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IPSWICH | There was no way Hamilton-Wenham senior captain and running back Jake Cotter was going to miss his team's final game. Not against his team's biggest rivals, and certainly not on Thanksgiving.

Where: Ipswich High School Field

Date: Thursday

Time: 10 a.m.

Coaches: Andrew Morency, Hamilton-Wenham; Ted Flaherty, Ipswich.

Captains: Hamilton-Wenham: Jake Cotter, Sr. RB/LB; Nate Masterson, Sr. RB/LB; Tom Drinkwater, Sr. OL/DL; Ipswich: Chris Tolios, Sr. OL/LB.

Can you recall your first varsity game playing for Beverly High in 1985?
"It was pretty exciting. I was a junior and we played at Manning Bowl. My cousin Pat Barror was the quarterback and was hurt in midseason, so I got my first start. We won, 3-0, on Mark LeClair's field goal in the third quarter. I was nervous, but lucky to have a championship team around me and felt confident. What was special was completing a pass to my brother John.

When it became apparent that the Hamilton-Wenham football team would be able to capture the Cape Ann League Small championship this season, the Generals simply shifted their team goals: win four of their final five games.

Hamilton-Wenham football coach Andrew Morency didn't have a good feeling heading into yesterday's game against Lynnfield, knowing Generals' standouts Jake Cotter and Dave Littlefield would be on the sideline.

BYFIELD | The Triton football team drew first blood against Hamilton-Wenham last night, but it would all be down hill from there.

The Vikings fell to 1-7 with a 17-7 loss to the Generals at Triton High.

To say that Hamilton-Wenham needed this one might be a bit of an understatement.

Looking to snap a three-game losing streak and stay alive in the Cape Ann League Small race, the Generals rode the rugged running of captains Jake Cotter and Nate Masterson to a 14-7 triumph over Amesbury Saturday afternoon at Sawyer Field. "This is huge," Masterson said. "We were on a three-game skid, and it's good to get back."

HAMILTON | No one has to tell coach Andrew Morency and his Hamilton-Wenham football team that this is the most arduous part of the season.

The Generals were feeling it physically and mentally here Saturday after Cape Ann League power Wilmington dominated them in every phase of the game in a 31-7 thumping.

NEWBURYPORT | The balance of power shifted in the Cape Ann Small last night with Newburyport emerging as the team to beat.

The Clippers (3-2) beat a Hamilton-Wenham team many believed to be the CAL Small front-runner in convincing fashion | 34-13 | at World War Memorial Stadium. Clippers tailback Justin Burl was the workhorse, carrying the ball 31 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

WENHAM -- If momentum were a material object owned permanently by a particular person or group of people, Masconomet's Chris Splinter would have left Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School in handcuffs Saturday afternoon.