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SALEM | They were so enthusiastic talking about the films they watched that you have thought the members of the Beverly High football team were referring to such modern teenage staples as "Knocked Up", "Wedding Crashers" or the instant classic, "Superbad".

SALEM -- Irony smiled down upon the Beverly Panthers late yesterday morning.

How else will you be able to explain the biggest play of the 109th meeting between the Beverly and Salem football teams to folks 10, 20, even 50 years from now?

Nothing to play for?

You say there's nothing to play for?

You obviously have no clue what the Beverly vs. Salem football rivalry is all about.

Take the records | both the visiting Panthers and host Witches enter tomorrow's game with identical 5-5 marks | and toss them aside. Literally.

Salem High School football player, Chris Al-Nabulsi hands a Salem High t-shirt to Beverly High School football player, Greg Pierce. The two schools met on Veterans Memorial Bridge for the 24th-annual Bridging the Gap Ceremony. In the middle is Beverly High player, David Patnaude.

Beverly High sophomore linebacker Nick Kozlowski lets his performance do the talking on the football field.

Otherwise, his silence is deafening.

"Yeah, Nick is a man of few words," Beverly head coach Dan Bauer says with obvious amusement. "We had him out there with our younger group taking every snap in 90-degree heat against Wakefield in the preseason | and he didn't say 'boo'."

Where: Bertram Field

Date: Thursday, Nov. 22

Time: 10 a.m.

Coaches: Dan Bauer, Beverly; Scott Connolly, Salem.

Captains: Beverly: Liam Blodgett, Sr. OG/DE, Greg Pierce, Sr. RB/DB; Salem: Chris Al-Nabulsi, Sr. FB/LB, Taylor Charlton, Sr. HB/DB, Matt Paine, Sr. WR/DB, Garrett Cauley, Sr. OG/DT.

GLOUCESTER | The scenario coming into last night's football game between Gloucester High and Salem High was exactly what November football is all about.

Two teams with postseason aspirations playing in temperatures below 40-degrees at a packed Newell Stadium. Of course, the bulk of those fans in attendance were Fishermen fans and the hometown faithful left the contest very happy thanks to senior running back Andrew Fulford's monster performance (3 first-half touchdowns and a 2-PT conversion).

Coming off a tough 14-7 loss to Lynn Classical, Salem (5-4) isn't exactly overflowing with confidence as it travels to unbeaten Gloucester (9-0) tonight.

But on the other hand, what do the Witches have to lose? Nothing.

SALEM | The Salem High football team tried its best to pull off a miracle comeback against Lynn Classical at chilly Bertram Field last night. But if it was that easy, it wouldn't be called a miracle.

After showing practically no offensive life for three quarters and falling behind by two touchdowns, Salem rallied behind running back Melikke Van Alstyne and quarterback Colby Boulay. However, Lynn Classical's Bryndyn Primus made a clutch interception with Salem driving in the final minute, preserving the Rams 14-7 Northeastern Conference win.

There are no stars on the unbeaten, unscored upon Salem High freshmen football team.

Rather, said head coach Deni Gaito, they're just a bunch of hard working players who are having a lot of fun and accomplishing an incredible feat.