RallyNorth.net

New look Hornets sting Saugus

Friday, September, 09 By Mike McMahon
Staff writer

NORTH READING — North Reading's new-look offense goes old school, and it works. The Hornets punished Saugus 20-0 to open the season with a win on home field with a freshly installed single wing formation.

New assistant coach Ed Melanson brought the single wing with him to the staff this season after migrating from Peabody. The formation was developed by Pop Warner — yes the Pop Warner — in 1903.

It's old-school, smash-mouth football.

The Hornets rushed 38 times, throwing just twice, but hammered the Sachems' defense for 232 yards. Junior tailback Carl Lipani rushed for 161 of those yards on 25 carries.

"(Melanson) is probably the only guy on the staff who even fully understands it," admits head coach Jeff Wall. "It's all him. He brought it here, he installed it and I'm just not messing with it. I know that running the scout team defense against it, it drives me nuts, so I can only imagine what it does to other teams."

At times North Reading's formations and rotation from the offensive line had the Sachems confused and out of position. The single wing overloads one side of the line with a wingback, tailback and fullback. There are also options for the quarterback — Jackson Kellogg — to take carries.

“It’s a chess game,” Melanson said. “Where you overload the line like that, it forces the other team to make an adjustment. Then we try to throw in some other moves.”

Lipani's up-the-gut power running fits perfect with the new gameplan.

"I love it," he said. "It's smash mouth. We used it (last night) and we're only going to get better with it. There are so many things we can do with it. I just love playing in it."

Melanson first noticed the formation on an ESPN show called "The Survivors." He was so intrigued he called around and got in touch with a coach in South Carolina, who told him about a Single Wing symposium. So he hopped on a plane and went to work.

"I went down there and learned how to install it and how to run it," Melanson said. "Other clinics have come up, too and just learning more and more about it. It's a power game. It's a punch-you-in-the-mouth offense."

And just in case anyone suggests it won’t work, he has a resume to back it up. Melanson was part of a St. Mary's (Lynn) staff that won a state championship using the same formation in 2005.

But as with anything, personal can make or break a system. Melanson believes Lipani is the man who could take North Reading to the top.

"He gets it," Melanson said. "He is going to just keep smashing into guys until they don't want to be smashed into anymore. We have a lot of young guys to who are learning it and catching on quick."

He added, “We’re just scratching the surface. We didn’t do nearly as much with it tonight as we will be able to. There are more things we’re going to be able to throw in here, so it’s really exciting.”