Head coach Colin McQueen says the double tight set, straight-T offense his Amesbury football team leaned on this year might be a described by others as an antiquated style.
But for the Redhawks, it’s aged like a fine wine.
Only two other teams that qualified for the Div. 7 state tournament averaged more points than sixth-seeded Amesbury (9-2) this year, and they have an opportunity to try to outscore one of them when they take on No. 1 Uxbridge (12-0) in the Div. 7 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, Friday at 3 p.m.
The Spartans’ division-best 41.4 points per game is as hard as any to keep up with, but Amesbury’s 36 per game is up for the challenge.
“(We) play tough football and use all four downs to do it,” McQueen said. “If we go forward, it’s pretty tough to stop us. The guys have been good at staying on schedule for most of the year and finding ways to finish drives.”
The Redhawks are 1-0 in Super Bowls with a lone appearance in 2008, while Uxbridge is 2-0 with repeat titles from over 30 years ago – in 1991 and 1992. Both underwent a progressive build in recent years toward getting back to this final showdown, but in different ways.
Amesbury earned high seeds the last couple years, but suffered upsets in the state quarterfinals in 2021 and to the eventual champions in the state semifinals in 2022.
The Redhawks have run wild on the field for a chance this year, though, led by the running back tandem of senior twins Michael Sanchez (1,319 yards, 17 touchdowns) and Max Sanchez (890 yards, 16 touchdowns). They hardly pass, but creative play-calling has freed up complementary success from senior Christian McGarry (327 yards, five touchdowns), sophomore quarterback Justin Dube (five touchdowns) and junior DJ DiCarlo (319 yards, 14 touchdowns) to present different ways they can score.
Much of that is a credit to the offensive line from leaders Kyle Palen (center/nose tackle), Aiden Donovan (left guard, linebacker), Will Arsenault (left tackle, linebacker) and Danny Hutchings (right guard, defensive tackle), who also are top defensive figures for the Redhawks within a strong front seven.
“These guys feel like they’ve prepared themselves well for (this),” McQueen said. “It doesn’t take long to look through the gymnasium over at Amesbury, looking at the banners. State titles, they’re hard to come by. It’s an awesome opportunity and the kids are very, very excited for it.”
They face an Uxbridge squad that has so far exploded through an unbeaten season, but just two years ago missed the playoffs at 6-5. Last year, a 20-14 state quarterfinal loss to eventual finalist Saint Bernard’s was one of only three losses – all by one score.
It wasn’t too hard for coaches to sell their players on how close they were to this level of play, and they’ve done well to maintain focus amid a historic run.
“There were indicators that we were headed in this direction,” said Uxbridge head coach Matt Blood. “It’s like, ‘Man, we were one play away,’ (from advancing last year). … (But) they’ve had some practice over the course of the season on kind of keeping it real, staying humble and focused.”
The Spartans are versatile offensively, anchored by multi-talented quarterback Kellen LaChapelle (1,147 passing yards, 1,268 rushing yards, 38 total touchdowns). His brother, Cam LaChapelle, is equally dangerous on the ground (1,262 yards, 27 total touchdowns), while tight end Aidan Blood (316 yards, four touchdowns) and receivers Liam Rigney (222 yards, four touchdowns), Liam Kaferlein (195 yards, four touchdowns), and flanker Carter Gilmore (257 total yards, three touchdowns) are all suitable targets.
Luke Esposito, Shane Okenquist and Nate Noyes are the experienced starters on the line, but Shawn Lemovitz and Joe Romasco have filled in nicely alongside them.
“I think we’ve been fairly balanced offensively, all of our receivers have similar numbers,” Matt Blood said. “(With the LaChapelles), it’s like sort of having two running backs in the backfield at once, except one can throw the ball as well.”
It’ll be interesting to see how much it can score if Amesbury can grind away the clock, but the Spartans are suited defensively (10.3 points allowed per game) to limit first downs against a rush-heavy team. Linebacker Blood is at the forefront (112 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks), with defensive ends Esposito and Ben Roerden (46 tackles, two forced fumbles) ready to challenge Amesbury’s strong offensive line.
DIV. 7 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Uxbridge (12-0) vs. Amesbury (9-2), Friday, 3 p.m. at Gillette Stadium
UXBRIDGE SPARTANS
Head coach: Matt Blood
SEPT. 8: Uxbridge 49, MAYNARD 6
SEPT. 15: UXBRIDGE 56, Blackstone Valley 0
SEPT. 22: Uxbridge 50, OXFORD 14
SEPT 29: UXBRIDGE 34, South 18
OCT. 6: Uxbridge 34, LEICESTER 18
OCT. 13: Uxbridge 49, TANTASQUA 14
OCT. 20: UXBRIDGE 33, Millbury 14
OCT. 27: UXBRIDGE 33, Auburn 0
NOV. 3: UXBRIDGE 48, Oxford 13
NOV. 10: UXBRIDGE 33, Tyngsboro 7
**NOV. 18: Uxbridge 35, Clinton 15
NOV. 23: Uxbridge 35, NORTHBRIDGE 14
- – Home team in caps. ** – Neutral field
AMESBURY REDHAWKS
Head coach: Colin McQueen
SEPT. 9: AMESBURY 40, North Reading 38 (ot)
SEPT. 15: Amesbury 32, ESSEX TECH 0
SEPT. 22: AMESBURY 32, Pentucket/Georgetown 14
SEPT. 29: Amesbury 48, IPSWICH 7
OCT. 13: Lynnfield 24, AMESBURY 14
OCT. 21: Amesbury 42, HAMILTON-WENHAM 6
OCT. 27: Amesbury 36, TRITON 7
NOV. 3: AMESBURY 44, Wahconah 14
NOV. 10: Amesbury 34, WEST BRIDGEWATER 18
**NOV. 17: Amesbury 48, Cohasset 28
NOV. 23: NEWBURYPORT 44, Amesbury 28
- – Home team in caps. ** – Neutral field
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HISTORY
Amesbury has appeared in just one prior championship game but it was a successful one. Jared Flannigan rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a TD pass in a 40-19 win over Martha’s Vineyard in the 2008 Div. 3A Super Bowl.
Uxbridge hasn’t been to the finals since defeating Bay Path in both 1991 and 1992 to claim the Div. 3 Central Mass. title. In 1992, Dan Hanson completed 10-of-17 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for a fourth in a 26-16 win.