'A One Game Season'

Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game between and Dedham holds no playoff implications, league title or Super Bowl implications - or even anything close to those - but is still a truly important game to the Mustangs.

"Its a huge game," Norwood Head Coach John Sarianides said. "We're 2-8 - we need a win. It's a huge game, especially for me as a Norwood alum, and being a teacher in the system. We have been working hard the last couple days, we are going to prepare them and get them ready. We are going to go out there and compete and try to win this thing."

Both schools have a combined win total of only three games this year, versus 17 losses, and had similar losing seasons last year. For 13 Norwood seniors, this will conclude their high school career, and for many of them will likely be the final time they strap on a football helmet.

"We want to go out on a good note," senior tight end/defensive end Doug Jensen said. "This is our last chance to show we have it in us."

"Its kind of sad it's over," senior wide receiver/outside linebacker and four-year player Owen Gerty said. "I want to win."

After five consecutive years of Norwood Thanksgiving Day victories, Dedham ended that streak last year, winning a tight affair, 26-25, in game that saw three lead changes. The final points were scored by a Dedham touchdown with a minute remaining in the game for the dramatic win.

"Last year, they won it and broke those senior hearts," senior Cornerback AJ Cignarella, who won the team's this season. "So hopefully we can avenge that loss last year, come back this year and win it. It would mean a huge deal to us and every other senior to show we have it in us."

"It will be good to end the year and get momentum for next year," junior quarterback Tommy Munro said. "But I want to win for the seniors. Its been a rough season and hopefully, they (seniors) can end it, with a win."

Though Sarianides is only in his first year as head coach and had no part of last year's game, he himself is no foreigner to the Norwood/Dedham rivalry. A Norwood graduate of 1993, Sarianides fondly remembered his own experience as a player.

"They were very tough, physical team," Sarianides said, referring to the early 90's Dedham teams. "They still have that attribute, but they were a competitive Bay State team (then). They are still tough and physical and still bring it."

After defeating Braintree in this year's season opener, 12-8, Dedham went on to lose their next nine straight games, eight of them by two touchdowns or more, before nearly catching Wellesley by surprise late in last week's game, before ultimately falling 22-14.

Conversely, the 2-8 Mustangs, lost four games by only 10 points or fewer this season. The team knows a loss is still a loss, but many players feel confident they can right the wrongs that led to such defeats.

"We just need to tweak some things," Jensen said. "Everything is good, we just make these small mistakes that turn into big plays. If we can keep down the big plays, we should be fine."

"We have to be consistent, " Cignarella said. "Every other game, we haven't been that consistent. We play one half, or one quarter. We have to play consistent the whole game."

Sarianides said the key to a Mustang victory will be limiting the big plays and effectiveness of talented Dedham running back Shane Lowe, and limiting the effective intermediate passing game, led by the Marauder's quarterback Dan O'Connor. 

"We have to put the 2-8 portion of the season behind us and have to focus," Sarianides said. "Dedham does a nice job in their spread offense, both ways. Offensively, we need to make big plays. We think there are some big things we can do."

Norwood practice attitude was loose, playful and spirited a week before the game.

"We feel pretty confident," junior Shaquile Joseph said. "The coach has been working us hard. We have done everything he has told us to do and we are ready."

"It's a one game season now," Sarianides said. "This is our Super Bowl and I think they know this is it. I think they are going to give us everything the have and they will do whatever it takes to win this football game. We need to do that collectively to win it though, it just can't be our seniors that put it all on the line."