By Lorenzo Recupero
It’s September again and that means just one thing for the City of Everett: High School Football is back. In 2018, the Crimson Tide dominated the regular-season and entered the playoffs undefeated, but a tough, 23-20, semifinal loss to Central Catholic cut short a phenomenal first season for head coach Theluxon Pierre.
In the playoff loss, Coach Pierre and his staff felt the referees altered the outcome of the game that ended their undefeated season, calling a holding penalty away from the ball on what would have been a game-winning 60-yard touchdown pass.
This year, with the playoff loss in the rearview, Coach Pierre and the Tide are on a mission to prove they are still the number one team in Massachusetts
Everett Crimson Tide
Head coach: Theluxon Pierre (2nd year)
Coaching record: 11-1
Record last year: 11-1 (eliminated in D.1 North Semifinal)
Playing surface: Artificial turf (Veterans Memorial Stadium)
Returning starters: Duke Doherty, junior, quarterback; Tyrese Baptiste, junior, wide receiver; Eli Auguste, senior, wide receiver/cornerback; Ismael Zamor, sophomore, wide receiver; Samy Lamothe, junior, running back/safety; Josaiah Stewart, junior, defensive end; Joh Malloy, senior, center; Justin Boyce, junior, left guard; Davi Pereira, senior, left tackle; Trey Sejour, senior, linebacker
Strengths: Team speed, wide receivers
Concerns: Offensive/defensive line, overall depth
Keys to the season/coaches outlook: The Crimson Tide will feature a balanced offensive attack in 2019, with quarterback Duke Doherty — a dual-threat with his arm and feet — returning for his second year as starter to go along with a trio of returning wide receivers (Baptiste, Zamor, Auguste) that coach Pierre is confident will propel the offense with speed and experience. “When you got guys that have been there before, and they’re great athletes like ours, you got to be able to get open and find those guys and they understand that,” said Pierre of his receiving corp. “They are very fast,” said Pierre of his offensive weapons. As for last season, Coach Pierre is ready to dispense the playoff loss and use it as fuel. “There’s always a chip [on our shoulders] every year, especially when you felt like you’re the best team in the state and didn’t win the title,” said Pierre of the team’s motivation to get back to the Super Bowl and win it again this season. “We won’t look ahead and will take it one game at a time. But this group of players, they are special,” said Pierre.
Season opener: Friday, September 6 vs. Central High School @ Veterans Memorial Stadium (5PM kickoff)