Made a quick scurry through the local contingent, trying to strum up some high school football talk and as expected I got plenty.
We’ll go around the horn alphabetically talking to the heat-soaked minions, who’ve been at it practicing in the heat since Wednesday. Is it me or is this just too darn early for football anyway?
Oh well, more on this subject in The Eagle-Tribune coming up, but let’s talk football.
First, we’ll start at Londonderry, where John Rich is most intent on his search for a quarterback.
There is some great news as senior Joey MacLaughlin looks dynamite, coming off an indoor football knee inury.
“He and Alex Lambert have really stepped it up from last year,” said Rich. “Certainly, the potential is there, but we have to keep him healthy.”
Down NH 128 into Pelham, coach Tom Babaian is taking baby steps as he begins life after Bruce. Bruce Vieira, the legend in Python parts, has moved on to Curry College, leaving a gaping void in Pelham.
There are plenty of positives, though. Numbers are up, thanks in a change in the Pop Warner rules in town governing high schoolers.
“Last year in our playoff run, we were down to about 22 players. Right now we’re at 35 or 36,” said Babaian. “You used to have a lot of kids playing Pop Warner up until sophomore year. We’re getting those kids now. So that’s a good thing.”
At Pinkerton Academy, the 2008 semifinalist Astros are intent on getting healthy.
First, there is halfback Eric Guinto, who suffered a devastating knee injury and still is yet to practice.
“All you need to do thinking about Eric is look at how concerned about Tom Brady and his knee New England fans are,” said coach Brian O’Reilly. “Brady’s not a runner, he just steps back and throws ball. And he’s got the greatest medical care in the world. Eric’s surgery came after Brady. And he’s slashing, cutting runner. How’s he going to be? I don’t know the answer to that. Eventually he’ll be fine. I’m just not sure it’s going to be this season. If he can’t go, we go to plan B, whatever that is.”
One Pinkerton source (not O’Reilly) noted Guinto, back in June at the UNH camp, ran a 4.5 40. If that’s true, maybe the coach is doing a little sand-bagging. But we’ll see for real on the field soon enough.
O’Reilly got a bit more tough news this week when returning Eagle-Tribune All-Star/sack machine Ben Proulx took a bad step on a stair in the dark and twisted an ankle. Proulx, who has been grabbing some recruiting interest from the likes of Bryant, Maine and UNH lately, is day to day.
Another Astro, who’ll get some college looks is 6-foot-5 C.J. Trieb, a two-way tackle at 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, but O’Reilly thinks that will come into the season.
One Pinkerton surprise so far has been junior receiver/safety Corey Beck, a newcomer to the program. “A year ago, I didn’t know who the kid was. He’s never played football in his life,” said O’Reilly, who is still attempting to gauge how good his team can be.
“You can’t make a full evaluation of a team till you have a little violence.”
The violence, er hitting, takes place for the first time Tuesday in Astro-land.
Salem’s Jack Gati is looking for a few good men on the interior line. He’s got them already at the skill positions where junior QB Matt Cannone returns as a starter.
Cannone has some serious targets with Darren Brown moving to tight end, Kyle Henrick returning and Mike Lorenz at the tight end spot, too.
“We’ll be adding some things to take advantage of that,” said Gati.
The Devils backfield should again be strong with 800-yard rusher Max Jacques back in the fold, track standout Jerrickson Federick running hard and 6-foot-3 Alex Sobrado showing off his speed.
Finally, the loss of four offensive linemen and his entire defensive line has Kevin Fitzgerald working his Timberlane Owls hard in the trenches. The second-year coach is contemplating scrapping the two-platoon system on the lines, where he’s looking for help quickly.
The good news is seven starters return on defense, and 1,475-yard rusher Derek Furey will make a lot of young offensive lines look good.
Some bright spots in the early going have been Luke Ouellette and Josh Saffie, who has slid over to tight end.
The Owls get a stern test on Wednesday night at Division 3 power Souhegan in a scrimmage.
