Generals Will Meet Clippers, Again, in Quest for Super Bowl Berth

The percentages say you will not face a familiar opponent in the playoffs.

That is not the case in Division 3A football semifinal.

For the Generals, the Cape Ann League Tier 4 champion, and Newburyport, which captured the Northeast Conference, . Hamilton-Wenham prevailed, but that doesn’t mean they have the advantage.

“I thought it was a good early-season game,” said Clippers head coach Ed Gaudiano, whose team fell 18-6 at home. “Both teams have probably come a long way since then. I know we are a better team (than before), and after seeing Hamilton-Wenham during the season I know they are a very good team. I expect a good game.”

Hamilton-Wenham (10-0) and Newburyport (9-2) will square off at on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m. The winner faces the Bourne-Bishop Feenan winner in the Division 3A Super Bowl on Dec. 3.

The teams’ first encounter – in the third week - ended up being a very important part of the campaign for both squads. Hamilton-Wenham coach Andrew Morency said that it “was a turning point in our season” because it showed the team that it can play with anyone.

“We knew how tough (Newburyport) would be,” he said. “We knew they are a good team and they are very tough at home. Over the years it is one of the tougher places to play.”

While Newburyport lost its next game, to North Reading, it then ripped off seven consecutive wins leading into its rematch against Hamilton-Wenham.

It also appears that both squads will look a little different on offense.

The Generals will still stick with the 1-2, inside-outside punch of senior running back Eliott Burr and junior quarterback Trevor Lyons. But while Burr’s bulldozing style was featured in the first meeting, 25 carries compared to Lyons’s nine, as the season has progressed the two now split the carries more evenly.

And, it will be a tough task for the Clippers to hold the tandem in check like it did. The two combined to gain only 121 yards, which is typical in just a half for the duo.

Lyons was asked to throw the ball a little more than normal (9-for-15, 102 yards, 1 TD) in that game which also explained for his low number of carries.

“I still think (they will rely on) those two guys,” Gaudiano predicted. “As the season went along, Lyons became more of a threat. We’ve seen them spread the field out with their formation to create space for him. He can make a lot things happen – run or pass. And if you look at Elliot Burr, you know what you get: a power running game.”

Morency noted that sloppy weather and match-ups played a big part in the play calling but he doesn’t expect to go far from the norm on Tuesday.

“I think offensively we have to do what we do best. I don’t feel we have to alter too much for any team at this point in the season.” Morency said. “We need to get Trevor into open space and Elliot pounding it.”

But if the Generals need to move the ball through the air Lyons has shown that he is capable there, too. And he has many options, as he showed in the Newburyport win. His nine completions went to four different receivers.

Gaudiano admitted the Generals will most definitely see a different offense from the Clippers. With a young team consisting of only seven seniors and a couple nicks to key players, he was forced run more than pass (28-15) in the teams’ first encounter. He also will try to get the ball to wide receiver Brett Fontaine more. The junior had only three receptions, far off his season’s pace which has him at 79 catches.

“We will probably throw the ball more (on Tuesday),” he said. “Now we are more balanced between pass and run. We hope that will keep the defense on its heels.

“We will definitely try to get (Fontaine) the ball more. He’s a game-breaker.”

He did add that running back Tyler Martin will most likely get the ball more than his 13 carries in September. He was dealing with some injuries during that game, according to Gaudiano.

Defensively both teams rely on size at the line and linebacker position with aggressive play from the defensive backs. Both coaches didn’t foresee any reason to change too much at this point.

Gaudiano said he was excited to be able to play Hamilton-Wenham again.

“All I’ve wanted for the past couple of years is to have another shot at them. We’ve been chasing them for two years,” he said. “Rarely do you get a chance to play again and knock them off.”

Said Morency, “I think when you are 10-0 you try maintain the mentality of one game at a time. As a coach I can only hope for the best from my team. We have met all challenge head-on. We hope that will work (on Tuesday) and we can go on to the next challenge.”