Daily Item 2018 Thanksgiving Football Preview

8 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL 2018
Big Blue hope it’s their turn this time
By Harold Rivera
ITEM STAFF
Swampscott football coach Bobby
Serino doesn’t need to be reminded
how many years its been since the
Big Blue have defeated Marblehead
on Thanksgiving. The Magicians,
who defeated Swampscott 35-17 last
fall, haven’t lost to the Big Blue since
2012.
“Everyone keeps reminding me of
how many years its been since we’ve
won it,” Serino said. “The last year we
won it was 2012, my son’s (Robert Serino)
year and we were 25-point underdogs.
You throw the records out. I
speak at the Old Timer’s dinner and
people remind me how many years
it’s been since we’ve won. Thanksgiving’s
like a one-game season. I don’t
want to be the only coach that hasn’t
SWAMPSCOTT (9-1)
9/8.......... Swampscott 21 Gr. Lawrence 30
9/14........ Swampscott 49 Triton 0
9/21........ Swampscott 40 Winthrop 6
9/29........ Swampscott 36 Salem 21
10/6........ Swampscott 14 English 27
10/13...... Swampscott 27 Revere 7
10/19...... Swampscott 42 Saugus 0
10/26...... Swampscott 42 Triton 20
11/3......... Swampscott 34 Pentucket 0
11/10....... Swampscott 34 Amesbury26
11/16....... vs. Scituate (at Westwood, 7)
11/22....... vs. Marblehead (10)
beaten Marblehead, that’s for sure.”
The Big Blue, who won the Division
5 North sectional title and advanced
to the state semifinal earlier this
month, know exactly what to expect
from the 7-3 Magicians.
“Every year it seems like they reload,”
Serino said. “It shouldn’t be
anything different. Their talent
changes at every position each year.
I’m glad there aren’t any Gillises
or Marinos on the team this year. I
think we match up well with them.
“They have a solid team. (Magicians)
Coach (Jim) Rudloff will say
he’s weak here or weak there but every
year he gets them ready to play
us. It doesn’t matter about the playoff
system.
You put two teams on the field on
Thanksgiving and it’s like a championship
game every year.”
Offensively, it starts with Big Blue
junior quarterback Graham Inzana.
A three-sport player who’s also on
the school’s basketball and baseball
teams, Inzana has emerged as one of
the better quarterbacks in the Northeastern
Conference. Running back
Dylan January does the majority of
the damage on the ground and receivers
Andrew Augustin, Jonathan
Oriakhi and Arturo Vasquez are consistent
playmakers.
Defensively, Jake Bartram holds
down the fort in the trenches. January
quarterbacks the defense at the
linebacker position with help from
Oriakhi. Nick Reiser has come along
nicely as of late. Zack Palmer, Inzana
and Augustin are the key contributors
in the secondary.
“Hopefully it’s not below 50 and it’s
not raining,” Serino said. “Other than
that, we just can’t turn the ball over.
We have to play well in all three
ITEM FILE PHOTO
Graham Inzana has emerged as a top quarterback on the North
Shore.
phases of the game and we are right
now. We’ve gotten better and better
each week. We can’t get hyped out
because it’s Thanksgiving. If our defense
can stay healthy, they’re going
to give us a great shot to win.”
Kickoff for Thursday’s game is
scheduled for 10 a.m. at Blocksidge
Field.
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Tradition never graduates, Good Luck!