From The Press Box
Road Warriors
By: Jim Lederman
The 2016 Vikings football schedule includes three home games to be played at East Boston Stadium. The plans for construction of a new Miller field means no games at home this season.
The Schedule
Sept. 9 at Danvers 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 Medfield at East Boston
Sept. 23 at Lynn English (Manning)
Sept. 30 at Salem 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 Gloucester at East Boston
Oct. 15 at Saugus (11 a.m.)
Oct. 21 Swampscott at East Boston
Oct. 28/29 MIAA Tourney
Nov. 4/5 MIAA Tourney
Nov. 11/12 MIAA Tourney
Thursday, Nov. 24 at Revere
Danvers, Medfield and Lynn English are non-conference games.
The game to be played on Thanksgiving at Revere could decide the NEC South title!
Gloucester won the NEC South Title in 2015 and the Fishermen rate as the pre-season favorite this fall.
Gloucester (9-2) opens their 2016 campaign with two NEC North games at Lynn Classical on Sept. 9 and at Hurd Stadium in Beverly on Sept. 17th.
Revere coach Lou Cicatelli welcomed 60 players for the 2016 season. The Patriots (7-4) qualified for the MIAA playoffs last year, losing to Danvers (7-0) and Beverly (41-13).
The Patriots have 18 seniors returning and their leading rusher Victor Rivera. Oscar Lopez (5/11 – 195) was the Patriots leading receiver and has been switched to tail back.
Danny Murphy, NEC MVP and quarterback is playing at St. Anselm College.
Eddie Sullivan is the new Revere quarterback. He is an outstanding athlete, earning NEC al-stars status in Lacrosse.
The Patriots (1.800 enrollment) are in Division 1A North. The Patriots three non-league games at Medford, Sept. 9, Masconomet at home Sept. 16 and Lynn Classical at Della Russo Stadium Sept. 23rd.
Gloucester is in Division 2A North, with Danvers, Marblehead and Salem.
Skimming the Sidelines
Swampscott and Saugus are in Division 3 North. The Big Blue (4-7 in 2015) open Sept. 9 at Lynn English.
The Saugus Sachems open at Austin Prep on Sept. 9 and at Manchester-Essex on Sept. 16.
The Vikings will open the new Deering Stadium in Danvers next Friday night.
The ‘Road Warriors’ follow Revere, Danvers, Beverly and Salem teams that played on the road during construction of new stadiums.
The Vikings will practice on Miller Field until construction begins on the new stadium.
The New Hurd Stadium
The Vikings scrimmaged Beverly on Saturday morning at the new turf stadium in Beverly.
The Vikings and Beverly played two memorable games at the legendary ‘old’ Hurd Stadium.
In 1981 the Panthers and Vikings were both undefeated. The Vikings won a classic game (6-0) to capture the NEC title and they finished (11-0) winning the Super Bowl defeating Tewksbury (14-0) at Alumni Stadium on the campus of Boston College. Chuck Sullivan’s 76-yard touchdown run was one of the most memorable in Vikings football history.
In 1983 the Vikings and Beverly Panthers had another game that decided the NEC title and a trip to Foxborough for the Super Bowl.
The game ended in a (13-3) tile preserving the undefeated winning streak. The Vikings captured their second Super Bowl title defeating Xaverian (14-3).
1993 – the Vikings and Panthers defeated Beverly (21-7) to capture the NEC title at Hurd Stadium. All-Scholastic halfback Anthony ‘Touchdown Tony’ scored two touchdowns. The Vikings played in the Division 3A Super Bowl and lost in overtime (28-21) to Westford Academy in a game played at Miller Field.
The new Hurd Stadium has only one large set of bleachers on the visiting side and a new press box has not been built.
Beverly was on the road playing home games at Endicott College last year.
Beverly looked very strong on Saturday and will be a contender in the NEC North Division. (Peabody, Danvers, Lynn Classical, Lynn English, Marblehead and Beverly).
Extra Points
The Vikings will scrimmage Malden Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. in a jamboree at Macdonald Stadium in Malden.
The Vikings need the leadership of the 12 seniors on the team. Chris Zuffante, Matt Tarentino, Jon Gonzales, Luigi Spinazzola, Joe Trenouth, Gene August, Jonathan VanDaLinda, Andrew McGrail, Derek Wasson, Brendan Sullivan, Taylor St. George and Christian Rogers.
The Vikings have a proud tradition in the NEC and a strong senior class has always been a key to the Vikings success.