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New field, quality foe for Bishop Fenwick

Thursday, September, 20 By Mike Grenier
Staff writer

Bishop Fenwick's undefeated football team is averaging 40 points in its first two contests, so one of the tasks for the Crusaders' coaching staff this week is to keep the players humble.

That, of course, is easier said than done when you have immature players, who tend to let things go in one ear and out the other. But the Crusaders appear to have enough experience and savvy to avoid that trap, particularly since the opponent in Sunday night's game (6:30 p.m.) on the new artificial turf at Bishop Fenwick is 2-0 Masconomet.

"Even though Masco isn't in our (Catholic Central League), it feels like it's going to be a playoff game," said John Moran, Bishop Fenwick's 6-foot-5, 285 pound two-way tackle from Salem. "We saw what they did to Oliver Ames (a 24-0 Masco win). I think we're going to have to turn it up a notch. They're looking to have a big year just like us. "But it'll be an awesome night, playing on the new field with the (permanent) lights," added Moran. "I saw our girls soccer team playing on the turf the other night and driving home I was excited just thinking about us playing football there."

They're going to have to play sound football in every respect because Masconomet in no way resembles the two teams that the Crusaders have whipped, Newton South (34-12) and Bishop Connolly (46-14).

Masco has been getting tremendous production from sophomore quarterback Chris Splinter, who has rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries and is 12 for 20 passing for another 133 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, sophomore Evan Bunker is the team's leading rusher (23 carries, 149 yards) and junior Clay Cleveland is a clutch-type performer who has accounted for a combined 98 yards rushing and receiving.

"We won't be scoring 40 points on them," said Bishop Fenwick coach Dave Woods, referring to his team's prolific start. "They're just too good. (Coach) Jimmy Pugh has one of the best conditioned teams around and, offensively, they throw a lot of different looks at you. They really spread the ball around and they're fast."

Woods is so concerned about the Chieftains' backfield speed that he's probably going to make extensive use of Bobby Tarr on defense for the first time in two years. Tarr, an offensive superstar who has had 10 consecutive 200-plus yard ground games going back to last season | he has 447 yards and seven touchdowns in 32 carries this season | will play outside linebacker.

"We're not going to start him, but he'll probably play a lot on defense," Woods said of Tarr. "It's not like he's strictly an offensive standout. You should see Bobby in practice; he's a great defensive player. We're going to need him out there to contain the quarterback's speed to the outside."

On the other hand, Pugh won't have a picnic trying to design a defense to slow down Tarr, who has burned every defense he's played against in the last two seasons. Linemen Teddy Reed and Mike Nazarro and middle linebacker and three-year starter Eli Vollmer have led the Masco defense, but the Chieftains haven't seen anybody like Tarr in a long time.

"We've only seen him on tape and he's the total package," Pugh said of Tarr. "We've faced quick guys before, like Andrew Foote of North Andover in our own (Cape Ann League) and Pat Bailey of Beverly (in scrimmages). Tarr has some of those same moves, but he seems to be a stronger kid. He's just as likely to run you over as he is to go around you.

"We're going to have to make Tarr work for everything and put 3-4 guys on him every time he touches the ball. In high school football, if you have a quality back like that, one guy will not bring him down. We have to bring a lot of people at him or else we're in for a long night. And the thing is, they're not just a one-man team. They're strong in the line and every facet of the game."

The added dimension for Bishop Fenwick is the revamped field and the permanent lights. The whole project came in under a million dollars, said Woods, and the place looks like a gem. "If we can't get excited about this game," said Woods, "we're in the wrong sport."