SAUGUS — Mark D'Addario is indeed the leading rusher at Peabody High in the 2000s — though you wouldn't have known it by looking at Thanksgiving morning's boxscore.
A senior headed to Division 1 Sienna to play lacrosse, D'Addario was held to 12 yards on 14 carries by an inspired and disciplined Saugus defense.
"He's a tremendous player; one of the hardest backs we've faced this year," said Sachems head coach Mike Broderick. "We spent the whole week saying we had to stop him and make Peabody do something else. We knew if he got going, he'd kill us."
D'Addario wrapped us his career as the first Tanner back to surpass 1,000 yards in a season in 13 years. He gained 1,011 yards on 204 carries and scored nine TDs this fall.
For his career, D'Addario gained 2,131 yards — a number that placed him among the elite Tanner runners in recent memory alongside the likes of Frank Candela and Lee Miller.
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It's been said that Peabody High losing to Saugus on Thanksgiving in 2006 was the program's lowest moment in the last half-century. Where yesterday's jaw-dropping defeat at the hands of those same Sachems fits in remains to be seen.
The defeat closed the books on Peabody's worst gridiron decade since the 1960s. The Tanners went 54-49 in the 2000s. After finishing 3-8 in 2009, they've suffered five straight losing seasons for the first time since 1954-58.
The program still hasn't fielded a winning team since long-time coach Ed Nizwantowski was dumped following the 2004 season. The Tanners began this decade 41-9 under "Niz" and went 13-40 in the combined efforts of Paul Uva (2005-06), Dick Woodbury (2007) and current head coach Scott Wlasuk (2008-09).
Peabody's seniors spoke last week of their determination to go out with a win and get the Sachems back for 2006's crushing defeat. But Saugus made sure it didn't happen yesterday with a determined effort on the offensive and defensive lines.
How do the once proud Tanners get back near the top of the heap among North Shore gridiron teams? The way they got there in the 1990s — hard work, determination and trust in each other and the program.
"I'm determined to make this work. It means more to me than anything," Wlasuk said. "No matter what it takes, we're going to find a way."
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A senior salute to Justin Provencher, who has his usual big game at linebacker and got the start at fullback for the first time. He had Peabody's biggest play of the day with a 38-yard TD run on an early wedge play, reminiscent of Kevin Bettencourt's scampers last year.
Peabody didn't score much, so Provencher's ace kicking leg wasn't showcased. But his tying field goal against Winthrop and a walk-off winner at Arlington last year will be lasting memories. The senior's future is probably kicking, but the feeling here is he could play linebacker at the next level as well.
"Justin's been one of our best all year. He's really represented what we're all about," said Wlasuk.
