A coach's dream in Abington

Kalonji Kabongo and Tim O'Brien are practically brothers. The two are best friends and avid Patriots fans. They achieve strong grades and are regarded as gentlemen at Abington High. They are also the cocaptains of the defending South Shore League champion Green Wave and arguably two of the finest offensive linemen in Eastern Massachusetts.

"If you had 11 of these guys, you'd be winning the league each and every year," said long-time Abington coach Jim Kelliher. "[During] the offseason, during practice, during games, they are a coach's dream."

Kabongo, a right guard, and O'Brien, a fixture in at left guard, are entering their fourth year manning the trenches on offense and defense. After leading Abington to a second consecutive South Shore League title, being awarded league all-star honors in the process, the two will line up again this year in hopes of bringing a Super Bowl championship home. Abington opens its season Friday against Rockland.

"Winning a championship means a lot," said Kabongo. "We grew up imagining playing under the Friday night lights."

Kabongo (6 feet, 190 pounds) and O'Brien (5-10, 190 pounds) are quick to attribute their success to intelligence and intangibles just as much as their speed, size, and technique.

"We try to focus," said O'Brien. "When I'm on the offensive line, we can basically have a full conversation with each other without anyone knowing what we are talking about. We use code words."

"We have nicknames for the other players," echoed Kabongo, whose parents are from the Congo. "Tim can yell out a play and no one else [but me] will have a clue what he's saying."

The tandem is also looked upon as leaders, both on and off the field. According to Kelliher, they are consistently the first ones in the weight room and on the practice field. Both young men say this is because they live, breath and eat the game of football, working off each other's strengths to better themselves.

Kabongo categorizes O'Brien as "by far the most intense player on the field, giving everything he has." O'Brien says Kabongo is "really, really smart, fast, and strong. He's always knows what's going on [on the field]."

If it seems like the compliments don't stop raining down on these two, there's a reason.

"Football is probably the most important thing right now in our lives," said O'Brien, before cracking a forgetful smile. "Uh, besides school of course . . ."