Longships and runestones aside, the Vikings of Triton are on a dire mission.
Looming in Triton's path are the Pioneers of Lynnfield. A team that despite a ragged, battle-worn record of 1-5, has shown great resolve and mettle in each of its contests, most notably against undefeated Georgetown (a 14-0 loss) and Wilmington (a 14-7 defeat).
But the Vikings and their coach Jim O'Leary know the price at stake and are cognizant of how desperate the Pioneers need a win.
"They're a team that's explosive. They run a spread offense so they can score fast if given the chance. We're not taking them lightly and we have our work cut for us," said coach O'Leary. "Basically they're a team that's been playing well that just hasn't seen the results. They're hungry for a win, no question about it. We're aware of that. We need to play our game and see what we can do from there."
On a two-game winning run and still soaring after a lopsided upset of North Reading last Saturday (33-7), the Viking morale is currently whistling.
"We're certainly gaining confidence as we go. Last week we really put everything together. That was our best game of the year obviously in all aspects — special teams, offense, it all came together," O'Leary said. "That was great to see, and because of that victory, the team's confidence is at an all-time high right now. We want to keep this momentum going."
A pair of Triton's most prominent figureheads are senior/captain Sam Ferrara — a wily quarterback with a reckless and frenetic play style — and junior Brendan O'Neil — a compact running back whose wheels keep spinning no matter the mud depth — two playmakers and yard-gainers that certainly make O'Leary's job that much easier.
"Sam has just been a pleasure to coach. He's been a true leader on the team from the very beginning," O'Leary said. "As he goes, we go, and both offensively and defensively he seems to make the big plays. When things get ruffled a bit, he knows how to calm the team down with his composure. He's a mature kid with contagious energy. For a guy his size, he plays a lot bigger, and that's what I love about him. He's a quarterback but he's tough.
"I saw Brendan on film a little bit from last year and what really impressed me was his work ethic. The kid worked harder than anybody in the weight room during the off-season, and this summer he didn't miss a workout. That's what makes him so good," O'Leary said. "He has a desire to be good and he puts in the effort. He started a little slow this year, but he's picked it up over the last two games, and he's a dangerous runner because he's not an easy guy to tackle. When he's in the open field he has enough speed to break away."
Ferrara, a 17-year-old who is also on the baseball team, knows that the Vikings cannot take the Pioneers for granted, and that the makeup of this year's team will ensure just that.
"Every game and every opponent needs to be treated the same regardless of record. We learned that the hard way last year. We took some teams lightly and lost some winnable games," said Ferrara. "You can't take any opponent lightly, because in this league everybody is just as good. Anybody can come away as the victor.
"The tempo is the difference this year. Everybody is just so upbeat on the field. There's confidence coming from everywhere," said Ferrara, who recognized O'Neil's strong running game, stating that no one player can take him down.
A running back since he was in second grade, 16-year-old O'Neil, who modeled his running game after his father, Brian O'Neil — a running back on the 1987 Harvard University squad — may be that much harder to take down because of his training in wrestling.
"I think wrestling really helps out with football due to the focus on balance," said O'Neil, whose father taught him and Ferrara to always fall forward when carrying the ball. "You always need to keep a strong base."
Though his background in wrestling has been instrumental for his running game, O'Neil insists that this year's team has been finding success due to the tireless lifting and running sessions they instilled during the off-season.
"It's just been a real team effort this year. Everyone's been working real hard. Last year there were only a select few who really put the effort in during the summer months, but this year it was a large majority of the team," said O'Neil, who credits Ferrara with being an exceptional team leader even before the season began. "The hard work has really improved everyone's speed and strength; it's really enabled the line to get on their blocks. Adam Ouellet and Pat Carney are among two of the guys that worked tremendously hard in the offseason, and as a whole, it's really showing right now."
Brayden Schenn scores a goal against his brother Luke
What is ailing the Flyers?
Briere on facing the Maple Leafs
Flyers on Bobrovsky starting and work ethic
Schenn and Hartnell help the Flyers snap their skid
Iguodala is selected to his first All-Star Game
What is the injury situation with Hawes?
Brayden Schenn on trade rumors surrounding his brother, Luke Schenn
Highlights: PSU - (11) MSU
Spurs eighty-six 76ers
John Wall on how they had trouble stopping Jeremy Lin and the Knicks pick and roll-2/8
Teach me how to "Beat LA"
The Flyers lose three straight for the first time this season
The Flyers had no answers for Nabokov
John Wall got the energy going for the Wizards on Monday night-2/7
SportsTalk Live: Manning to the Skins a mistake - 2/7
Maria Menounos in Giants Bikini After Losing Bet
The Hoyas talks about playing Syracuse at the Carrier Dome-2/7
Matt Hendricks: 'It was a big two points for us'--2/7
Tomas Vokoun talks about the shutout win over the Panthers-2/7
