kids are excited, as<br />
they should be. It’s a once in a lifetime<br />
opportunity. This will be our second trip<br />
to Fenway in three years but to play at<br />
Gillette for a state title, to be afforded<br />
that opportunity is extra special.”<br />
Xaverian got the better of St. John’s<br />
last <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> at Glatz Field, when<br />
the Hawks blanked the Eagles 30-0.<br />
“We laid an egg big time last year,”<br />
St. Pierre said. “We weren’t a great<br />
team. We had a ton of injuries. In past<br />
years we’ve had tight games. Last<br />
year’s game wasn’t a good game.”<br />
Offensively, the Eagles are led by<br />
quarterback Matt Crowley. A junior,<br />
Crowley set the program record for<br />
most passing yards in season during<br />
the 21-0 win over Central Catholic in<br />
the Division 1 North final. Running<br />
back Trent Tully gets the bulk of the<br />
carries. Receivers Max Freedman<br />
and Wes Rockett are reliable threats<br />
in the passing game.<br />
Defensively, lineman James Taylor<br />
takes care of the battle in the trenches.<br />
Collin Taylor, James Hanley and<br />
Pat Keefe have also made key contributions<br />
defensively.<br />
“I think offensively we have to<br />
move the chains,” St. Pierre said. “We<br />
have to score. We haven’t scored a lot<br />
against them. We haven’t scored a lot<br />
against them the last couple years.<br />
Anytime you can control the ball<br />
that’s a good thing. Defensively we’ve<br />
been strong. Xaverian’s a good team.<br />
They play everybody we play, they<br />
play a tough schedule. It’ll be a huge<br />
challenge defensively. We have to stop<br />
their run game first and foremost.<br />
“They’re typical Xaverian,” St.<br />
Pierre added. “They’re very strong<br />
both sides of the ball. Defensively<br />
they challenge you. They’re big physically.<br />
Offensively they like to run<br />
the ball. They have a dual-threat<br />
quarterback. They present a lot of<br />
challenges. They’ve had our number.<br />
We’ll really need to play well.”<br />
St. Pierre said his Eagles will soak<br />
in the moment when they take the<br />
ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAKºº<br />
Wes Rockett has made his senior year memorable at St. John’s.<br />
field at Fenway but once the game<br />
gets underway it’ll be business as<br />
usual for both teams.<br />
“We’ve been there before,” St. Pierre<br />
said. “As a staff we know what to expect.<br />
It’s a little unique. They put both<br />
teams on the same sideline. There’ll be<br />
a lot of big eyes, a lot of nervous excitement.<br />
Once it starts, it’s a rivalry game<br />
on <strong>Thanksgiving</strong>. I think our kids understand<br />
there’ll be some early jitters<br />
but once the game starts we’ll be fine.”<br />
•<br />
In other games Thursday, Salem is<br />
at Beverly while Gloucester goes to<br />
Danvers. Both games are at 10.<br />
AND FOOTBALL<br />
SO GOOD!<br />
TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:<br />
720 Lynnway, Lynn • 421 Broadway, Saugus<br />
GO<br />
TEAMS!
16 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL <strong>2018</strong><br />
THANKSGIVING<br />
IS ABOUT BUILDING<br />
MEMORIES. IT’S YOUR DAY.<br />
IT’S YOUR TIME.<br />
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PLAISTOW, NH<br />
12 Old Road<br />
603-382-1535