Football preview: English hopes for a satisfying end to a tough season

LYNN – The Lynn English High football team heads into Thanksgiving with an opportunity to end a not-so great season on a high note.The Bulldogs struggled this year, finishing 3-7 overall, 0-4 in the Northeastern Conference, but a win over rival Lynn Classical would go a long way toward lessening the sting. If English can accomplish that feat, it will give the Bulldogs their fifth straight Turkey Day win.”In Lynn, it’s all about Thanksgiving Day,” English coach Peter Holey said. “A win on Thanksgiving Day is the balm that soothes a sore season.”Although the record isn’t what Holey or his team had hoped for, there were some good things to come out this season, including the development of some of the younger players who were pressed into action early.”Those young kids have gotten a little better every week,” Holey said. “I expect them to continue their progress on Thursday against Classical.”‘One of the keys for the Bulldogs this season has been the play of Stevie Collins. The senior running back ran for more than 700 yards and scored nine touchdowns, including two on kick returns. He also showed his versatility when he stepped in at quarterback for two games.Collins had played some quarterback during his Pop Warner days, but his role on offense has been primarily as a running back. When senior quarterback Lucas Harris had to miss two games with mononucleosis, Collins got the call.”Stevie’s the most ferocious competitor I’ve ever coached in terms of how much he wants to win and how hard he plays,” Holey said. “I think that’s one of the reasons our kids kept fighting. They saw Stevie Collins fight to the end and they kept fighting to the end.”The good news for the Bulldogs is that Harris is back and healthy.”I call Lucas ?Cool Hand Luke,?” Holey said. “He’s always cool, calm and collected out there. He sees the field well, can slow the game down, find the open receiver. He’s a great leader out there.”Junior Daekwon Shepard has also been a bright spot for the Bulldogs with his play on defense. Holey said Shepard had three games with more than 20 tackles. He also punts, kicks field goals and takes care of kickoffs.Sophomore Hugh Calice and junior Brett Holey have done a very good job at wide receiver, Holey said, as has C.J. Hernandez. Anthony de la Cruz at cornerback and wide receiver and freshman Jake Miller at linebacker have also played well this season.”We used a lot of freshmen and sophomores,” Holey said. “At times we had five or six on the field.”English and Classical head into Thursday’s game with identical 3-7 overall records.”The best we played was probably against Saugus (English won 41-33). We played well on both sides of the ball and we were physical. That’s the way we have to play against Classical,” Holey said. “They’re very good up front. They’re better than their record would indicate and the kids know this. You don’t have to get them fired up for this game.”The Bulldogs? other wins came against Cambridge, 38-14, and against Billerica, 23-14.”As far as wins go, it was a rough season,” Holey said. “But it’s been the most enjoyable year coaching I’ve had. They’re all nice kids and they get along.”As someone who has played and coached in his share of Thanksgiving games, Holey, who graduated from English and went on to play at Boston College, knows what a special day this is, especially for the seniors.”It’s like a moment frozen in time,” he said. “Their minds will travel back to this Thursday in November for many years.”