RallyNorth.net

Salem can't dismiss Peabody tonight

Friday, October, 26 By Mike Grenier
Staff writer

Salem High football coach Scott Connolly may have trouble convincing his players, but when he was playing for the Witches, the Salem-Peabody game was just as big as the Salem-Beverly Thanksgiving Day rivalry.

He still feels that way and hopes his players will reach an emotional peak when the 4-3 Witches travel to 1-6 Peabody tonight (7 p.m.). Salem is a major factor in the Northeastern Confernce Large division race with a 2-0 record and the Peabody Tanners would love nothing more than to be a spoiler.

"We always opened against Peabody and it was really big to us, just like playing Beverly on Thanksgiving," said Connolly. "We haven't played against Peabody in the last couple of years, so the kids have kind of forgotten about it, but they'll be reminded of how big this is.

"We used to play them out of conference. Now they're in the Northeastern Conference, which is where they belong. We're next door to them and our kids know their kids, so it has all the (ingredients) to be a great rivalry again. We're 2-0 in the division and we're expecting a tough game from Peabody. They could be 0-20 and we wouldn't overlook them. How could Salem ever overlook Peabody? We could never do it."

Salem and Peabody appear to be two teams driving in different directions. The Witches are coming off an inspiring 17-13 win over Lynn English in which Dan Reddy kicked a school-record 43-yard field goal. Salem has a prime time runner in Melikke Van Alstyne (797 yards, 7 touchdowns) and its defense has been pretty stingy all season.

Peabody, on the other hand, took a 40-0 hit against Lynn Classical last week and the Tanners have scored only 18 points all season. But to Connolly, that stuff goes in one ear and out the other. It was just four years ago that Peabody whipped Salem, 53-6. "We haven't beaten that team in like nine years," said Connolly. "They've got a bunch of tough kids and good athletes. The (Scott) Diefenbach kid is a good player, Nick Hiou is a good player and (linebacker Kevin) Bettencourt is one heck of a player. Peabody will be flying around and coming after us."

Peabody coach Dick Woodbury says that Bettencourt is indeed having a monster year, getting in on about 20 tackles a game. He feels the rivalry with Salem should be rekindled tonight.

"The kids don't quite understand it because there's been a lapse in playing Salem," said Woodbury, "but it means a lot to be playing Salem again. For the Peabody old timers, this is a life and death rivalry. It's great to be playing them again and to have that continuity of playing them in the conference."

Peabody will be healthier tonight than it's been in quite some time. Defensive end Kevin Skop (shoulder) will be playing for the first time this season and John Gardner (shoulder), who's been out for more than a month, is due back at the guard position.

"We've been decimated by injuries, but no excuses," said Woodbury. "The kids have learned a mountain of information this year. We've had no problems off the field and the kids haven't quit on each other or on the team. We've had a spirited week of practice."