Thanksgiving preview: Winning season on the line for Winthrop

While the season has not gone quite as expected for Winthrop, the Vikings (5-5) can still finish on the plus side of the ledger by defeating archrival Revere tomorrow morning (Miller Field, 10).View season’s photos from throughout the fall season on the North Shore?Honestly, we fell a little short this year,” said coach Sean Driscoll. “But, we?re a young football team and a couple of plays here and there made the difference. We competed in every game and we were right there in just about all of them.?We had some injuries that contributed to a four-game losing streak in October. We had the last-play (30-29) loss to Peabody that was very frustrating. So we?re not happy (at 5-5) but I am happy with the progress of our young kids ? they?ve come a long way,” he added.This is the second meeting of the year between the teams with Winthrop prevailing, 30-13, in NEC South play in September. The Vikings own a modest two-game winning streak following victories against Weston and Amesbury in Div. 4 non-qualifier games.?We did meet each other already, which is kind of strange. Still, this is Thanksgiving and it?s always a battle with them. We?re expecting a physical game,” Driscoll said.Senior back Jordan Corbett-Frank is the focal point of Winthrop?s Wing-T and looks to cap a stellar campaign in which he has rushed for 1,205 yards and scored 11 TDs.?He?s been with me since his freshman year. He?s a tremendous student, he?s athletically smart, his work ethic is amazing and he?s a top student and citizen. Just a terrific player and better person,” said Driscoll.Junior quarterback Dylan Driscoll, the coach?s son, has rushed for nine TDs while passing for nearly 700 yards and another six scores. Corbett-Frank and senior tight end Vinny Sparacino are his favorite targets. Sophomore running back Reise Turansky (4 TDs), junior running back Jake Chuidna (2 TDs), senior fullback Justin Casilla and sophomore tackle Jeff Collignon (6-1, 250) have also made key contributions.Coach Driscoll acknowledges that inconsistency has plagued the Vikings? defense (23.6 ppg), which yielded 30 or more points in four of the team?s five losses.?There is no question we have struggled at times on defense. In the games we?ve lost, we gave up big plays. That will be a preaching point this week,” he said.With good reason, given the presence of Revere?s do-everything senior back Tommy Portrait, who transitioned from running back to quarterback midway through the season and added an element that had been missing. Junior back Kaleb Silva also bears watching.?They?re a different team now and I?m impressed with what they?ve done,” Driscoll said of the Patriots. “Portrait changes the pace of the game at quarterback ? he?s always a threat to run and he throws a nice ball.?They (Revere) battle every game. Their defense the last four or five weeks has really improved and that concerns me. And they?re coming in off a great win against a Medford team that they lost to earlier in the season. It?s going to be a battle,” he added.Driscoll praised the contributions of the dozen seniors who will suit up for the final time.?It?s their day and they are going to be missed in the sense that they?re the best group of student-athletes I?ve ever had. They?ve been great for four years and have set an outstanding example for the kids coming behind them,” he said.