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Koerner, Methuen have high hopes

Thursday, September, 06 By Alan Siegel
Staff writer

David Koerner's ears are ringing with motivational mantra.

The 6-foot-2, 150-pound receiver/defensive back, a tri-captain on the Methuen football team, has been wearing his "work to win" T-shirt with pride. And first-year coach Pat Graham, Koerner said, has been instructing his Rangers to "get an identity."

Koerner and his teammates are determined to smash their old identity to bits. It's a new era, they say. Even double sessions didn't seem so bad this summer.

"We're all very excited," Koerner said. "I think we know we're going to be good."

Koerner is particularly enthused about Methuen's new offense, which features a nuanced passing game and a bit more creativity than in past seasons.

"We've definitely opened up the playbook," Koerner said. "We've been predictable in years before."

Teams, Koerner added, always seemed to figure the Rangers out in the second half. Methuen actually led Andover 14-7 at the half last November before allowing 20 unanswered points in a 27-14 loss.

But these days, "we're a lot more prepared," Koerner said. After all, it's a new era.

The question is, what kind of identity will the new-look Rangers assume?

"A team," he said, "that goes out and fights until the end."