LYNN— Every winning football team needs players to step up and do what coaches call the “dirty work.” Patriots coach Bill Belichick has used the phrase “do your job” to describe the type of players who focus on their own responsibilities and filling the roles of their positions.
A successful program like St. Mary’s needs players to “do their jobs” with full effort in order to win games. That’s the type of player junior fullback/linebacker George Freeman has grown into.
Freeman, in his first season as a varsity starter, has taken on multiple roles for the Spartans.
On offense, Freeman’s responsible for blocking for St. Mary’s array of running weapons while carrying the ball a handful of times himself. On defense, Freeman shoulders a hefty load as a linebacker for a unit that has allowed just six points in three playoff games en route to a berth in this afternoon’s Division 7 state semifinal against Mashpee at Braintree.
“This season has been an excellent experience,” Freeman, a Lynn native, said. “We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t work together. We all work together as one group.”
St. Mary’s rolled through its regular season schedule at 7-0 to earn the No. 1 seed in the Division 7 North state tournament. Blowout wins over Manchester Essex, Greater Lawrence and Brighton placed the Spartans in the state semis.
“We’re all working together,” Freeman said. “We’re all doing what we’re supposed to do and focusing on the task at hand.
“As long as every player does his job and we work together, we have a great chance to win games,” Freeman added.
Given the handful of talented running threats St. Mary’s boasts on its roster, including seniors Calvin Johnson, James Brumfield and Marlon Scott, Freeman knows he has to make the most of his carries when his number gets called. Thus far, that hasn’t been a problem as Freeman has rushed for one touchdown and seven two-point conversions.
“When I get the ball I know I have great linemen blocking for me,” Freeman said. “I’m never worried about getting those extra yards knowing I have great linemen leading the way.
“I’m lucky to be on this team,” Freeman added. “We’re very fortunate. We’re lucky to have such a great team and a great group of linemen for us running backs.”
From the sidelines, Spartans coach Matt Durgin has liked what he’s seen from Freeman this fall. Although the other St. Mary’s running backs score the bulk of the touchdowns, Freeman has been as integral a piece to the team’s ground game as anybody else.
“George is the unsung guy on our team,” Durgin said. “He does the dirty work. The other guys score the touchdowns and George goes a bit unnoticed but he leads the blocks and he gives a full effort every day.”
On the defensive side, Freeman has done a solid job this year and stands as one of St. Mary’s leading tacklers. Again, the key to Freeman’s success on defense, Durgin noted, is his ability to dedicate to a full effort.
“George’s a very good linebacker,” Durgin said. “He runs to the ball carriers and he makes big tackles. He really gives a full effort day in and day out and that leads to his success.”
Although Freeman saw minutes last year at the varsity level, most of which took place on special teams when the Spartans held big leads, he came into the season hungry to earn a bigger role. After dedicating himself to the weight room in the offseason, those efforts are now paying dividends.
“He played special teams a little bit for us last year,” Durgin said. “He worked hard in the weight room during the offseason. He came in wanting to play from day one and we definitely needed him to do that.”
In anticipation of today’s semifinal clash against Mashpee, a team that swept through Diman, Archbishop Williams and Abington to earn the South sectional crown, the Spartans have stuck to their weekly practice routine. St. Mary’s approach has worked for the Spartans thus far, meaning there’s no reason to make any changes.
“We have a week by week approach,” Freeman said. “We trust it. It’s worked for us throughout the season. We don’t need to change it.”
Freeman and the Spartans are coming into today’s game expecting a tight battle between the two teams. In the end, Freeman noted, it’ll come down to what he and the Spartans have been known for all season: effort.
“We’re going to play 100 percent the whole game,” Freeman said. “It’s going to be a full four-quarter effort. We’re expecting a battle between the both of us.”
