3 Keys to victory
Winthrop (3-0)
1. Don't concentrate the entire defense on Pat Bailey. The Vikings would be crazy to ignore Bailey, who's already rushed for 531 yards and seven touchdowns, but they have to prepare for a more well-rounded Panthers team this season. Junior Greg Pierce is quietly putting up good numbers as the secondary runner, quarterback Nick Tanzella has greatly improved his passing accuracy and the Panthers have developed several reliable receivers. As good as the Vikings are, it's a tall task.
2. Defuse Beverly's adrenaline. The Panthers are unaccustomed to playing big games the last few years and will be sky high to start this one. Beverly has enough talent to put Winthrop on its heels in the opening minutes, but if the Vikings play physical and establish who's boss, they could rattle the Panthers' confidence.
3. Don't play like it's the end of the world if you lose. This should be fairly simple for Winthrop, which has become a perennial contender for the Northeastern Conference title. As Winthrop coach Tony Fucillo pointed out, his team lost by a point to Gloucester in an early-season showdown last year, but the Vikings won the title anyway when they handled Danvers in Week No. 10.
Beverly (3-0)
1. Don't be intimidated by the big-game atmosphere. Beverly has won seven straight games dating back to the stretch run of last season, but it hasn't been in a game with title implications in eight years. The Panthers can ill afford to play tight against a team that has the confidence of a champion.
2. Stay calm in a close game. Beverly has shown the ability to put teams away early, which is an admirable trait, but that's unlikely to happen against an outstanding opponent like Winthrop. The Panthers have to be able to execute offensively and defensively with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, if it comes down to that. Winthrop's effort will be relentless and Beverly will have to match it and play smart.
3. Maintain defensive balance. Game planning against the Vikings is a nightmare. They have three players who've already rushed for more than 200 yards in Matt Murray, Jason Griffin and Joe McDermott, and quarterback James Fucillo is hitting slightly more than 66 percent of his passes and has yet to throw an interception. Beverly's defense can't take foolish chances, making it susceptible to big plays. If Winthrop puts together a long drive, so be it. The idea is to make the Vikings earn it.
STANDINGS
Northeastern Conference North
Conference Overall
School W L W L PF PA
Winthrop 2 0 3 0 119 28
Lynn Classical 2 0 3 0 81 34
Salem 2 0 2 0 42 24
Gloucester 1 1 2 1 100 56
Lynn English 1 2 1 2 33 53
Northeastern Conference South
Conference Overall
School W L W L PF PA
Beverly 3 0 3 0 109 25
Marblehead 1 2 1 2 27 74
Danvers 1 2 1 2 29 28
Saugus 0 1 0 2 6 83
Swampscott 0 2 1 2 48 75
Revere 0 3 0 3 28 100
Statistical leaders
WINTHROP
Rushing
Carries Yds TDs
1. Matt Murray 39 309 3
2. Jason Griffin 26 257 6
3. Joe McDermott 18 200 1
Passing
Comp. Att. Yds. TDs
James Fucillo 12 17 275 3
Receptions Yds. TDs
Anthony Guiliano 6 62 2
BEVERLY
Rushing
1. Patrick Bailey 59 531 7
2. Greg Pierce 22 204 3
Passing
Nick Tanzella 22 33 251 3
Receiving
Matt McAniff 4 88 0
Pat Abate 5 58 3
Sean Deady 6 58 0
J. Michael Nardella 4 32 0
Did you know?
The last time Beverly began the season 4-0 was 1998, when it finished 9-1. ...Winthrop's Matt Murray, a team captain, has two older brothers who were also captains for the Vikings. Dennis Murray played on Winthrop's 1993 Super Bowl team and Joey Murray was on the 1996 team that went 9-2. ... Beverly has won its first three games by an average margin of 28 points while Winthrop has won by an average of 30.3 points. ... The biggest defensive player for Winthrop is sophomore nose tackle Steve Keough, a 6-foot-1, 290 pounder. ... Winthrop coach Tony Fucillo calls Beverly's Pat Bailey arguably the best back in the conference and says two-way standout J. Michael Nardella is "any coach's dream." ... Beverly coach Dan Bauer cites the consistent offensive line play of junior right guard Levi Anderson and senior left tackle Nick Traicoff through the first three games. ... Two of the defensive leaders for Beverly are inside linebackers Nate Verry and Nardella. ... Nick Leonard has missed just one extra point attempt for Winthrop. ... The big stopper on defense for Winthrop is middle linebacker Phil Hamilton, a senior captain and a two-time conference all-star
