RallyNorth.net

2007 Football All-Stars

JACK BISHOP, Manchester Essex So. FB/LB

ANDREW BOGOSIAN, North Andover, Senior, Lineman All-Cape Ann League. A two-year starter and three-year letterman. Rugged 6-foot-1, 225-pounder. Made 50 tackles, second on the team, and two sacks. Also a starting offensive lineman. Opened holes for 1,170-yard rusher Zac Iovanella. Intelligent lineman moved to tight end when Knights were shorthanded. "He always sealed off the edge for us," said coach John Rafferty. Quad-captain on the wrestling team.

Power Players, MA Superbowl edition

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brighest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Power Rankings, December 4, 2007

1.Gloucester (13-0): After recording back-to-back shutouts en route to the Division 2A Super Bowl championship and an unbeaten season, this year's Fishermen -- who never lost the top spot in the Power Rankings -- must be considered one of the top GHS teams of all time.
Last week: 1

Lynch grades out Super at Gillette

It was a 16-hour day for him, but Channel 5 sports anchor Mike Lynch of Swampscott loved every minute of his marathon broadcasting assignment of all six high school Super Bowl games at Gillette Stadium.

Power Rankings, November 27, 2007

1.Gloucester (11-0): A victory over Masco in the Division 2A semifinals tonight is all that stands between the Fishermen and their first Super Bowl appearance in six years.
Last week: 1

Power Players, November 26, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Power Rankings, November 21, 2007

1.Gloucester (10-0): Visiting Danvers could prove to be a Thanksgiving appetizer for the unbeaten Fishermen, who have their sights set on next week's playoffs.
Last week: 1

Talk Back: Who will win the Thanksgiving Day games?

We want to know who you think will win the Thanksgiving games.

What will the score be?

Who will be the games MVP?

What band will have the best halftime show?

Coaches' Corner: Matt Bouchard

High school football is about planning, second-year Georgetown football coach Matt Bouchard said.

"Obviously, any time you start a new endeavor, you have goals," he said. "You put a plan out there. You hope your staff, yourself and your athletes can follow that plan."

Power Players: NH Playoff Edition, November 19, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Talk Back: What is the best Thanksgiving rivalry?

What do you think is the best Thanksgiving high school football rivalry in the area and why?

Is it:
Salem vs. Beverly?
Gloucester vs. Danvers?
Newburyport vs. Amesbury?
Xaverian vs. St. John's Prep?
Andover vs. Central Catholic?

Football's Concussion Crisis

Author of Head Games, Football's Concussion Crisis, Christopher Nowinski talks about the effects of concussions on athletes at Merrimack College in North Andover Thursday night. A former Harvard football player and WWE wrestler, Nowinski had his career ended by a head injury. He now tours the country talking about his ongoing research on the long and short term effects of concussions.

Coach's Corner: Hamilton-Wenham football coach Andrew Morency

Can you recall your first varsity game playing for Beverly High in 1985?
"It was pretty exciting. I was a junior and we played at Manning Bowl. My cousin Pat Barror was the quarterback and was hurt in midseason, so I got my first start. We won, 3-0, on Mark LeClair's field goal in the third quarter. I was nervous, but lucky to have a championship team around me and felt confident. What was special was completing a pass to my brother John.

Power Players, November 12, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Power Rankings, November 13, 2007

1.Gloucester (10-0): A victory over winless Danvers at home on Thanksgiving is the only thing that stands between the Northeastern Conference Large champions and a perfect regular season.
Last week: 1

Four set for New Hampshire Division 1 dance

1. Nashua South (8-1, 7-1 Division 1)

Key players: QB Bill Ferriter; HB David Zocco

Plan of attack: Spread the opposition thin, and buzz by them on the speedy home carpet at Stellos Stadium.

Coach's Corner: Manchester Essex's Mike Athanas

Mike Athanas is synonymous with Manchester Essex football. The 37-year-old moved to Manchester 27 years ago and was a student in the town's school system. He was a captain and standout tailback on the high school football team, as well as, a second baseman on the baseball team. After continuing his football career for two years at Springfield College and graduating from the school, Athanas returned to his hometown with a coaching itch that was waiting to be scratched.

Power Rankings, November 6, 2007

1.Gloucester (9-0): The Fishermen had one of their more dominant performances of the season in a 40-point win at Lynn English; a win this week over Salem at home clinches the NEC Large championship.
Last week: 1

Power Players, November 5, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Captain of the ship

The Walt Whitman poem, "O Captain! My Captain!" draws comparisons to the way the football players of Newburyport High School have felt about their coaches for nearly a half century.

For the last 21 years, Ed Gaudiano has been at the helm of the Clippers ship, producing greatness along the way: four Super Bowl appearances, including victories in 1995 and 1997, and numerous Cape Ann titles.

Tarr taking his records in stride

In his three years as a member of the varsity football team at Bishop Fenwick, only Matt Morrison has been able to contain Bobby Tarr.

Every week teams line up 10 and 11 defenders in the box defensively, with two or three shadows focused solely on stopping Tarr, Fenwick's star running back. And every week through two football seasons, Tarr has piled on the yards. It was Morrison, Fenwick's starting tailback in 2005, who kept the Crusaders' record-breaking back from routinely surpassing 200 yards per game.

Coach's Corner: Beverly's Dan Bauer

Dan Bauer has coached the Beverly High football team for five years, but he has deep Midwest roots.

Growing up in Ballwin, Missouri, just outside of St. Louis, Bauer played football, baseball and was a wrestler at Parkway South High School.

Hot new offense spreading across the region

Brian O'Reilly fears little on the football field.

Superior preparation, repetition, concentration, attention to detail, and sheer dedication keep his Astros perched atop Division 1 in New Hampshire.

Power Rankings, October 30, 2007

1.Gloucester (8-0): Last week's dramatic, come-from-behind 26-22 victory at Lynn Classical are the kind of victories that nearly every championship team has during the course of a season. Last week: 1

Power Players, October 29, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Power Rankings, October 23, 2007

1.Gloucester (7-0): After easily pounding Peabody last weekend at home, the Fishermen face their biggest test of the season this Friday at once-beaten Lynn Classical. Last week: 1

Power Players, October 22, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Coach's Corner: Salem's Scott Connolly

What was your first Salem varsity football game like?
My sophomore year at Lynn Classical was the first time I carried the ball. I was on kickoffs all year. I ran a trap out of halfback and picked up a few yards. Absolutely, I was nervous. I didn't want to mess up. I didn't want a letdown because a sophomore was in there. We won the game. My brother Eric was an outside linebacker on that team.

A midseason coach's chat

With Tuesday night's special election, the thought of polling ran through my mind.

No, not really. It's the halfway point for the region's 11 MIAA teams, so we decided on a straw poll of our own | five quick questions for each coach.

Power Rankings, October 16, 2007

1.Gloucester (6-0): Six games, 204 total points and a defense that's becoming more and more stingy each passing week. Last week: 1

2.Masconomet (6-0): After putting up their highest point total (42) of the season last weekend, Chieftains could top that Friday night vs. Lawrence. Last week: 3

Power Players, October 15, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Marblehead's upside becoming apparent

Doug Chernovetz won't fall into the trap of saying that his Marblehead High football team has made a turnaround, mainly because it implies that the Magicians are already assured of a winning season.

What you might get Chernovetz to say is that Marblehead is getting there.

Gloucester offensive linemen take pride in important but underrated role

Early on in his varsity football career at Gloucester High School, senior Mario Peritore had aspirations of being a pass-catching tight end.

However, that plan didn't exactly pan out.

"I tried but I failed miserably," Peritore joked after yesterday's practice.

Crusaders hope to overcome injuries in showdown with Swampscott

Bishop Fenwick football coach Dave Woods gets a new appreciation for Bobby Tarr with every game film he watches. In a season of uncertainty, Tarr has been Fenwick's constant.

The Crusaders, who face another major obstacle tomorrow night when they host 4-1 Swampscott, have battled injuries since dropping their first game of the season to Masconomet three weeks ago. At this point, Tarr may not even know the names of some of the players blocking for him, but it hasn't stopped the record-breaking back from piling up yardage in his senior season.

Coaches' Corner: Paul Ingram

Paul Ingram knows football, that's for sure.

The offensive guru was a quarterback/punter at Falmouth High School before going on to play those same positions at Springfield College. After his playing days ended, a burning desire to want to teach the game to aspiring football players was formed within Ingram, so he began coaching on the Gloucester High School staff after graduating from Springfield in 1971.

Power Rankings, October 9, 2007

1.Gloucester (5-0): Fishermen passed their stiffest test of the season at Swampscott; should have no problem with Peabody this week. Last week: 1

2.Pinkerton (6-0): Memorial may still be reeling after the 53-6 pasting that the Astros laid on them last weekend. Last week: 2

Power Players, October 8, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brightest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Co-workers have sons playing in Salem vs. Winthrop football tonight

The Salem-Winthrop football game tonight at Bertram Field has generated more than just mild interest at the Salem Five Cents Savings Bank branch on at 424 Essex St., in Salem. It so happens that the mothers of two impact running backs in tonight's contest between the host Witches and the visiting Vikings work together at the bank.

Coaches' Corner: Jim Pugh

Masconomet football coach Jim Pugh moved to Massachusetts in 1973, but he could never abandon his New York roots.

Pugh, 57, grew up on Long Island and played football and basketball at Chaminade High School in Elmont, N.Y., where he was the All-Long Island quarterback his senior year (1967). He earned a basketball scholarship to Hoftstra University, where he also played football.

Coaches' Corner: Chuck Adamopoulos

Running back Mike Leavitt is back, the Raiders are coming off a one-point win over Dracut, and a big game against Merrimack Valley Conference power Billerica is on tap. These are heady times for Central Catholic coach Chuck Adamopoulos.

Power Rankings, October 2, 2007

1.Gloucester (4-0): Good road win against a Division 1 opponent keeps the Fishermen rolling. Key contest with fellow unbeaten Swampscott looms this weekend. Last week: 1

Power Players, October 1, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brighest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Triton, Amesbury searching for first wins tonight

It's the story of two football programs and how players and coaches are dealing with losing.

More than a month ago, the Triton football team opened training camp hoping to carry the momentum of last year's Thanksgiving Day victory over Pentucket.

O'Donnell gets his kicks as Pingree QB

Carlos O'Donnell of Salem had no reason to think he'd ever be playing quarterback and kicking field goals for the Pingree School.

To O'Donnell, it was a moot point three years ago because the private school in Hamilton didn't even have a football program. A product of the Salem Youth Soccer program, O'Donnell just assumed he'd play soccer for four years in high school.

Coach's Corner: Marblehead's Doug Chernovetz

Football is in Doug Chernovetz's blood.

Growing up in Connecticut, Chernovetz learned the sport from a man who quarterbacked the Syracuse Orangemen in the mid-1960s. Doug's father, John Chernovetz, showed him all the intricacies of the sport, and his second cousin, Bob Kuziel, was also a center in the National Football League in the late-1970s.

Generals aim to slow speedy Masco in early season showdown

Andrew Morency sat in the Donaldson Field stands on Sunday and watched the Masconomet football team dismantle a very good Bishop Fenwick club.

Before Morency had even made it to his car in the parking lot after the Chieftains' 35-14 victory, he was already thinking of ways to make sure his Hamilton-Wenham Generals weren't Masconomet's next victim.

Coach's Corner: Leon Modeste

There are days Leon Modeste misses Brooklyn. But this native New Yorker, who has served as both the football and basketball coach at Phillips Academy for the past 21 years, is also fond of his current home.

Power Rankings, September 25, 2007

1.Gloucester (3-0): Three games have equalled 116 points, including an impressive 27-point blowout at Beverly. The catches have been huge thus far for these Fishermen. Last week: 3

Power Players, September 24, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brighest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Coach's Corner: North Andover's John Rafferty

Football has taken John Rafferty from New England to New York and back.

The North Andover coach, 53, grew up in Wakefield, where he starred as a schoolboy, and eventually earned a scholarship to Syracuse.

On the Verge of greatness

Patty Verge has an important reservation Saturday afternoon, one with little wiggle room according to her son, Colby. "She'll be on the Pinkerton side," said Colby emphatically. "I guarantee it. I'm sure of it. Pinkerton side, yep." Colby, a junior defensive back for the Astros, almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Power Rankings, September 18, 2007

1.St. John's Prep (2-0): The season starts in earnest for the Eagles this weekend as the state's top ranked team, Everett, comes to Cronin Stadium. Last week: 1

Power Players, September 17, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brighest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Is 200 the new 100?

One weekend, 83 carries and a mind-boggling 907 yards rushing.

No, it's not what you probably think one college running back tearing up the hapless Notre Dame or Michigan defenses last week.

Rather, it was the combined rushing totals of four of the North Shore's elite running backs on the opening weekend of the high school football season.

Coach's Corner: Whittier's Kevin Bradley

Kevin Bradley is a football man through and through. The Whittier Tech coach is no less excited about the sport today than he was during his days as a schoolboy star at Methuen High.

Last Saturday, his Wildcats, who are coming off a trip to the Division 3 EMass. Super Bowl, opened with a 36-32 victory over Charlestown.

Power Rankings, September 11, 2007

1.St. John's Prep 1-0 -- Can't get much better than its opening game rout of Peabody

2.Salem (N.H.) 2-0 -- Granite State power is on an early season roll

Power Players, September 10, 2007

Every Monday RallyNorth.net will salute bone-crunching linebackers, elusive running backs, immovable linemen and rocket-armed quarterbacks from the 37 area high school football teams. We've dubbed them Power Players and you won't want to miss who the best and the brighest were from the weekend's schoolboy gridiron action.

Off the field

Football is now underway and throughout the season, attention will be upon each and every player -- their strategies on the field, their kicks, their goal, and their dramatic wins and heartbreaking losses. But what about the people off the field? At Saturday's opening game between the Bevelry Panthers and Lynn English at Hurd Stadium, people behind the scenes made sure everything ran smoothly and turned a football game into a true community event.

Football Fever

Less than three weeks ago swarms of local football players took the field for the first time this calendar year in what they hope will be a quest that extends into December.

To this point, there has been little reward for the premature end to summer. Hot, painful practices. Sweat-covered jerseys. Heavy, shoulder-crushing pads. Helmets that make the heat seem 20 degrees warmer.

Cape Ann League Conference 2007 Preview

OVERVIEW: As one coach put it, "The two usual suspects should be the top two teams again."

With a seemingly never-ending feeder systems, both defending champion Masconomet and Wilmington indeed appear poised to battle it out for the top spot in the large once again.

Commonwealth Conference 2007 football preview

OVERVIEW: Greater Lawrence Tech stock continues to rise, but the Reggies have one giant hurdle left in their march up the league ladder.

"We haven't really proved ourselves yet," said coach Tony Sarkis. "I'd like to think we belong."

New Hampshire football overview 2007

DIVISION 1 OVERVIEW: It's tough to dispute two-time defending champ Pinkerton as the team to beat. Although, Salem took every step but the last one with Pinkerton the last two seasons, and the Blue Devils return a backfield full of talent. Don't shed a tear for the Astros, who may need time to re-load but carry a 14-game win streak into the season. Londonderry is out to prove its 2006 return to the playoffs was no fluke. The addition of transfer Ryan Griffin, a 6-6, 210-pound quarterback/tight end who has been offered a scholarship by UNH, should pay big dividends. Nashua South, Concord and Manchester Central lead the hunt for the final playoff spot.