Depth-challenged ‘Dogs to rely on returning starters

The last two seasons have been unthinkable for football fans in Fairfield.

The word would have been unbelievable two years ago, but going 2-6 in 2001 and 1-7 last year has forced the demanding Lawrence High School football fans to rein in their usually stratospheric expectations.

“This group of young men has been on the edge of winning in every sport they’ve participated in. I think we missed four wins by 14 points last year,” said second-year coach Scott Walker. “The last couple years have been tough for fans, but sometimes adversity’s good because it makes success feel that much better when you finally get it.”

That goes for players and coaches, too.

“We’ve gone through a stretch where we’ve called it attitude adjustment,” said Walker, who played on two Eastern title football teams and a state champ in basketball at Lawrence.

He also played on two Ivy League championship football teams at Dartmouth College, but that hasn’t jaded his perception of his team’s potential.

“We scrimmaged Lewiston and they dressed 70. I feel like Gene Hackman in Hoosiers where we know they can only put 11 guys on the facility at a time,” said Walker, whose roster numbers just 40 players this season. “Our biggest concern coming in was our depth.”

With 12 seniors, 12 juniors, and 16 sophomores, the learning curve for the squad could be a little steeper this year, but there is some hope on the horizon.

“We have 31 guys on the freshman team and 110 kids in the youth league program as a whole,” Walker said.

There are other reasons for optimism in Bulldog Land. The coaching staff gained more experience with the addition of former Messalonskee of Oakland head coach John Hersom, who will work with linebackers and split ends.

“It’s just great to have a person who has the depth of knowledge and experience he has,” Walker said.

There may not be as many players on the squad as he’d like, but Walker says the ones he does have are not without talent. The team also has some experience as six starters return on both sides of the ball.

“Our biggest strength is work ethic and we’re tough up front defensively, where we have three of our four starters back,” said Walker, who also has all his skill players back on offense.

Tight end-linebacker Sean Leary has a rare combination of size and speed with a 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and 4.65 speed in the 40-yard dash. If that’s not enough, he’s probably the strongest player on the team and one of the smartest with a 95.0 grade average.

“He even babysat my kids this year,” Walker said.

Other key returnees are tailback-defensive back Nate Lambert, who led the Pine Tree Conference in interceptions with seven last year; fullback Ryan Ackley, who switched from linebacker to nose tackle this year; two-way lineman John Rice (6-3, 240); and quarterback-defensive back Garrett Parker.

“We’re undersized,” said Walker. “But we have team speed at all positions, and it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”

LAWRENCE BULLDOGS

2002 results: 1-7, 6th in PTC Northeast

Head coach: Scott Walker, 2nd year

Key players: Sean Leary, TE-LB, Sr.; Nate Lambert, TB-DB, Sr.; Ryan Ackley, FB-NT, Sr.; John Rice, OT-DT, Sr.; Peter Curtis, OG-DT, Sr.; Dustin Costigan, SE-DB, Sr.; Matt Walker, WB-DE, Sr.; James McLellan, OT, Sr.; Garrett Parker, QB-DB, Jr.

Outlook: Much like last year’s squad, Lawrence shapes shapes up as a Jekyll-and-Hyde team which could go from one extreme (5-3) to the other (2-6) depending on how well it matures and avoids injuries. Defense is a team strength, so a few plays could be the difference between playoff team and also-ran.