At the end of practice Tuesday, a chant broke out of the Haverhill Hillies football team's end-of-practice huddle.
"Perfect practice makes perfect play."
If that's the case, they'll be all set for Saturday's 1:30 p.m. matchup against conference juggernaut Malden.
Leading the practice were the recently named team captains — senior wide receiver and safety David Herook, senior tight end and defensive end Brett Pettis and senior strong safety and running back Jeremy Giampiola.
Herook, in his fourth year on the team, has already seen a dramatic improvement in the team's mentality.
"Whole new attitude," he said. "Everyone's excited. We should be competing in every game."
The coaching staff credits Herook for being a good example of what the program is trying to exemplify: good students who put a competitive product on the field for four quarters.
"He's probably our best wide receiver right now," coach Tim O'Connor said. "His attention to detail is great."
Mike Craig, who coaches special teams, defensive backs and running backs, agrees.
"He brings a positive nastiness," Craig said. "He plays to the whistle. He'll knock you down, but he'll help you back up, too."
The 5-11 senior, who is looking to go to college in San Diego near family, says he enjoys the new spread offense and outside passing schemes, especially the new goal line sets.
"Just more fun," he said.
Pettis, also in his fourth year, credits O'Connor with bringing excitement back to Hillies football.
"(O'Connor) relates better to us, and he cares about us," Pettis said. "We're more enthusiastic to play for him and for each other."
Pettis is also the captain of the Hillies volleyball team, and openly admits that football, for him, is a secondary sport.
"But you'd never know it by the way he plays," O'Connor said. "He comes to work every day. Never takes plays off, very bright and articulate."
Pettis enjoy another aspect of the spread offense — he'll get off the line.
"I won't be on the line each play," he said, explaining his preference of the spread offense compared to the veer. "It's more fun. There'll be smaller people on me."
The third captain, voted by the coaching staff, is Jeremy Giampiola.
"I campaigned for him from Day One," said Craig. "He's our emotional leader."
The 5-8 senior has become a leader of the defense, due to his quick adaptation to the new sets on both sides of the ball.
"He asks a lot of great questions," O'Connor said. "When he talks, everybody listens."
Giampiola, discouraged by years of disappointing football results and an unfufilling playbook, wasn't certain he'd play this season, as the 165-pound senior could've focused his athletic effort on his other love, lacrosse.
"But I wanted to play when I heard there was a new coach," Giampiola said. "I wanted to like football again. Now that I have the love of the sport back again, that means a lot."
Giampiola enjoys being a run-stopper on defense.
"I just try to smash kids," he said. "That's all I want to do."
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