Published in the November 2, 2017 edition.
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
GLOUCESTER — The Wakefield Warrior football team have played six of their eight games this year on the road. What’s one more?
Wakefield (3-5) will head to the coastline once again as they match up against Gloucester (5-3) tomorrow night in the consolation round of the MIAA playoffs.
Wakefield is coming off a 28-14 loss to the undefeated number two-seeded Marblehead Magicians in the Division 4 North Quarterfinals. Gloucester lost their Quarterfinal game to Wilmington, 30-0.
The Warriors and Fishermen have had similar experiences this year and common opponents, as Wakefield lost to Wilmington 20-15 earlier in the year, and Gloucester lost to Marblehead 21-12 three weeks ago.
“Gloucester is a tough team,” said Wakefield head coach Steve Cummings. “They pound the ball at you and your guys have to be disciplined enough to execute on every play.”
Gloucester and Wakefield played in the consolation round last year at Landrigan Field as the Fishermen came away with a 34-13 win. The Warriors played that game without many of their best players as they were hit with the injury bug late in the season, and Gloucester’s physical style tested Wakefield’s depth.
The Warriors are much healthier at this point of the season this year, and will look to avenge that loss while working towards achieving two goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the year: to be playing their best football late in the season, and to beat Melrose on Thanksgiving. That game against the Red Raiders has taken on a new meaning to the senior class after the loss to Marblehead, and picking up a road win against a quality team like Gloucester will do a lot to get the team’s confidence peaking.
The Fishermen were outmatched during their 30-0 loss against Wilmington last week. The Wildcats physical running game is something that Wakefield saw earlier in the year, and the Fishermen and Warriors will see more of the same again tomorrow night, as both teams employ a similar offensive style.
“They run a variation of the offense we run, so there is some familiarity with the scheme,” said Cummings.
Wakefield’s offense has been coming into it’s own as the season has progressed, and junior QB Mike Lucey has steadily improved as his grasp on the new scheme gets better each week. The Warriors proved in Marblehead last week that they could compete with the upper echelon of teams in the state, and although trying to work up the same type of energy and enthusiasm for a consolation game is no easy task, the Warriors have the type of seniors who will be ready to go for this one.
“That is a football program with a winning tradition,” said Cummings of Gloucester. “We are looking forward to going over there and mixing it up with a very good team.”
