Saugus hopes to end a tough season on an upward swing

The Saugus High football team has struggled this season, but the Sachems have an opportunity to end on a high note with a win over Peabody in the renewed Thanksgiving Day rivalry.After switching dance partners for a couple of years (Saugus played Chelsea the past few years and Peabody played Malden Catholic), the longstanding Saugus-Peabody match up has returned.”We’re excited about it,” Saugus coach Mike Broderick said. “We had a lot of people in town who wanted it back. I think they did in their town too.”Saugus won the last time the two teams played.”It’ll be a grind out, physical type of game. We’re expecting a good battle. I’m sure they’re going to want to take the trophy back.”The Sachems come into the game with a 1-8 record. They won their season-opener against Bishop Fenwick and hung tough a week later against Manchester, putting up 300 yards rushing, but they lost, 33-20.Things started to go south by week three and the Sachems were never quite able to right the ship.”The injuries came, sickness, kids leaving the team for various reasons. We never could back on the track of running the football,” Broderick said. “The pas few years we’ve been trying to control the clock, run the football. If we could have straightened it, I think it would have been ok.Despite the record, Broderick does have some things to be happy about. He had a group of seniors who stuck with it and some younger players who took some lumps as they adjust to making the leap to the varsity level a little sooner than they might have in other years.One of those seniors who Broderick counted on all season was captain and three-year starter Andrew White, who plays defensive tackle and offensive lineman.”He’s been asked to do everything. He’s just done a real good job all season. I’m sure he didn’t plan of this his senior season, but he keeps working hard.One of the hits to the program came earlier in the season when quarterback John Moore broke his hand and missed three games. In his absence, freshman Justin Barrasso stepped in and held down the fort.Senior Vinnie Talluto, a running back and defensive back who missed a few games due to injury, also did a good job, Broderick said, as did senior Matthew Fritz, who didn’t come out for the team until his final year.”He came out as a senior, does a great job and never misses a day of practice,” Broderick said about his defensive end and wing game.”I only wish we had him for a few more years,” Broderick said..Although it’s easy to get discouraged after a tough season, Broderick only needs to point to a few years ago when Saugus was down and came back to be very competitive.”This year’ seniors got to ride the coattails of the better team. We’ve been pushing that all year to the younger kids – how it’s not easy, but the other kids worked at it ? they lifted all year.”Broderick’s numbers in the upper grades are way down. He has 7-8 seniors, four juniors and three sophomores. The good news comes at the freshman level, where he has 24-25 kids playing. Some of those players did dual duty, spending time on junior varsity and on varsity.In addition to Barrasso at quarterback, offensive lineman and linebacker Tom Trainor; outside linebacker Nick Benoit; outside linebacker C.J. Randolph and safety Ryan Hennahan got thrust into the spotlight early.”It’s tough for them to be on the varsity football field, but they’re getting some great experience. We’re going to keep plugging away,” Broderick said.The other thing that has Broderick optimistic about the future is the addition of a new youth football league in Saugus. This is in addition to Pop Warner, but the new league is grade based, not weight restricted, which allows more youngsters to play.”In Saugus we’re trying to get as many kids as possible to play football with no restrictions, we need them,” he said.