Tigers claw way to spotlight share

EVERETT -- It comes as no surprise that a high school football team from Everett with a star quarterback is in contention for a playoff berth. While it's not unusual that Matt Nuzzo and the three-time defending Division 1 Super Bowl champion Everett High team appears headed for the postseason, what is surprising is that it could be joined by its much less celebrated neighbor, Pope John XIII High School.

After a 5-6 finish last season, Pope John, led by junior quarterback Anthony Nalen, is off to a 5-1 start this year. The Tigers suffered their first setback last Friday against Marian, falling 22-6, but are still in contention for the Catholic Central League's Small division title and a Division 3A playoff berth. This is big news for the tiny parochial school, which has an enrollment of about 450 students and has made just one postseason appearance -- Pope John won the Division 6B Super Bowl in 1998.

Pope John is unlikely to surpass Everett High's fervent following anytime soon, but head coach Paul Sobolewski said residents of the football-crazed city -- Everett has two Pop Warner programs -- are starting to take notice that there is another football team in town.

"When you're a first-year coach and your team is not 10-0 in a town like Everett, no one wants to pay much attention to you, but now that we're winning games and we have a shot at the postseason all the local papers are calling," said Sobolewski, a Pope John alumnus who is in his second season at the helm.

Sobolewski can't blame Everett football fans for just coming around to his young team -- the Tigers started nine sophomores last year and have just four seniors this season. Even he is a little taken aback by his team's start, which coincided with a change in offensive philosophy.

Last year, Pope John ran a double wing attack and ran it well with senior rusher Nick Fico, who piled up 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns. But with Fico's graduation, Sobolewski and his brother Bob, the team's offensive coordinator, decided to install a spread offense and put the game in Nalen's hands.

It has turned out to be a wise decision. The junior QB has emerged as a dangerous playmaker, rushing for six touchdowns and passing for nine more, tying him for the Division 3A lead in scoring tosses. "He does it all," said Sobolewski of his quarterback, who is 6 foot 2 inches and weighs 185 pounds. "We're very fortunate to have him. He could play at any high school in Massachusetts that he wanted to."

Nalen said he's not sure he would have been able to run the complicated offense as a sophomore, but is relishing his expanded role. "Last year was more [basic], handing the ball off to the running backs. We had a senior running back, Nick Fico, he got the job done. He really took the lead and I didn't have to do as much. This year I had to step up and I'm really enjoying it."

Nalen's play has been aided by an outstanding receiving corps, which has benefited from the development of Peter Giannikopoulos. A basketball convert who has scored more than 700 points in two seasons on the hardwood, the junior pass catcher is playing just his second year of organized football. He joined Pope John as green wannabe last year, but has made tremendous strides this season. The 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound Everett native has become the Tigers' top receiver on offense, averaging more than 20 yards per reception and hauling in five touchdowns, despite missing two games with an ankle injury. He also terrorizes teams from his defensive end spot.

"His first practice when we got him down here he didn't know what to do when the whistle blew, how to get into a stance, it was like trying to teach a 6-year-old how to play football for the first time," said Sobolewski. "But this kid is unique. He wants to make himself better and he has developed into a great football player."

Teams that key on Giannikopoulos have been burned by fellow receivers Brian Benson of Saugus, and C.J. Cann, a Malden Catholic transfer from Revere. Cann, the team's fastest player, stepped up big when Giannikopoulos was out, and Benson, who is also a hard-hitting safety, is the team's most sure-handed receiver. Toss in the hard running of tailback Jorge Mendoza of Revere, and Pope John is tough to slow down.

Despite their early season success, the Pope John players acknowledged that they're still overshadowed by the perennial powerhouse in their backyard. But it doesn't bother them. Many of the players are friends with their Everett High counterparts and Sobolewski is friendly with Crimson Tide coach John DiBiaso. And since the majority of Pope John's players come from outside Everett -- the Tigers have players from as far away as Lynnfield, and Sobolewski said the core of the team hails from surrounding communities such as Malden, Chelsea, and Revere -- the teams aren't really in competition for players.

In fact, Pope John athletic director Ken Peavey said that Everett High's continued success benefits his school.

"Them being good works to our advantage," he said. "There are a lot of kids at the youth level that want to play and only so many can at one school. We have kids from Everett that are good football players that wouldn't have made the same impact over there."

Although there are no ill feelings between the neighbors, the Pope John players wouldn't mind if they received a little more recognition for their season.

"Everett [High] is a great team, but I do know there is another team in Everett that people have to recognize because we're working hard," said Cann.

But Sobolewski said that recognition will come in time if his team achieves the same level of success as the Crimson Tide.

"We do get overshadowed," he said, "because they are such a successful program and have been for so long, but in order to get recognition you have to win and that's our ultimate goal."