CCHS Football Team Sets Sights on Another Super Bowl Run

The 35-13 loss in the Division 2A Super Bowl last December at Gillette Stadium was, of course, difficult for the Concord-Carlisle High School football team. After all, it was the school’s first appearance since 1978.

But coach Mike Robichaud said that the squad’s report card was pretty good in his book. While the season didn’t end in their favor, the Patriots, who finished the year 10-3, got back on the turf this week to start preparing for another shot at the title trophy they so hope to raise in the air come this December.

“Last year was a good year,” Robichaud said Wednesday morning after practice. “I think we improved as a football team, I think we took the next step as a program, and what I mean by that is I think our overall identity of what we’re trying to be, which is more cohesive, kind of on from the 9th grade up through the 12th grade, in terms of how we treat each other, how we work with each other, how we train with each other, support each other; not only football-wise, but otherwise. 

“I saw a lot of improvement in that area,” Robichaud continued, “and that really helped us because when things got tough I think the relationships just among the guys were a little more tight and meaningful.”

In 2009, the Patriots won the Dual County League Small Division for the first time in a while, but their season ended earlier than desired.

“We had made it to the playoffs, but we were disappointed, and last year we kind of took that next step and we were able to be successful in the playoffs and got to the championship game,” Robichaud said.

“Unfortunately that didn’t work out the way that we wanted it to, but I think that we did get better kind of mentally, we did get better physically and I think that lines us up to hopefully be pretty good this year.”

Returning personnel was the first thing Robichaud looked at after last season ended. He took stock of which players were graduating and in what areas and positions they provided a lot of strength, as those would be vacant.

“I think that we’re starting to address those areas,” coach said. “Our three captains last year — Jibrail Coy, Peter George and Ryan Ruiz — were our best players and one of them was a running back, one of them was our quarterback and the other was one of our offensive guards, and those are three critical positions to running your offense. So I think the kids have done a good job in the offseason of just understanding who the likely suspects are to try to fill those shoes and they’re working really hard to get there.”

Overall, Robichaud said he is looking to strengthen both offense and defense. They both have hot points, but can also improve.

“I think that on the offensive side of the ball we always seek to have more balance. It’s no surprise that we’ve been a running football team the last couple years, not a very sexy team in terms of throwing the ball around, but pretty effective,” he said.

“We look for more balance on offense and the running and the passing,” he continued. The Patriots are looking to be more diverse this season and more than Super Bowl runners-up.

“Defensively I think we were very, very good last year, but one area where we were vulnerable all year was our pass defense,” Robichaud said. “So really, ironically, on both sides of the ball, what we do well offensively, which is run the ball, we also do well defensively; we stop the run pretty well. 

“But what we didn’t do well last year on offense was pass and defensively we didn’t defend the pass all that well. So it’s really addressing those areas. I don’t think it’s changing our identity completely, but just a little bit more balance.”

With practices under way, Robichaud said it’s now time to start preparing for another long season.

“I’m really looking forward to just getting going,” Robichaud said. 

The Patriots host Beverly High School on Sept. 9 for the team’s first regular season game against the 2010 Division 3 Super Bowl champions, who beat Somerset High School 28-20 after falling 0-5 on the start of their season.

“We’re very, very focused on our first game, which is against Beverly, who, they’re not in our league, but they had a great, great season last year. They just gelled and came together and they capped off their year by winning the Super Bowl coming from behind. We were the game right after theirs so we got to see their team just celebrating on the field and just how elated they were to bring it all together.

“Things didn’t work out the way that we wanted, but that’s fresh on our minds,” coach continued. 

Concord-Carlisle is setting high goals that they no doubt are striving to achieve, through playing every game focused and being the best they possibly can in that game, coach said.

“I’m looking forward most to Beverly and just seeing how we come together; that’s the [most fun] part for me of coaching, is to see the progress of the kids, physically of course, but also you start to see just how these relationships begin to unfold and how they get tested and how they get put under a lot of pressure and how guys really work through that. It’s fun, it’s fun to watch.”