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Sports

FOOTBALL FRIDAY (Thursday Edition)

With most teams taking to the field this Thursday, here's an early peek at some of the big games in the area. Last week's picks: 3-2. Season: 15-4.

Undefeated Big Blue looking to sink surprising Vikings


Coming off a  last week, the still perfect Big Blue (4-0) are hoping to keep the momentum going Thursday against Triton. The game is Thursday night at Blocksidge Field with temporary lights. said

Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski will look for his defense to continue its inspired play of late. Coming off a shutout of Revere, the swarming Big Blue D forced a game-changing six turnovers last week as Swampscott held off the potent English attack, 33-19.

“The kids just really played a great game defensively and bought into the game plan,” said Dembowski of the total team defensive effort. “Our linebackers made most of the tackles, but so many guys made plays in the game and we played a lot of guys because it was really humid.”

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Matt Gambale led the team with 10 tackles, including three for losses, in a triumphant return from a preseason injury.

“That was great to get that kind of production from Matt because he really hadn’t played any defense since the last scrimmage of the summer,” said the coach.

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Coming off a winless campaign from a year ago, Triton has been one of the surprise teams this year and improved to 3-1 last week with a 28-20 win over a big and physical Masconomet squad. Like English, Triton runs the spread offense and has a very capable triggerman in Blaise Whitman, who was 18-for-27 for 276 yards and three scores against Masco.

“I thought last year that they were the best winless team that I ever saw,” said Dembowski, whose team escaped Byfield with a 33-27 win over the Vikings a year ago.

“Whitman does a real nice job running their offense, they have a couple of shifty receivers, and they are well coached. They are not 3-1 by accident and they are going to give us a battle.” 

Triton at Swampscott, Thursday, Blocksidge Field, Swampscott.

The pick: Swampscott, 35-21. Wherever they play this one the Big Blue will be ready.


Beverly’s balanced backfield a major concern for Tanners


In a perfect world the Peabody football team would have been able to bask in its 3-0 start and  last Friday for at least a couple days. The reality? The honeymoon was a short one as Tanners were on hand in force to scout Beverly’s 35-7 destruction of Winthrop less than 24 hours later and had to come away with even more respect than they already had for the potent Panthers, who invade Thursday at 3 p.m.

While Peabody boasts one of the top game-breaking backs around in senior Nat Gaye, who is fresh off successive 200-yard-plus performances, the defending Division 3 Super Bowl champs can lay claim to the most diversified ground attack. The Panthers have no fewer thanfour backs with 200 yards or more in the season led by Dom Abate (329), Kenny Pierce (298),Brendan Flaherty (201) and fullback Nick Theriault (200).

It’s an attack that will pose a major challenge for Peabody’s run defense, which is led by defensive tackle Nick Hill up front and linebackers Nick Ingham, D.J. Henrick, Rob Habeeb and Nick O’Brien. Don’t look for the Panthers to air it out much, but they may want to try after watching Gloucester QB Lenny Taormina (160 yards passing, 2 TDs) torch the Tanners’ secondary last week.

“We had some missed assignments and some miscommunication back there,” said Peabody coachScott Wlasuk. “That’s one place we have to look to get better.”

In a game that could come down to the wire, special teams could be the difference. In the kicking game, Peabody has one of the best legs in the area in Wlasuk’s son, Sean, and senior speedsterJarad Spriggs posted a scintillating 65-yard kickoff return against Gloucester for a score. 

Beverly at Peabody, Thursday at 3 p.m.

The pick: Beverly, 35-31. Scary thought department: Panthers are even better than last year's Super Bowl championship squad.

Falcons hoping to build on momentum against Lynnfield


Yes, Saugus is a young club in a definite rebuilding mode, but that being said it was still hard not to be impressed with Danvers’ impressive bounce back win over the Sachems last Friday night. A week removed from a frustrating shutout loss against Pentucket that saw the Falcons’ ground game held to just 46 yards, Sean Rogers’ club exploded for 47 points against the winless visitors. Nick Valles (108 yards rushing, 35 receiving, 2 TDs) led the attack for Danvers, which amassed better than 250 yards on the ground and 122 yards through the air.

“We had a great week of practice and it really carried through to the game,” said Rogers. “What I really liked was that we started out fast, instead of slow which is our tendency."

This week, Danvers has the luxury of hosting another young and rebuilding squad, but make no mistake about it, the Pioneers of Lynnfield (2-2) should not be taken lightly. Gone are the majority of the explosive playmakers who helped lift the Pioneers to a sparkling 9-2 record last season, which included a 40-13 romp at the Falcons’ expense in Lynnfield.

Stepping in for the school’s all-time passing leader, Gino Cohee,  junior quarterback Mike Karavetsos has shown promise running the Pioneers’ spread attack. Lynnfield has a couple of explosive backs in Mike Thomas and Kyle McGah. Rogers says stringing out Karavetsos on the QB option will be a major concern.

“We have to play good, assignment football,” said the coach. “Their quarterback has the option to run on every play and if our backside defensive end and linebacker aren’t doing their jobs he will keep the ball and exploit are mistakes.”

After opening with a , Lynnfield won its next two over and , before taking it  at the hands of unbeaten St. Mary’s. This is the fourth straight non-conference showdown between the two clubs. Danvers won the first, but has given up 40-plus points in each of the last two. On the injury front, Danvers will likely be without starting cornerback and wide receiver Anthony Garron, who suffered an ankle injury early in the Saugus game.

“He’s such a tough kid and I wouldn’t be surprised if he shows up and says, 'I can do something for you Coach,’ and if he does I’m sure we will find something for him to do,” said Rogers. 

Lynnfield at Danvers, Thursday, 7 p.m.

The pick, Danvers 28-27. Huge test for Falcons' D.

Witches looking for some Classical music Friday night


The lone Friday game on the local slate this week is a compelling matchup between a pair of one-win clubs when the Rams of Lynn Classical (1-2) invade Salem’s Bertram Field to take on the 1-3 Witches. Salem comes into this one still smarting from a 14-0 loss to 3-1 Revere that saw the Witches surrender both scores in the first quarter and then play the talented visitors even the rest of the way.

Senior Davis Walsh had a productive game in the backfield with 55 yards rushing and Chad Coehlo(36 yards) was also able to find some daylight, but the Witches were never able to get anything going in the red zone. A big reason for that was the Patriots' ability to hem in explosive Salem QBChristian Dunston (35 yards rushing) inside the pocket and not let him break into the open field where he can be a terror.

The Rams will have had two weeks to prepare for this one as they had a bye last week and with a young club that welcomed back just three lettermen, that extra week could be invaluable. Classical lost to a sneaky good Malden club, 21-0, in its last action two weeks ago and the Rams took it on the chin, 34-13, against Beverly the week before that. Shifty Classical tailback Brad Scuzarellarushed for four scores in the opening week as the Rams posted their lone win, 32-26, against East Longmeadow.

Lynn Classical at Salem, Friday 7 p.m.

The pick: Classical 21-14. Rested Rams post second win of year.

The Slate

Thursday's games:

Beverly at Peabody, 3

Triton at Swampscott, TBA

Lynnfield at Danvers, 7

Friday's games:

Lynn Classical at Salem, 7

Bye: Hamilton-Wenham


 

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