Head to Reading tomorrow to kick off promising 2017 season
WAKEFIELD’s offensive line gets ready to block in the team’s final scrimmage against Lynn English last week. The senior-laden line, including Patrick Redmond (70), Charlie Senior (71), Patrick Bertini (63), Dan Cataldo (55) and co-captain Devin O’Brien (77) will open the holes for running backs like co-captain Ryan Fitzpatrick (26). (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Warrior football team begins their 2017 campaign tomorrow night, 7 p.m. at Reading. It will be the first time since 2012 that the old Middlesex League adversaries will meet. Third-year head coach Steve Cummings has made sure that his team will compete against the best during non-league games, which is why his first call was made to the Rockets, a team that is currently ranked number 11 in the state by the Boston Globe.
“We like to set up the non-conference with quality teams,” said Cummings. “Wakefield Reading has been a great rivalry in the past; this will be a good test for us. I don’t know if there is a more successful program in the area. “
It’s a test that the Warriors will gladly take, as they look to build on an up and down season that saw them finish 4-6 overall and 4-1 in league play for a share of the Freedom division title. Wakefield lost the first two games of the season last year to Beverly and Marblehead in two more examples of coach Cummings’ belief in competing against the best in non-league play.
“We took a lot of lumps in those two games but it solidified our identity for the season,” said Cummings.
Last year saw sophomore Mike Lucey forced into action at the quarterback position after a season-ending injury to senior signal caller Kobey Nadeau.
“Last year he was just getting used to playing under the lights,” said Cummings. “He has become a leader and done a great job of taking control. We’re thrilled with where he is at as he continues to grow and add to his arsenal.”
Once Lucey got settled, and the rest of team learned some hard lessons from the Panthers and Magicians, Wakefield found their stride, winning their next four games by a combined score of 91-45, against league opponents Watertown, Wilmington, Stoneham and Burlington. It was proof that the team could compete with anyone in the freedom division and that they learned a lot from challenging themselves early in the season.
Depth Chart
The 2017 depth chart shows talent and experience at every position. Ten of 11 starters on offense are seniors, with junior Lucey being the only exception.
The Warriors offensive line is a strength, featuring returning starting guards in Dan Cataldo and Charlie Senior, 2016 All-league member and co-captain Devin O’Brien at left tackle, and the veteran Patricks, Bertini at center and Redmond at right tackle. It’s a group that will need to stay hungry and healthy throughout the season, especially as the rest of the offense continues to learn a new system featuring extra spacing, and a more dynamic run game as coach Cummings adapts to the talent on this year’s team, looking to take advantage of the line and a stable of talented running backs that include co-captain tailback Alex Joly, and senior wing backs Marc Biennestin and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Lucey’s top two targets through the air will likely be senior receiver Andrew Miller and tight end Brendan Coughlin.
The defense returns with a 3-4 formation, and more experience throughout the lineup. Ends Joly and O’Brien will team up with senior tackle Evan McMaster to build the first line of defense for the Warriors. The linebackers will be led by Coughlin and junior Danny Marinaccio in the middle, while Cataldo and senior Cole Gregson who is returning to WMHS from Central Catholic, will work the vital outside linebacker positions. The defensive backs will include Biennestin and Miller at cornerback, sophomore Michael O’Keefe at safety, and Fitzpatrick who Cummings describes as a defensive back because he will line up anywhere depending on what the offense is showing.
Fitzpatrick, Coughlin named captains
My apologies to Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brendan Coughlin for failing to include their full titles in the previous paragraph, but the suspense was necessary and a full paragraph of their own earned. Cummings and the coaching staff named Fitzpatrick and Coughlin captains at practice yesterday, “simply for the fact that they deserve it,” said Cummings.
Cummings calls Coughlin “the ultimate coachable player.” He took on the challenge of playing outside linebacker last season, and continues to improve rapidly at the OLB and tight end positions.
“He hasn’t missed a weightlifting session or a practice since he’s been in the program,” said Cummings. “He outworks everybody.”
As is the case with the other three captains, Fitzpatrick is a multi-sport athlete who brings a competitive leadership to the team. Fitzpatrick is a lacrosse commit to UMass who is looking to build on a strong 2016 season at running back and defensive back.
“He’s been shouldering a lot of the load on both sides of the ball,” said Cummings. “He fits into our new offensive system really well, and he is a security blanket for the guys in the secondary and a mouthpiece on the defense that a lot of kids rely on.”
The two will join Joly and O’Brien as the official leaders on a team full of experience. Cummings commends Joly for his smarts and versatility on both sides of the ball: “At tailback he has great feet, blocks well, runs good routes, can carry the ball and catch the ball.” Joly knows how to play multiple positions, creating a swiss army knife that is very valuable for the Warriors.
O’Brien returns as one of the best lineman in the league: “He could have been all league on either side of the ball,” said Cummings. “He uses his length and athleticism well and is always a big part of our game plan.” O’Brien is a good representation of the well-rounded captains and seniors as a whole, as he is another multi-sport athlete with a great G.P.A.
All of this is to say that the Warriors have the components of a great team. Unfortunately, success in a tough league is very difficult to maintain, and Wakefield will try to maintain consistency (and most importantly stay healthy) throughout the middle and end of the season.
“We didn’t have any layups last year, and we hit a tough stretch after we were hit by injuries, so this season we are going to cater our practices to the team to make sure we are healthy throughout the back end of the season,” said Cummings.
Yes, the Warriors are taking it one game at a time and are fully locked in on their tough week one opponent tomorrow night, but for now, coach Cummings and Wakefield football aren’t putting any ceiling on their expectations for this team, and it all starts tomorrow against a team that will help Wakefield learn a lot about themselves. A loss will alert the team to what they need to work on, and a win would…well I don’t think that needs to be explained. Either way, the Warriors will be better next week than they are this week; a good formula to follow for the rest of the 2017 season.
“We’ll have to earn it,” said Cummings, “but we are looking forward to the challenge. What better way to start the year?”
