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Whittier's offense stalls against Northeast

Saturday, September, 25 By Mike McMahon
Staff writer

WAKEFIELD — It’s not a sight head coach Kevin Bradley and the Whittier coaching staff is used to seeing.

The Wildcats’ offense, which traditionally stuffs the running game down the throat of opponents on a weekly basis, was reduced to rubble in yesterday’s 24-6 defeat at the hands of Northeast, the defending Division 4A Super Bowl champs.

Whittier’s offense ran for 429 yards against Division 1 Revere last Saturday, averaging nearly seven yards per carry, but managed to rush for just 68 against Northeast, with a yard-per-carry average under three (2.7).

“That’s the first time in four or five years we haven’t be able to get going and move the football,” Bradley said. “We need to find a way to move it. Our line has pride and we just need to get back to the drawing board, coach them up. We’re going to watch the film and find out what we did wrong. This is our worst showing on offense in four or five years. The stats arent going to look good. We usually hold the ball and wear the other team down.”

Mike Melling took all of the quarterback snaps in place of Shane Surette, who was battling a flu but still played as a back and lined up as a receiver despite hot, overbearing sun beating down on the field.

Surette rushed for Whittier’s only score in the fourth quarter and made a beautiful running catch for a 33-yard gain earlier in the half.

“He gave us all he had,” Bradley said. “I give him a lot of credit because 99 out of 100 guys would take a day off but he stepped up and told me he’d do as much as he could do for as long as he could.”

When asked if he thought the unseasonably late-September heat had anything to do with his offense’s lack of movement, Bradley replied, “It was hot last week, too, and we ran for 400 yards against a big school.”

On both sides of the ball, Northeast’s line dominated, opening gaping holes for its backs while the Whittier runners had trouble escaping the backfield.

“That line will be back,” Bradley said. “They’re proud of themselves. We’ll have a good, hard week of practice and we’ll be back. We better have a different outcome.”