Aiden Breen most recently made headlines in late September for making the most important play in Fenwick’s overtime victory over St. Mary’s at Manning Field, but the senior has been catching eyes on the football field since his early years.
Breen joined Peabody’s pop warner program in first grade – then the Peabody Raiders. And what might be a game featuring an oddly-shaped ball for most kids, was more for Aiden. He still remembers winning all three of his pop warner championships in full detail.
“It just kept growing. It never went away,” Breen said. “It’s all I wanted to do.”
It’s hard to believe that someone who has recorded 50 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery, a sack, and a touchdown in just five games was nervous once high school ball came around, but Breen said it’s true. The feeling quickly escaped him, however, due to the bond he was able to establish with his teammates – adding that no matter if it’s on or off the field, the team lives life as one.
“It’s not any certain groups, we’re all together mostly. Everyone’s coming with us, we’re not going to keep somebody out of it,” Breen said.
Breen and company remain undefeated at 5-0 this season. A few weeks after school ended in June, the team worked out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on top of practices starting in early August. The linebacker/tight end credits all of the unseen hours for their current success.
“Team bonding coming in from winter workouts, and then everyone being at summer workouts through the hot summer. I just feel like all the work we put in there is showing off now,” Breen said.
The Crusaders have collected wins over Norton, Arlington Catholic, Swampscott, and Cardinal Spellman, but perhaps their biggest victory came in an overtime thriller over St. Mary’s on Sept. 30. With the team down one possession late in the game, it was the former pop warner kid who made the biggest play of the game – diving on a loose ball to give his team life.
“A few plays before when they got the first down and we started using our timeouts, you could tell they [St. Mary’s] thought it was over. And then, on that play when he fumbled, I just knew someone had to get it,” Breen said.
Fenwick would pick up the road victory in overtime, and it was the captain who led by example.
With being named a captain, there’s a new responsibility according to Breen. The 215 pound, 6’0’’ senior said that in the past, he was just present and couldn’t really say anything – that’s changed, however.
“I feel like if we have a low energy practice or our focus isn’t there, I feel like it’s on us,” Breen said. “If we’re messing around and not focused, nobody else is going to be focused.”
Another major reason the team is undefeated is, of course, Head Coach Dave Woods, who’s also Breen’s linebacker coach on top of being at the helm. Breen feels Woods’ approach to coaching is a recipe for success.
Coming into each week, the group watches film Monday through Wednesday to go over schemes. Thursday is then their walkthrough practice, and Breen says he always knows what he has to do come Friday nights.
Off the field, Breen and Woods’ relationship remains equally as tight.
“Out of school, out of football too, if I need him, he’s always there. Even if I text him or call him,” Breen said.
Just because 2022 is his final year wearing the Crusader logo, that doesn’t necessarily mean Breen’s playing days are coming to an end. However, he added that his potential interests in sport management and business would take priority.
“I think I’m going to keep playing,” Breen said. “I’ll look at it as a school before anything else. Then, if I can see myself playing there, I will.”
The star linebacker and the rest of the Bishop Fenwick team will take on Archbishop Williams on Friday, Oct. 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Memorial Field in Braintree where the team looks to improve to 6-0 in 2022.
Joey Barrett can be reached at [email protected]