Undefeated with a chance to win a Super Bowl?
Yeah, that’s probably enough to see any football team take home the bulk of its league awards.
Such is the case with Amesbury High (12-0), which on Thursday night battled top-seeded Cohasset (10-2) for the Division 7 championship at Gillette Stadium. But for what they were already able to accomplish on the field this fall, the Redhawks more than cleaned up on the end-of-year Cape Ann League honors.
It all starts at the top, with third-year starting QB Justin Dube being named the CAL Baker MVP. Heading into Thursday’s Super Bowl, the senior had completed 30-of-39 passes (76.9%) for 689 yards and 10 touchdowns this year, while also rushing for 304 yards and 8 more scores. He was of course present on the 22-person All-CAL First Team, as were fellow senior teammates Joe Celia, Ethan Kirby and Ollie Peters.
And for Kirby and Peters — a dominant duo on the edge — they got to share the title of CAL Baker co-Defensive Players of the Year. Kirby currently sits at 42 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks an interception and a forced fumble ahead of the Super Bowl, while Peters has 26 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. Then for Celia, the senior back has carried the rock 109 times for 733 yards and 12 touchdowns, while defensively the safety has 42 tackles and 2 picks. Then not to be overlooked, senior lineman Stacy Peck was named to the CAL All-Star Second Team after posting 38 tackles and a sack.
Finally, ninth-year man Colin McQueen was named Baker Coach of the Year.
Moving on, an historic season from Triton senior Carl Lucy saw him earn the title of CAL Kinney Offensive Player of the Year. The bruising back rushed for 1,928 yards and 27 touchdowns on 229 carries, breaking school records for: Rushing yards in a game (328), rushing yards in a season (1,928), single-season touchdowns (30) and all-time leading scorer (262 pts). Fellow senior teammate Athan Eggleston, a sturdy fullback and linebacker, picked up a spot on the CAL All-Star Second Team.
But after Amesbury, our most prolific team when it came to league awards this year was Pentucket. The senior trio of Max Cloutier, Steven Harper and Jackson Miller all claimed spots on the All-CAL First Team, after leading the Panthers (7-4) to the quarterfinals of the Division 6 tournament and to a win over rival Triton on Thanksgiving.
Miller had a fantastic all-around season with 867 rushing yards, 527 receiving yards and 14 total touchdowns, and was also named the CAL Kinney Special Teams Player of the Year for his work as a kick and punt returner. Harper then followed up a record-breaking season with another great one, completing 110-of-151 passes (72.8%) for 1,666 yards and 18 touchdowns, while also rushing for 272 yards and 8 more scores. Both had plenty of room to operate thanks to the blocking of Cloutier, who was also a feared edge rusher defensively.
Then to wrap up, Newburyport saw junior lineman Noah Benson pick up an All-CAL honor, while senior QB Jack Miller was named a CAL All-Star. Benson starred playing nearly every snap on both lines, and Miller finished the year with 692 rushing yards, 1,219 passing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
The Clippers (4-7) also earned the CAL Kinney Sportsmanship award.
Here are the complete CAL Football All-Star teams.
All-CAL First Team
Amesbury: Joe Celia, Sr., RB/S; Justin Dube, Sr., QB/CB; Ethan Kirby, Sr., TE/OLB; Ollie Peters, Sr., TE/OLB; Essex Tech: Jacoby Casinelli-Tarasuik, Sr., QB/DB; Ben Toerne, Sr., OL/DL; Charlie Lussier, Jr., RB/LB; Hamilton-Wenham: Caden Schrock, Sr., RB/LB/DL; Robbie Bozarjian, Sr., OL/DL; Ipswich: Luke Wile, Sr., RB/LB; Lynnfield: Dan Lemieux, Sr., WR/DB; Manchester Essex: Zach Hurd, Sr., QB/LB; Nick Glass, Soph., WR/DB; Newburyport: Noah Benson, Jr., C/DT; North Reading: Jason Berry, Sr., QB; Gavin Brady, Sr., WR/DB; Otto Indelicato, Sr., RB/DE; Zack Morse, Sr., OL/DL; Pentucket: Max Cloutier, Sr., OL/LB; Steven Harper, Sr., QB/DB; Jackson Miller, Sr., RB/DB; Triton: Carl Lucy, Sr., RB/OLB
CAL All-Star Second Team
Amesbury: Stacy Peck, Sr., OL/DL; Essex Tech: Jordan Minaya, Sr., TE/LB; Ipswich: Hank Latorella, Sr., OL/DL; Lynnfield: Luke DiSilvio, Sr., WR/DB; Ben Gazit, Sr., OL/DL; Manchester Essex: Charlie Thurlow, Sr., RB/DB; Joe Glass, Sr., OL/LB; Newburyport: Jack Miller, Sr., QB/OLB; North Reading: Nick Torra, Sr., LB/WR; Triton: Athan Eggleston, Sr., FB/LB
Miscellaneous Awards
Kinney MVP: Gavin Brady, North Reading.
Baker MVP: Justin Dube, Amesbury.
Defensive Player of the Year (Kinney): Charlie Lussier, Essex Tech.
Defensive Player of the Year (Baker): Ethan Kirby and Ollie Peters, Amesbury.
Offensive Player of the Year (Kinney): Carl Lucy, Triton.
Offensive Player of the Year (Baker): Zach Hurd, Manchester Essex.
Special Teams Player of the Year (Kinney): Jackson Miller, Pentucket.
Special Teams Player of the Year (Baker): Dan Lemieux, Lynnfield.
Lineman of the Year (Kinney): Zack Morse, North Reading.
Lineman of the Year (Baker): Robbie Bozarjian, Hamilton-Wenham.
Sportsmanship (Kinney): Newburyport.
Sportsmanship (Baker): Ipswich.
Coach of the Year (Kinney): Ed Blum, North Reading.
Coach of the Year (Baker): Colin McQueen, Amesbury.
Kinney Champion: North Reading.
Baker Champion: Amesbury.