PEABODY — The buzz around the Bishop Fenwick football team is clear as the Crusaders gear up for Saturday’s Division 6 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium.
“The team energy has been awesome,” junior captain Matt Juneau said. “You can see it at practice. We’re all excited and getting ready to go. Every day closer you just get more and more ready. Mentally ready, physically ready so it’s going to be exciting.”
Along with a chance to clinch Fenwick’s first state championship since 2013, Juneau and his teammates see this game as an opportunity to reward their seniors and send them off the right way.
“It’s an awesome opportunity,” Juneau said. “Our seniors are a great group of guys. There’s nothing better than playing for these seniors. They give it their all and we’ve been with each other for three years now. Just being able to be at this point with them and being with your brothers in the Super Bowl, there’s nothing better.”
Fellow captain TJ Hazard’s one of those seniors. You can point out Hazard on the offensive line by the bulky wrap protecting his broken right hand.
“I broke my hand a couple weeks ago,” Hazard said. “It’s not too bad to be honest. I don’t need my hands that much. I can’t hold anyone with it on so I guess that actually helps in a way.”
Hazard, along with Juneau, plays a key role in Fenwicks offense up front. The Crusaders have plenty of playmakers on offense but it all starts up front with the communication in the trenches.
“It’s a big communication thing,” Hazard said. “We have a lot of chemistry. We know what’s going on so it helps with stuff like picking up blitzes and audibling if needed. There’s chemistry across the line because we talk so much. It makes it really easy to run plays.”
Juneau agrees.
“Everyday our biggest thing is we work on communication,” Juneau said. “Last year that was one of our disadvantages. This year we’re picking up everything, blitzes, footwork, technique. We just need to talk to each other.”
The captains’ jobs don’t stop on the offensive side. Both play key roles up front for Fenwick’s defense which will have its hands full Saturday against South sectional champion Ashland.
“We’re aggressive,” Juneau said. “We like to hit. We love (defensive) coach (Dave) Dugan, he’s done a great job the whole season with our defensive gameplans and we’re just executing.
“Their offense is amazing,” Juneau said. “Their quarterback is great. The ball’s out before wide receivers even finish their routes. So for us to win we need to stop them.”
Hazard sees playing on the New England Patriots’ home turf at Gillette Stadium as a humbling experience. But as the Super Bowl wears on it’ll be important for the team to settle in.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Hazard said. “It’s cool to think about. But once the game starts it’s just another game. We’re going in there looking for a win. On the line we’re looking to play a good game and control the line of scrimmage.”
Hazard has learned that himself and his teammates play a key role in impacting every game and that won’t change Saturday (11 a.m.) against Ashland.
“I think sometimes the line can set the tone,” Hazard said. “If we’re getting blown up then it’s hard to do anything, it seems like it all starts with us. If we’re having a good game I think the whole team can get energized off of that and it can affect the game a lot.”
