Marblehead hopes to end season on an upswing

The good news for the Marblehead football team is that it had equaled last year’s win total of four in this season’s seventh game.The bad news, however, is that a current three-game losing streak has ended the Magicians’ chances of notching their first winning record in 15 years.The team still has a chance to surpass last year’s squad should Marblehead knock off Swampscott on Thanksgiving at Piper Field.The Magicians are a very young team, with only six seniors on the squad, and Marblehead starts a variety of juniors and sophomores. Things could prove to be difficult against a veteran Big Blue squad that clinched the Northeastern Conference Small and is heading to postseason play.”We’re a very young team,” admits Marblehead coach Doug Chernovetz, who will complete his third season as head coach at the end of the Turkey Day affair. “We as a (coaching) staff happen to be very impressed with this squad, as the guys continue to come out and play, and they play very hard.”Up to and including that eighth game, it was win one, lose one for the Magicians, as they had been victorious in the odd-numbered games, and losing the even-numbered ones. “We started off winning, losing, winning, losing, and so on, until we hit this three-game snag,” stated Chernovetz. “It’s a bump in the road, but there are many people who think that this is a typical Marblehead team that has lost hope. The kids are always ready to play.”One of the Magicians’ (4-6) strengths is senior running back-defensive back Michael Sahagian, one of the team’s captains.”He runs very hard, and makes great plays for us on both sides of the ball,” Chernovetz mentioned. “Michael had an injured shoulder last year, and he missed some games. He came back this year, and was nominated as co-captain. He had an ankle injury earlier this year, but he’s as solid a player as we could ask for. I love what he brings as a leader.”Another senior captain that’s important to the Marblehead cause is offensive lineman-linebacker Glenn Freeman. “He’s worked hard all year for us, beginning in the off-season,” said the coach of the guard. “We expected a lot from him (this year), and he’s done everything we’ve asked for from him. Glenn has a great work ethic, and that’s something that can’t be questioned.”The majority of coaches, no matter what the sport, will only pick seniors as captains of their team. Chernovetz went against that train of thought by selecting junior Sam Perlow as one of them. “He’s the only junior I’ve ever had in all my years as a head coach to be named a captain,” said Chernovetz of the tight end-defensive end. “He’s played banged up for us, and he’s a tremendous leader as well.”Junior quarterback Ian McKinley made the transition from wide receiver before the season. “Ian had never played the position before, and it was a learning experience for him,” Chernovetz added. “Ian accepted the move, and there are a few of us on the staff that played quarterback in high school to help guide him along.”One junior that adds a great deal of speed to the Magicians is junior running back-defensive back Nick Haller. He runs tough, and he has great speed, and he’ll make you miss,” Chernovetz said of the back. “I coached Pat Bailey at Beverly for two years, and Nick is Bailey-esque in the sense that he runs low to the ground, and has great vision.”Two other juniors that have been standouts for the Magicians are wide receiver-linebacker Connor Carey and wide receiver-defensive back Sam Chalek.Sophomore Taariq Allen has impressed the coach tremendously throughout the fall as a wide receiver-defensive back. “He has such great potential, and possesses a great vertical leap,” said Chernovetz. “I really don’t think Taariq realizes just how much potential he has. He played a little bit (of varsity) last year, but really came into his own this season.”Marblehead won last year, 6-0, but the coach knows that it means nothing. “We have to get by the debilitating (40-14) loss to Saugus, and we have to prep