Schools
VIDEO: Generals Continue to Adjust Headed into the Super Bowl
Bourne High School running back Joe Epps presents different challenge than Newburyport's passing attack in Saturday's Div. 3A Super Bowl matchup.
After four months of football and 11 games, it all comes down to Saturday’s Division 3A Super Bowl for the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School Generals.
The game versus Bourne High School is Saturday at noon at Lynn's Manning Field.
And following the teams’s edge-of-your-seat victory over Newburyport on Tuesday coach, Andrew Morency feels his team is ready for anything.
“I think a game like (Tuesday) was important for us,” said Morency, whose team scored with 32.8 seconds in the game for a 7-0 triumph. “It was playoff football where we had to tighten the reins, go back and forth, down to the last minute.
“To be a part of that and to come out successfully, we hope to gain from it.”
One aspect his squad won’t be able to use from the last-second win over the Clippers is defense against a pass-oriented team.
The Canalmen (11-0), champions of the South Coast Conference, lean more toward a run-first offense. They are led by Joe Epps, who has more than 1,500 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season, including 110 yards and three scores in his team’s 22-14 win over Bishop Feehan on Tuesday night in the other Division 3A semifinal game.
”We have to be able to handle (different offenses),” said Morency, whose team is 11-0. “Our defense is flexible and diverse and can handle different challenges. What we like in the kids we have is they have been able to adjust throughout year.”
While the pressure was on the defensive backfield of Matt Putur, Steve Turpin, Chrisian Ecker, Dakota Stevens and Pete Duval against Newburyport’s potent aerial attack, the line of Taylor Drinkwater, Luke Wendt and Paul Kim, along with linebackers Ryan Foringer, Elliot Burr, Shane Jenkins and Kevin Anthony will have their hands full with Epps.
“At this point you are what you are. The run is what we do on offense … it’s a little late to change things up,” said Bourne second-year coach John McIntyre. “We’re into week 13 of the season, you do what you do at this point.”
Epps is a 190-pounder with a little speed and a little power who runs behind an experienced offensive line. All juniors except one, senior Jack Schmitt, the fivesome have been together since last year.
“They’re experienced even though they are young, having two years of experience,” McIntyre said “They have a good feel for what each other will do.”
When the ball isn’t handed off to Epps, quarterback Jason Moriarty - who posted 12 scoring passes during the season - looks for tight end Drew Girouard.
“Epps has a lot of speed,” Morency said. “He definitely brings explosiveness to the game. If he finds a crease, avenue or gets to the corner he will take it.”
The challenge for the Generals defense may not be as formidable as what the Canalmen will face in the multiple options Hamilton-Wenham can roll out.
Quarterback Trevor Lyons has run for more than 1,300 yards while also finding the end zone through the air for 13 touchdowns. Add in bruising running back Elliot Burr (more than 1,000 yards rushing on the season), who showed on Tuesday to be a dual threat, too - he had a game-high 75 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving – and the Canalmen will need to keep their heads on a swivel.
Find out what's happening in Hamilton-Wenhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The pressure will be on linebacker Connor Schmitt, Colin Lanoie and Jake Achstetter, as well as the D-line of Jack Schmitt, Girouard, Tommy Davis and Kyle Voss.
“We’re not big defensively but we are quick,” McIntrye said. “We have a good linebacker corps and couple good defensive linemen.”
Morency was impressed from what he has seen on film of the Bourne defense.
“They’re very well-coached defensively. They play each of the 11 positions well. They aren’t caught out of position often and a cohesive unit can present challenges,” he said.
Both coaches are excited to be facing an unbeaten foe, like their own team.
“I think it is definitely exciting and somewhat special,” said Morency. “For a Super Bowl to have undefeated teams on both sides add some credibility and validity to the game.”
“When you are in the playoffs every team you play is the best,” said McIntyre, who improved his team’s win total to six last year, his first. It equaled the total for the previous three seasons. “I told the kids there are no more easy games.”
