Throw the stats, records, history, and everything else out when looking at this game. Because at 11:00 on Saturday morning, a 6-6 Beverly team will be battling for a State Championship, and if their opponents decide to judge them by anything but what they showed Tuesday night, there will be a lot of people celebrating in the North Shore this weekend.
As has been well documented by everyone who has covered Beverly, the Panthers started the season an abysmal 0-5. None of that matters now, as they were spotless in league play, and dominated a very good Scituate team Tuesday night. Offensively, their Wing-T may be clicking better than any other team still alive. Brendan Flaherty has been an absolute monster the second half of the season, scoring 15 touchdowns in his teams last seven contests.
What has most propelled Beverly to its recent success is their defense. They haven't allowed over 19 points, and have helped their team post a 97-point margin of victory in their six wins. George Kastiniakis and Blake Sullivan forced timely turnovers in their win against Scituate, and the defense as a whole will need more of that if they hope to beat Somerset.
For as precise as the Beverly Wing-T attack has been, there is one team that perhaps runs it better: Somerset. The Blue Raiders offense is very much a reason for their undefeated record. They have outscored opponents 428-125 and have been held under 30 points just four times. Seniors Javon Spear and Seth DeMello have accounted for over 40 combined touchdowns, and their offensive line has handled every opponent with ease.
Defensively, they are playing their best football of the year. They have pitched two consecutive shutouts, holding both opponents to fewer than 10 first downs per game. Up front they have good size and agility, and their linebackers are sure tacklers who read and react well.
It sounds obvious, but the offensive line that is most physical will lead its team to victory. Somerset has an advantage in the size department, but there may not be a hungrier unit that Beverly.
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