The next generation of football players in Peabody just got a big taste of what it feels like when Tanner Pride is at its height.
The spartan level of Peabody’s Youth Football program won Northeast Commonwealth (NCYFC) Super Bowl title last weekend, knocking off previously unbeaten Reading, 19-0, in the championship game played at Tufts University’s Zimman Field.
By shutting a team that had beaten them twice during the regular season, the fifth and sixth graders played their best game of the season. They got a police escort back into the city to celebrate the big win and all kinds of support from the city with speeches from Peabody football legends like Ed Nizwantowski, Scott Wlasuk and others in the week leading up to the game.
“It was electric,” said spartan head coach Tom Bryte. “Playing at Tufts was awesome. We had so much support all season and city involvement in any youth program is key. The kids were pumped up the entire game.”
Defensively, Peabody used a new scheme this season and emphasized getting as many players rallying to the ball as they could. Ethan Levesque, Tanner Bryte and Gaetano Fodera all made interceptions in the Super Bowl while Bentley Lerner made a ton of tackles and Chase Walz came up with a key stop.
Offensively, the “Baby Tanners” got some huge confidence early on when the aptly named Tanner Bryte ripped off a 50 yard touchdown on the second play. Andrew Lane and Max Dunn also scored TDs for the squad, which had over 150 yards rushing and gained 25 on a trick play to an offensive lineman on another memorable play.
“The kids just never gave up and even though they’d lost to Reading twice, they believed,” said Tom Bryte, whose team lost its opener to Reading, won six straight games against Stoneham, Saugus, Wilmington, Revere, Wakefield and Melrose and fell to Reading in the finale.
Peabody then topped Wakefield in the first round of the playoffs and finished with a final record of 8-2.
At the Spartan level, the team decided to install a spread offense as well as a new defense this season. Their practices were intense with a big focus on supporting one another and playing as a team.
“The coaching staff was incredible. The kids got better and better every game and every practice,” said Bryte, who was assisted by Gregg Burke, Joe Levesque, Gino Fodera, Jeremy Hincman, Brian Dunn and Anthony Leno.
Players on the Super Bowl champs were Gaetano Fodera, Jaden Murray, Tanner Bryte, Andrew Lecesse, Henry Hincman, John Phelps, Dominic Sylvester, Ryan Cunningham, Max Dunn, Jackson Pelletier, Austin Burke, Lucas Harris, Ethan Levesque, James Dockery, Tyson COle, Chase Walz, Julian Von Dietsch, Ezra Guy, Mason Charmanski, David Gabriel, Andrew Denisco, William Rea, Nathan Sampson, Dylan Harris, Andrew Sinacola, Brayden Martin, William Melanson, Nico Brabant, Parker Guinee, Trace Ferris, Andrew Lane, Michael Masella, Zakaria Bouzidi and Ryder Piotrowski.