We’re celebrating an anniversary of sorts today. Five years ago, the sponsor that financed the plaques for The Item’s Gold Helmet Award backed out, leaving coaches and players pining for a weekly tradition that went back to the 1980s.That’s when the Agganis Foundation stepped in and took over the sponsorship of the award.Today, the tradition resumes with the naming of our first two Item/Agganis Foundation Players of the Week (see accompanying box).In a tough economy such as this, it’s important for the young people in the community to see its leaders supporting them and recognizing them. Someday, the kids getting the trophies and the accolades today will, hopefully, be handing them out to the next generation.And while it would appear to be a perfect fit that a foundation named for Lynn – and the North Shore’s – most legendary athlete ever, please do not underestimate the donation and the involvement.The foundation’s main purpose is to provide scholarships to student/athletes. And over the course of its life – which started in 1955 after the Classical/Boston University athlete (who later played for the Red Sox) died of a pulmonary embolism – the foundation has awarded $1,258,525 to 798 male and female athletes, including 16 this past summer.The foundation’s other purpose is to put on a dazzling display of Agganis All-Star Classics every July, which serve as one of the principal fund raisers for the scholarships.Any money that the foundation can donate for the betterment of high school athletes, whatever the venue, is generous. And the group should be applauded for stepping in the way it does.The offensive and defensive winners will be announced each Wednesday. The foundation will also present trophies at The Item’s football banquet this December to the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.Coaches wishing to nominate players for either award should contact The Item sports department (781-593-7700 x238) or email ([email protected]) on Sunday evenings between 6 and 10 p.m. Please include any relevant statistics, such as yards rushing, touchdowns, tackles, interceptions, or whether your nominee made a game-breaking, or game-saving play.uA quick recap of last week: When you’re going up against stronger opponents, you measure your victories in other ways besides the “W.” For example, Peabody’s Scott Wlasuk’s team may not have won Saturday’s game over St. John’s Prep, but the Tanners came out of the game relatively healthy (unlike last year, when they were decimated by injuries). They also moved the ball.”I thought they looked pretty good,” said Prep coach Jim O’Leary. “They’re going to be all right.”The same can be said for St. Mary’s, which may have lost 41-6 to Classical, but came out of the game without a scratch.It doesn’t get any easier for the Spartans this Saturday when they truck on over to Saugus (11) to play the Sachems.And speaking of Saugus, how about that 35-32 win? Coach Mike Broderick admits that he was plenty nervous down the stretch as Newburyport tried to come back.uLast year, Swampscott opened its season with a one-point win over Winchester. This year, the Sachems returned the favor ? English coach Peter Holey sounds like Nostradamus after saying, for the entire preseason, that his Bulldogs had to learn how to finish ? and how to win. When you consider English did everything except score Friday in a 6-0 loss to Beverly, Holey looks like a prophet ? Kudos to Marblehead, which won a gut-check game over Ipswich Friday in the first of two games it’ll have to play without Doug Chernovetz (suspension) ? Similar kudos to Revere, which handled Medford, 26-6. We’ll get a better idea of how the Patriots stack up Saturday when they travel to Blocksidge Field for a date with the Big Blue.Steve Krause is sports editor of The Item