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Beverly football duo make their college choices

Thursday, January, 31 By Greg Zagarella
Staff writer

Playing football at the college level never really crossed the minds of Beverly High teammates Brian Kureta and Greg Pierce.

That is, until they were both preparing for their senior years.

Both have chosen to continue their careers at the Division 3 college level, with Kureta heading off to powerful Curry College while Pierce will ply his trade at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.

"I never really thought about it before, but then I heard people talking about it," Kureta, a center and defensive tackle for the Panthers, remembered. "I started getting letters in the mail and it made me think to myself, 'I can do this.'"

Pierce had a similar experience. He recalls getting phone calls throughout last spring and summer from recruits trying to persuade him to play for their schools. It was the attraction of a strong academic program and the ability to still be able to play football that led Pierce to selecting Bowdoin.

At the same time all of this college talk was swirling around these two young men, they had a senior season of football at Beverly High still remaining.

The two Salem News all-stars both played extraordinarily well for the Panthers last fall, who finished the year 6-5 and won their annual Thanksgiving Day game with arch rival Salem for the fifth straight season.

The 5-foot-11, 250-pound Kureta led the defense in tackles with over 65 stops (including 37 solo) and was named a Northeastern Conference all-star at the position. In addition, he anchored the Panthers' offensive line at center. That line was one of the keys to the success of the record-setting runner behind it.

That record-setter was Pierce. After patiently waiting his turn to become a starter, he exploded into the BHS record books last fall when given that chance as a senior. His 1,648 yards on 211 carries is a single-season rushing record at the high school. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound speedster also managed to find the end zone 16 times, and won both NEC and Eastern Mass. all-star accolades.

Panthers head coach Dan Bauer knew both young men had talent early on in their high school careers. He remembered how Kureta's motor never stopped running, whether it was during practices or games.

"During his sophomore year, Brian battled everyday in practice and developed quickly as a player," Bauer said. He realized that Pierce had the same work ethic and natural ability around the same time. Remembering how he would play on special teams and defense, "You could tell that Greg was a playmaker who had the ability to make things happen when he had the chance," said Bauer.

Kureta and Pierce know the adjustment to Division 3 ball will not be easy. Both have been working out to get ready for their initial foray into college football while still participating in high school sports, with Kureta currently a member of the BHS wrestling team, and Pierce is working out to get ready for the Panthers' lacrosse team this spring. Once they can focus on football alone, they plan to work even harder.

For Kureta, 17, the plan is to continue to lift weights but to also run more | and harder | while carrying a football. That's because he'll be playing a new position at Curry, living out his childhood dream of playing fullback. As for the 18-year-old Pierce, he also plans to go the extra mile over the summer. He hopes to improve both his strength and speed in the offseason.

"I know the games will be a lot faster in college," said Pierce, who is ranked 20th in his senior class with a 4.03 grade-point average. "But I'm excited for it."

Pierce is also eager to start the academic portion of college, where he plans on studying economics. He said he's already fallen in love with the school's atmosphere and the prestige that goes along with attending Bowdoin. Kureta feels the same way about Curry. He is unsure about what major he wants to study, but is thinking about forensics or accounting.

When it comes to balancing both school and sports, neither player believes it will be as hard as they once thought. Both young men have done extremely well in high school, maintaining fine GPAs (Kureta's is a solid 3.3). The two seniors actually find themselves to be more successful academically during the playing season, since football helps to create routines for the both of them.

Bauer is convinced Kureta and Pierce have what it takes to play at the college level.

"Expectations are notched up," said Bauer, "but there is a reason why both players were recruited."