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Can Fishermen live up to conference favorite status?

Wednesday, September, 05 By Matt Langone
Staff writer

Cam Marston was a 10-year-old Gloucester youth soccer player in the fall of 2000.

But he can still remember the excitement that consumed the city when the beloved Gloucester High School football team defeated Foxboro in the Division 3 Super Bowl.

"I wasn't able to watch the Super Bowl that year, but I remember that it was all anyone talked about in Gloucester for a while after the game," said Marston. "I went to all the regular-season games that year. I was a huge fan of the team."

Things have changed for Marston over the past seven years. He no longer is a soccer player, but instead a senior captain of the Gloucester football team. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound tight end is also a key factor in determining if Gloucester can win the Northeastern Conference outright for the first time since 2001 and return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2000, accomplishments that are often expected from the football crazed community.

"I'm a senior and this is my last chance to do something for this program," said Marston. "Gloucester is such a big football city and when we play, we have the whole city looking at us. The community expects excellence from the team, and that's motivation for us."

This season, excellence will once again be expected from the Fishermen, and with good reason. Gloucester is picked by many to win the NEC and get back to the playoffs. Among the people, impressed with the Fishermen, is Masconomet head coach Jim Pugh. who got to see his team compete against the Fishermen in a scrimmage last week.

"Gloucester is a very good team and they really handled us," Pugh said after the scrimmage. "They are going to be one of the teams to beat in the NEC Large this season." With all of that said, Gloucester head coach Paul Ingram has learned to harness his team's emotions and not buy into the hype.

"We've faced expectations before, and I tell the kids that they just have to play the game," said Ingram, who enters his fifth year. "Everyone is shooting for us, as they do every year. There are no guarantees in football. "We really don't talk about Super Bowls and playoffs. Our goal is to get better in practice every day and things will fall into place. I've heard talk about us being good this year because we returned a lot of kids. But we really have to step it up."

Last year, the Fishermen turned in a tremendous 9-2 season, which was good enough for first in the NEC North Division. However, Winthrop won the conference outright and defeated the Fishermen 35-7.

With a winning percentage of over .800 and no playoff appearance to show for it, he Fishermen could've let frustration set in. But that isn't the case.

"We can't control Super Bowls," said Ingram. "We went 9-1 my first year and 10-1 my second year and didn't get to the playoffs."

The Fishermen return 12 starters, so experience should be a strength, along with overall team speed. Among the returners are three proven backs, including senior captain Andrew Fulford (811 yards, 22 touchdowns), senior Brian Harnish (four TDs) and junior Luis Hernandez (five TDs).

The defense will be anchored by Marston, senior captain Mario Peritore, senior captain Adam Quinn and senior Sal Taormina.

The biggest question mark right now, centers around the quarterback position. Junior Rick Gallant played well in the scrimmage against Masco, but senior Kyle Habecker and sophomore Brett Cahill may also factor into the decision.

On the other hand, teams without question marks in the preseason are few and far between on the North Shore. Ultimately, Gloucester's greatest task may be down-playing the expectations that surround the team every September, while also respecting them. But the Fishermen have had plenty of experience doing that.

"It doesn't matter if people say we're good," said Peritore, a three-year varsity player. "Every year the conference is always tough. We know that and the coaches know that. "We know the responsibility that comes with playing for Gloucester, and we want to fulfill that."

Tomorrow night Gloucester will have its first test and will undoubtedly have redemption on its mind, as the Fishermen host Winthrop under the lights (7 p.m.).

Last year's record: 9-2

Head coach: Paul Ingram (5th year)

Captains: Mario Peritore, Adam Quinn, Andrew Fulford, Cam Marston

Style of offense: Wing-T

*Style of defense: *4-3

Last winning season: 2006

Last league title: Last outright league title was 2001

Did you know?: Andrew Fulford set the single-season record for TDs at Gloucester with 22 last year. He also came within six points of tying the single-season scoring record last season with 134 points. The record is 140 set by Jason Thompson in 1991.