Thanksgiving 2010: Wlasuk, Peabody seek smooth final ride

There has been a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde aspect to the Peabody High football team this season.The Tanners (4-6) have shown they can rise to the occasion, going toe-to-toe with formidable Swampscott before falling in overtime with a 30-28 loss. They have also struggled at times, getting shut out by Classical two weeks ago and then mustering only six points in a loss to English last week.Yet, going into the Thanksgiving Day showdown with Saugus at Coley Lee Field (10), Tanners coach Scott Wlasuk sees a bit more of Dr. Jekyll in his team than Mr. Hyde. And you can start with the Swampscott game.”Even with the loss, it showed the team’s come a long way compared to last year,” said the third-year coach. “Swampscott is a good team, and they have one of the best (coaches) in the business in Steve Dembowski. We showed we can play against a high-caliber team and fight back.”On Turkey Day, the Tanners are hoping Dr. Jekyll can make a house call when Saugus and star runner Shamir Guillaume come to town.”He’s a tough runner with breakaway speed,” Wlasuk said. “He’s quick to the hole and hits fast. He’s tough to bring down. If he gets to the second level, he’s dangerous for a long run. He’s had a great year for Saugus.”The Sachems took a 14-6 victory in last year’s Thanksgiving meeting, and this year Wlasuk forecasts “a tough, hard-fought battle.”Whether Jekyll or Hyde, it seems much of Peabody’s games this season have been just that: tough and hard-fought.”We played Lynn Classical tough in the first half,” Wlasuk recalled of the Tanners’ eventual 28-0 loss. “They were up 7-0. We drove down to the 14 and missed a field goal that would have made it 7-3. They got the ball back, got two big plays before halftime and made the score 14-0. It put us in a hole.”The same happened against Gloucester (in a 42-0 loss). We played a tough first half. It was 7-0 with four minutes left (in the half).”Despite the defeats, as the coach noted, “there are still a lot of positives.” The Tanners shut down Revere star Trae Weathers when the Patriots came in at 3-2 off back-to-back one-point losses to Swampscott and Marblehead. Peabody defeated Revere 33-8.”It was our best game of the season,” Wlasuk said. “It was a great game on both sides.”The Tanners also defeated Winthrop, 30-6, after trailing early and tying the game. They also secured an overtime victory when they edged Salem 28-26.”It was a classic matchup,” Wlasuk said. “Maybe, last year, we don’t win that.”This year, quite a few players turned in starring roles to help Peabody progress. This was needed, as running back Mark D’Addario had graduated with the Class of 2010. Nat Gaye stepped forward to take the carries from quarterback Jason Hiou.”Gaye had a lot of potential,” Wlasuk said. “One regret is that Nat did not get enough carries in 2009.”However, this season he has rushed for over 900 yards and nine touchdowns. He is averaging about seven yards a carry, and his coach also credits him with playing solid defense. Gaye and the rest of the starting backfield are all juniors.”In the Swampscott game, we lost Nat after the first half,” Wlasuk said. “He had bad cramping problems and did not play in the second half. Maybe he would have made a difference.”Other players whom the coach mentioned are Brady Doyle (“a big year at wing back, starting cornerback and kick returner”); fullback/defensive end D.J. Henrick; and offensive guard/middle linebacker George Haraxis.Wlasuk also said that Roni Aliu is “one of the top offensive guards and defensive tackles in the league,” and praised the progress of safety Aaron McGill. He calls three-year starter Michael Garrity “the heart and soul of the defense.””(Garrity) was hurt all year,” Wlasuk said. “He was at every practice. He’s tough and hard-nosed. I felt he still had a very good year for us. He has a lot of heart, a lot of courage. I’m really going to miss him.”One player who will be ready for the Thanksgiving game is Wlasuk’s son, Sean, the team’s kicke