Seafaring Sherr back on the field

September 12, 2009

By Craig Larson, Globe Staff

Nathan Sherr doesn't dance, either in the backfield looking for a hole, or in celebration when he reaches the end zone. And this particular play in the second quarter was no different, even at the end of a 66-yard scoring gallop, his first touchdown of the season.

He merely tossed the ball to the official, hugged a few of his Massachusetts Maritime Academy teammates, and headed to the sideline at Clean Harbors Stadium.

Sherr acted as if he'd been there before, which, of course, he had, 96 times (plus 52 2-point conversions), in his record-setting high school career at Austin Prep in Reading, departing in 2007 as the state's all-time leading scorer (682 points). The Globe's Division 3 Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons, Sherr is the only player to lead the state in scoring three consecutive years.

But it had been nearly three years since the 5-foot-10-inch, 200-pound tailback from Lynnfield had crossed the goal line, dating to his three-touchdown performance against Bishop Fenwick on Thanksgiving in 2006.

"I saw a seam, cut it straight up, and ran straight ahead,'' said Sherr, describing his sixth carry in last week's opener against New York Maritime, a 31-14 loss. "I was just trying to get into the end zone to help our team. I don't really get into that other stuff.''

He was just thrilled to be back on the field again, putting on the pads in a game that counts.

Sherr weighed two options coming out of Austin Prep: Mass. Maritime or the University of Connecticut, two programs as far apart in scope and competitiveness as the distance between Buzzards Bay and Storrs, Conn. Division 3 and the New England Football Conference vs. Division 1 and the Big East.

Sherr took a shot with coach Randy Edsall and the Huskies. He was redshirted his freshman year. He never saw the field as a sophomore either, buried on the depth chart behind All-American Donald Brown and a few others. He traveled, though, to North Carolina, and Rutgers, and the International Bowl, as a backup long snapper.

"The whole football experience was great, I had great teammates, living on your own,'' Sherr said. "But it wasn't working out for me.''

The issue, really, wasn't football. It was academics. He wasn't that enthralled with his major, political science, and in his heart, felt a calling to the sea, and the maritime industry, a passion nurtured over years of visiting his grandparents in Harwich and venturing out to Nantucket Sound.

And he knew what Mass. Maritime had to offer. His older brother, Alex, was a 2008 graduate, played lacrosse for the Bucs, and currently runs a crew of longshoremen in Port Elizabeth, N.J.

Sherr applied in the spring, was accepted in May, and reported to preseason training Aug. 13, much to the delight of fifth-year coach Jeremy Cameron.

"We had recruited him out of high school, he was really interested, but there was the lure of UConn,'' said Cameron.

"I was pretty happy, I knew that he could be a difference-maker in our program and in our league. And that came to fruition in our first game.''

Operating out of the spread option, Sherr broke out with 166 yards on 15 carries, showing "a burst we haven't seen in the past,'' said Cameron. "He's patient, he's a real good zone scheme runner, and he has a knack for making the first guy miss. He has good breakaway speed. He looks like he hasn't missed a beat.''

Sherr agrees, noting that he's carrying the same weight he did at Austin Prep, "I'm the same size, just a little stronger,'' he said.

His goal is to put Mass. Maritime, 0-10 last season, back on track. "We have the potential to do very well. The score in the opener was not reflective of how we played,'' Sherr said.

Noting Sherr's drive, Cameron said the sophomore has "the mentality right now to be the best back at Mass. Maritime and in our league, he's here with a purpose.''

In a conference stocked with quality backs, including tonight's foe, MIT senior DeRon Brown, a preseason All-American, that statement carries weight.

"I love football, and it's awesome that I can play again,'' said Sherr.

And just after the first of the year, he'll board a ship with the rest of the academy's first-year students for six weeks at sea to tackle another new challenge.