PEABODY — A perennial state-championship contender, the Bishop Fenwick football team spent last year on the outside looking in after the MIAA imposed a school-wide postseason ban on the school. This year, however, there is new hope for the Crusaders to make some noise in the postseason and, perhaps, contend for a state championship.
But Dave Woods, who has compiled a record of 198-93 in his 26 years as head coach of the football team, said he has only one goal in mind: be ready to go on opening day when Fenwick hosts Marblehead at Steven E. Donaldson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6.
“Right now, our goal is just to be ready to play Marblehead and work on getting better every day,” he said.
With 15 returning positions – eight on defense, seven on offense – Fenwick looks to be built for success after a 6-5 season in 2023, a season described on the Bishop Fenwick website as “one of the oddest seasons in Fenwick football history” due to the postseason ban.
The Crusaders started like gangbusters on a revenge tour, winning their first four games and demolishing the competition in the process, averaging 41 points per game.
But that was as good as it got for the Crusaders, who dropped four of their next five games to fall to 5-5. Fenwick, which averaged only 18 points per game during that stretch, rebounded to beat Masconomet, 39-3, on Thanksgiving Day.
There will be no Turkey Day rematch with the Chieftains this year. Instead, the Fenwick-St. Mary’s rivalry has been revived.
“Both St. Mary’s and us had Thanksgiving opponents that were at the end of a two-year deal and it seemed to make sense (to play this year),” Woods said.
For the record, one of Fenwick’s six wins in 2023 came at the expense of the Spartans, who Fenwick thrashed, 48-16.
This year, the Crusaders will be led by senior captains Brayden Clifford, Lincoln Dugan, Aiden Byrne and Dylan Patturelli. Clifford returns at quarterback, while Dugan returns as a defensive back. Byrne returns as an offensive lineman and Patturelli returns as the leader of the linebacking crew.
“All four of our captains had key contributions last year, and some for multiple years, so they know what to expect on Friday nights and they know how to prepare for games,” Woods said. “All four of them have put in a ton of work in the offseason and have done a great job of leading by example. They are great with the younger kids, making them feel comfortable while at the same time, showing them the commitment it takes to be successful. They are four awesome captains.”
Other offensive players returning with varsity experience include linemen Tyler Santos, Reid Smith and Luis Levenshti, tight end Odin Garron, and wide receiver Jesse Timson.
The defensive line has three returners in Levenishti, Tye Piraino and Garron. Tyler Connolly returns as a linebacker, while Dugan and Timson will anchor the secondary.
Promising newcomers include senior wide receiver/defensive back Nate Allder, senior tight end/linebacker Shane Conroy and junior running back/defensive back Craig Masone.
“All three of these guys have been in the program, but just haven’t had a lot of varsity experience,” Woods said.
Fenwick finished 3-3 in league play last year. Its first league game will be Sept. 21 when the Crusaders entertain Bishop Stang at home in a Saturday matinee at noon.
Woods said there’s no doubt as to who the cream of the crop is in the Catholic Central League.
“I think everyone in our league knows that Bishop Feehan is the team to beat,” he said. “We also look forward to renewing our Thanksgiving Day tradition with our biggest league rival St. Mary’s.”
In past years, there has been discussion over the timing of the state championship games, which, in some cases, has resulted in coaches sitting their starters on Thanksgiving Day to avoid injuries.
Woods is hoping that future Thanksgiving Day games may have more importance in the coming years.
“It also seems possible that the state will adopt a new 10-game schedule with the playoffs not starting until after Thanksgiving, so Thanksgiving games will have more meaning again,” he said. “Hopefully, that takes effect next season.”
