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New coach, new QB, new offense at North Shore Tech

Tuesday, September, 04 By Bill Kipouras
Staff writer

It all seemed to happen so fast to the North Shore Tech football program.

The Bulldogs' most productive players | quarterback Colby Boulay and linebacker Bill Buttner | transferred to Salem High prior to this fall, and the program's only coach to date, Paul Worth, stepped down from his job.

Mike Drouin, the new head coach of the Bulldogs, inherited exactly three legitimate starters: J.J. Navas, a tough running back who will be Buttner's replacement at middle linebacker; Cameron White, another backer who can catch the ball; and Joe Millea, who could see service at guard, linebacker or running back.

When Drouin met his predecessor and got some tidbits on the Bulldogs, Worth prominently mentioned David St. Pierre, a sophomore quarterback who had a great deal of promise. The 15-year-old signal caller, brother of Mass. Maritime fullback Joe St. Pierre (an ex-Tech all-star), has a grand total of 12 varsity passes in his resume.

North Shore not only has a new coach and a new QB, but also a new Spread offense. It even has a new a pre-Thanksgiving Day opponent, Northeast Tech, whom they'll face the night of Wednesday, Nov. 21.

"He throws a nice football," the 37-year-old Drouin said about St. Pierre. "He's intelligent. Knows how to read things. He leads the option well and has a strong arm. I've always liked the Spread offense and said if I ever got a head job that I would use it."

Does that mean the pass will be emphasized?.

"I'm not giving away any secrets," Drouin replied. "You make the opponent cover over the whole field. It opens things up. It makes linebackers cover slots. You run (Navas, Joe Millea and Ben Dora are the likely one backfield setbacks) from this offense, too. Hopefully it'll be 50-50 (running and passing)."

St. Pierre got some snaps against Greater Lowell and went 1-1 starting the last two games. He was 6-for-12 passing for 113 yards and had two TD strikes for the season, beating Minuteman, 29-6, to close the year.

He'll be a study in progress, as will North Shore Tech. St. Pierre said he welcomes the challenge of being a raw rookie at the throttle.

"I was stocky, so I played center and defensive tackle in my two Pop Warner years," said St. Pierre. "I was way too big (i.e., overweight) to play in most of middle school and elementary school. I qualified in eighth grade and they put me at quarterback."

"I was the North Shore water boy four years when my brother was here. I asked to be a quarterback when I enrolled. I never dreamed I'd be starting at this stage."

He attended three camps over the summer: Northeast at Governor's Academy in Byfield, Masters in Waltham and the Spread 'Em and Shred 'Em Camp in Lynnfield.

"I love the Spread. I love the coach. He's like a younger Coach Worth," St. Pierre said. "Eveyone is buying into him."

Last year's record: 4-7

Head coach: Mike Drouin (1st year)

Captains: None

Style of offense: Spread

Style of defense:4-4

Last winning season: 2005 (7-4)

Last league title: 2005

Did you know?: This marks the 13th year of North Shore Tech varsity football. In their first dozen seasons, the Bulldogs have compiled an overall record of 70-62 (.530 winning percentage).