Blue Devils locked and loaded - Sentinel & Enterprise Article

By Rick Eggleston 
                    

LEOMINSTER -- It's only September, but the Leominster
High football team's season opener Saturday will have the
big-game feel of mid-October.

And it should, as it's not every year you get to open your
season against Super Bowl champions. But that's exactly
what the Blue Devils will do when they face Eastern Mass.
Division 1 power Everett, 1 p.m. Saturday at Doyle Field. 

The exciting match-up kicks off what promises be an equally
as thrilling and productive 2002 season for the
veteran-laden Blue Devils, who've taken on a demanding
12-game schedule.

"We have 14 starters back -- eight kids on defense, six on
offense,'' said 17-year Leominster head coach John
Dubzinski. "They have some experience so we're looking
forward to the season. We have a tough opening game, but the
kids are excited about it. We're playing 12 games, so it's a
lot of football.''

A lot of football indeed, as the Blue Devils enter the
season on the heels of an 8-3 campaign in which their Super
Bowl dreams were derailed by league nemesis
St. John's-Shrewsbury, and league rival Fitchburg on
Thanksgiving.

But all that -- anyone wearing a blue and white uniform will
surely tell you -- is long in the past. The time is now, and
Everett is the first test that the Blue Devils hope to ace.

"It's going to be great playing a great team like Everett,''
said Dubzinski, who has agreed to play Everett for the next
two seasons. "It's good for us because we were looking to
upgrade our non-league schedule a little bit, and they're a
great non-league opponent. ... It's good for our kids and
will help make us a better team.''

That, for all intents and purposes, is already a pretty darn
good squad to begin with.

Twenty-one seniors lead the Blue Devils, including captains
Kevin L'Ecuyer, Adam Meza, Kevin Barnaby, James Giadone and
Pat Moran. In addition, there's senior starters Garrett
Donatelli, Kyle Clarke, Jeremy Hanson, Chris Cote, Joe
O'Connell, Mark Heinold, Mark Curley, Blake Curry and Mark
Daigneault.

"We've had a lot of kids back before, but I think we have
more kids back on defense than we've ever had,'' noted
Dubzinski. "We've got some experience, they've all played.''

Linebackers Giadone and Moran anchor the Devils'
defense. The two combined to rack up over 200 tackles last
season, and will be pressed to match those numbers again
this season, especially now that backer Meza will miss the
entire season with a broken ankle.

Cote is a safety, Heinold returns at cornerback, and Clarke
and Hanson pace the line alongside juniors John Ciccone,
Rashad Perkins and Matt Aikey. Junior Ryan Rendon is the
other safety, and junior Tommy Fallon is another cornerback.

Offensively, Leominster will be led by none other than
Central Mass. all-star running back L'Ecuyer, who enters
after carrying the ball 214 times for 1,882 yards and 21
touchdowns.

"Kevin looks really good and we're expecting a lot from
him,'' Dubzinski said.  "Kevin's a big key for us, there's
no question about it.''

Barnaby returns at quarterback, and will be backed up by
Cote, and Curley's the center. At 6-foot-3, Curry returns at
wide receiver and will be a favorite target for Barnaby, as
will 6-foot-3 tight end Daigneault.

"The offense is going to revolve around Kevin (L'Ecuyer),
but I think we'll be able to throw the ball a little more,''
Dubzinski said. "Blake is a great receiver, and our
fullbacks are also quite capable.''

Sophomore Anthony Bizzotto and Moran will also work out of
backfield.  O'Connell and juniors Ryan Bailey and Tim
DiLillo will provide solid protection up front.

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