RallyNorth.net

Masconomet vs. Gloucester

3 keys to victory

Masconomet

1. Control field position through special teams. The Chieftains have an excellent kicking game with Nick Salvo on kickoffs and Kevin Anderson punting, and head coach Jim Pugh knows his defense will have a much better chance of slowing the Fishermen if they have a long field. Masco won the special teams battle on Thanksgiving and dominated its matchup with rival North Andover as a result.

2. Avoid turnovers. If controlling field position is the No. 1 key for Masco, then this is really 1A. Giving the Gloucester offense extra opportunities to put points on the board will be a killer for the Chieftains. In Masco's only loss this year, it lost the turnover battle to Pentucket.

3. Play with poise. If Masco has a notable advantage over the Fishermen, it's in postseason experience. Masco reached the state semifinals last year, where it lost to Winthrop 21-14. Several of this year's Chieftains played prominent roles on last year's team, and Pugh wants those players to draw on their playoff experience.

Gloucester

1. Don't get Splintered. Gloucester head coach Paul Ingram is well-aware of the big play potential of Masco's sophomore quarterback, Chris Splinter. Thus, the Fishermen will have to contain the Chieftains' signal-caller, who is a dual threat with 891 passing yards and 835 rushing yards. Gloucester will need a big performance from its super-quick front seven, led by Anthony Enderle on the line and Adam Quinn at linebacker.

2. Keep the Masco "D" off balance. Most people asscociate the Fishermen with a run-first offense, and there's a lot of truth to that. Gloucester has four running backs with at least 400 yards rushing | Andrew Fulford (1,086), Anthony Enderle (706), Brian Harnish (401) and Taylor Burbine (400). However, junior quarterback Rick Gallant (591 passing yards, 5 TDs) will have to keep the Chieftains honest with some passing efficiency so that its defense can't stack up the line of scrimmage.

3. Limit turnovers and penalties. Ingram has stated at various times this year that his team is the only thing that can stop themselves. If the Fishermen have had one weakness this season, however, it has been penalties. But lately, Gloucester has been able to prevent those errors and will need to continue that trend today.

Did You Know?

Gloucester is averaging 37.2 points per game this season while allowing just 10.3 ... Masconomet sophomore running back Evan Bunker is one of only two North Shore football players to have run for a touchdown, thrown a touchdown and caught a touchdown (Pingree's Derek Pratt is the other) ... Gloucester senior running back Andrew Fulford has the second-most touchdowns in all of Division 2A with 27 ... Masconomet and Gloucester met in a preseason scrimmage, with the Fishermen scoring three touchdowns to Masco's zero. Today's playoff battle will be the first meaningful matchup between the programs ... The Fishermen have had three different players (Fulford, Taylor Burbine and Dylan Maki)return an interception for a touchdown this year ... This will be the Chieftains' third trip to the postseason. In 2003, Masco defeated Duxbury, 7-0, before losing to Bishop Feehan in the Division 4 Super Bowl, 16-0. Last year, the Chieftains were bounced from the playoffs by Winthrop, 21-14 ... Gloucester is in its first postseason game since 2001, when the Fishermen lost to Whitman Hanson, 49-35, snapping a 23-game winning streak. The year before, the Fishermen defeated Foxboro, 35-26, in the Division 3 Super Bowl ... Jim Pugh can count at least 12 players on his roster who saw significant time in the postseason last year ... Gloucester coach Paul Ingram has a career record of 45-8 in five years with the Fishermen ... Masco's defense has allowed 10.9 points per game this season, even with defensive coordinator Joe Kulis playing a limited role due to complications from hip surgery.