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Former coach Connors thrilled with Wildcats’ progress

Wednesday, December, 03 By David Willis and Chuck Frye
Staff writer

LOWELL — Following yesterday’s Division 3A semifinal, no one had more praise for Whittier Tech than Amesbury football coach Thom Connors.

“That is a great team,” said Connors. “They are in the postseason all the time, three of the last four years. The ball bounced our way, but they played tough. They are a great program.”

Amesbury’s head man knows something about Whittier football. Connors was the head coach of the Wildcats from 1991-93.

When he arrived, Whittier had struggled to 11 straight losing seasons. In his first year, the Wildcats went 0-10, and in his second year they went 4-5. But in his final season, Whittier snapped the 13-year streak with a 6-3 record.

“When I got there it was rough,” he said. “It took a couple years to catch our footing. But by the time I left we were 6-3 and pretty competitive.”

Connors then served as offensive coordinator for Newburyport before taking over as Amesbury’s head coach in 2002. The Indians were 0-11 the year before he took over, and had lost 20 of their previous 21 games. After going winless his first season, Amesbury went 5-6 the second year and continued to grow, winning back-to-back Cape Ann League Small championships.

“I’ve been a coach for 30 years and Thom builds a program as well as anyone,” said assistant and long-time Haverhill head coach Bob Pike. “He knows what it takes.”

Connors was quick to compliment Whittier head coach Kevin Bradley, who followed Connors’ replacement, Harry Marchetti.

“Kevin has done an amazing job,” said Connors. “He has really taken this program to the next level.”

Trickett picks 2006 squad

When asked which Whittier playoff team was the best, two-way standout Bryan Trickett didn’t hesitate.

“The 2006 team. They were amazing, phenomenal,” said the senior shortly after his Wildcats fell to Amesbury. That squad won a 48-46 Division 3 semifinal slugfest over Arlington Catholic before falling in the Super Bowl to Medfield, 26-22.

“We had some of the best running backs in the state, I think. The line was enormous, they hit the gym a lot.”

Flashy running back Jay Pena, who just finished his freshman season with Delaware as a defensive back and special teams performer, and hard-hitting Joel Penney, MVP as a post-graduate at Wilbraham and Monson Academy, were the headline-grabbers for the ‘06 ‘Cats.

“It was a great feeling,” said Trickett, a kicker and backup middle linebacker on that squad. “I wanted that same feeling this year but ... we got close to it.”

And on the close of his high school career, Trickett observed, “It went really good considering most players haven’t made the playoffs. I’m proud of our team for making it this far.”

Trickett hopes to continue his gridiron career in college, with schools like Merrimack, Endicott, Norwich and Westfield State in his sights for next fall.

Signs were there

After a 4-7 record last season, few expected Whittier to make the big climb back into the playoff picture. And that included head coach Kevin Bradley.

“We were saying as a coaching staff that our kids are young and we don’t know what team we have,” he said. “Then somebody different came up with a big play for us in every game and we were still trying to figure our what type of team we are.”

Two big wins became indicators, tip-offs to a special season.

“Beating Shawsheen was one (a 24-7 win on Oct. 25),” Bradley said. “Then when we played Minuteman (Nov. 8), we were worried about their passing game and we just came up and played hard on them (in a 40-0 shutout). Then we figured out what we had.”

But Trickett had an inkling good things could happen right from the beginning.

“We had a feeling we’d do good over the summer. We worked out as a team all the time, we’d play pickup games at Haverhill Stadium, we participated in 7-on-7 passing leagues. We’d keep in contact. We had a feeling we’d make it far.”

Experience pays off for Flannigan

Pressure, what pressure?

Amesbury quarterback Jared Flannigan was a cool customer.

“I think it helped (being in the playoffs last year, losing to Greater Lawrence Tech),” Flannigan said. “We knew what it was like to play in playoff atmosphere. We were ready this time.”

As has become his M.O., the diminutive 5-6 senior never got rattled against the Wildcats, showing off some impressive moves that either gained him daylight or earned him blocking help to create some daylight. Flannigan’s every move had a purpose, and more often than not he produced results to the tune of a game-high 97 yards on just eight carries and a touchdown.

“I try not to let anything bother me,” Flannigan said. “It takes a lot to get to me, I’m just that type of guy. We’re focused in practice, and every day I practice I get better and better.”

And having productive backfield cogs like classmates Jesse Burrell and Kevin Johnston can also create a calming work environment.

“Oh, yeah,” he concluded. “That makes everything easier.”

Additional stories:

• Jittery Whittier can’t get going, falls to Amesbury
• Wildcats rally around Bradleys after family illness