DANVERS — They wanted to believe it could happen.
That's why they got up early all summer to lift weights. It's why they ran those extra miles when it would have been much easier to escape the heat and do something else. It's why they kept the faith that things could change.
Now, it has happened.
The Danvers High football seniors — 22 players who went through a winless season in 2007 and a one-win campaign last fall — reached a goal last night that few people would have thought possible when this season began: a winning record.
In one of the great North Shore football turnaround stories in recent years, the Falcons guaranteed themselves to have more victories than defeats this season, scoring early and often in a 38-15 triumph over Saugus on Senior Night at Dr. Deering Stadium.
"It's like a gift," 17-year-old senior Corey Walker, a wide receiver and cornerback for the Falcons, said of clinching a winning record. "We all came together to make this happen. Teamwork; it's all that really matters."
"It's awesome," added two-way tackle Jeff Turner, 18, another senior. "Everyone had their game faces on tonight; we were ready to take care of business."
Danvers (6-4) ended its Northeastern Conference Small slate with a 3-2 mark. They end the season Thanksgiving Day in Gloucester against the unbeaten Fishermen (10-0).
The Falcons wasted little time in taking the lead and holding onto it for good last night. Senior Clinton Lutz (101 yards on 15 carries) scored on each of his team's first two drives: a 48-yard dash into the end zone off a double handoff, and a 5-yard power burst off right tackle.
Senior fullback John McInnis (83 yards on nine carries) increased the lead to 20-0 a minute before halftime when he danced and cut his away from several would-be Saugus tacklers and traipsed into the end zone from 18 yards out. Lutz added the two-point conversion rush.
"This was a game for all of our seniors," said Danvers head coach John Sullivan, who praised the play of his long snapper, senior Tim Duggan. "We wanted to make sure they went out (on their home field) as winners; they definitely deserve it.
"We got off to a good start this season (3-0), and that gave us a tremendous amount of confidence going forward. But the biggest thing was the work these guys have put into the season, both before it started and during it. They've done as well as they have because they earned it."
Undermanned Saugus (1-8 overall, 0-5 NEC Small), to its credit, never packed it in; they ran their option package successfully at times and scored on a 46-yard quarterback keeper from John Moore in the third quarter. But Danvers got the score back when senior captain Greg Ladd hit junior end Zach Ryan on a play-action pass in stride, making it 26-7 after three.
Backup running backs Nick Valles (11-yard run) and senior Kevin Davis (6-yard run) added the last two scores for the Falcons, while Nick Benoit's 26-yard run for Saugus with 4.9 seconds to play closed the scoring.
Senior co-captain Eric Burgos, who has missed his team's last three games with a collarbone injury, suited up last night for his final home game and attempted three extra points.
The other Falcon seniors playing for the last time at Deering Stadium included Dan Skinner, Steven Hennessey, Nick Serino, Ryan Dennett, Nikolas Longo, Ian Roach, Ryan Hegarty, Ben Roy, Mike Spiewak, Ryan Shallow, Kell Falite, Dan Stanton, Joe Cote and Harrison Gilliss.
"After two tough seasons," said Walker, "this is the year we're always going to remember."
