After another long season under the lights, freshman football quietly put up another impeccable season.
This year’s squad separated itself from everyone else, going 8-0 and putting up a fight in their end-of-year jamboree, losing in the semifinals.
“Coming into the season we really didn’t know what to expect with this group,” said the quarterback coach and offensive coordinator Coach Case. “[The team] came to work everyday ready to go and eager to learn.”
The team’s offense averaged a superb 42 points a game, and their defense was as stout as any teams’ in the league, only allowing an average of 7 points a contest.
This team took a lot of pride in their defense, pitching a trio of shutouts and never failing to ‘bring the wood’.
“They flew around the field all year on defense, and it showed as our turnover rate was through the roof,” Case said. “They were aggressive and constantly came up with big plays, getting the offense back on the field.”
A major part of this team’s success on offense came from its running game. Their offensive as a whole averaged 380 yards a game, and 330 of those yards came on the ground.
Many of those yards fell squarely on the shoulders of power running back Lance Martineau.
“I’m humbled, but I’d have to say I had a great year,” Martineau said. “I have to give credit to my lineman and teammates, because I wouldn’t of had the success I had this year without their hard work.”
Martineau, along with quarterback Dylan MacEachern, are the leaders behind this esteemed squad.
“The team’s performance was outstanding,” MacEachern said. “We were productive on offense, and our defense held its ground by letting up only one or two touchdowns a game. This allowed our offense to do a lot better.”
Their numbers alone are extremely impressive, but it’s their charisma and maturity that really makes them stand out. These humbled young studs are starting to draw attention from teammates and coaches alike.
“There’s potential for something very special to happen with our football program,” Case said. “I’m very excited to see what the future holds for these guys.”
This sort of success is starting to become a trend for Londonderry’s freshman teams, as they are a combined 22-4 over the past three seasons. If this group of freshman can follow suit with last year’s freshman squad, Londonderry has the potential to dominate in the near future.
This young group isn’t only focused on becoming a playoff contender every year, but they’re also looking to re-write the history books and dominate against their rival Astros.
“My hopes are that the Lancer football organization will not only stay in the playoffs every year, but also my future teammates and I will be looking to consistently beat Pinkerton,” MacEachern said. “The ultimate goal is to win the state championship, and I know we can do it.”
With these playmakers leading a hungry pack of wolves already focused on next season, the future is promising for Lancer football.
“We are heading in the right direction and we have so much talent,” Martineau said. “I really hope that I can contribute to the program’s success in the near future.”
