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Pentucket Sachems Football '16

Sat, Oct 01, 2016 02:30 PM @ Pentucket
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Newburyport 0 13 0 6 19
Pentucket 0 14 0 7 21

Pentucket survives late rally, downs rival Newburyport

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Saturday, October, 01 By David Willis
Staff writer

WEST NEWBURY — As Newburyport quarterback Rob Shay scrambled wildly around his backfield, desperately looking for a receiver in the end zone to tie the score, Pentucket superstar Liam Sheehy battled the urge to abandon his position and give chase.


“I knew my cornerbacks and safeties could shut it down,” said Sheehy, a linebacker. “And I had to remember not to chase the quarterback because the big guys on the line were chasing him down. I just had to keep my position on the goal line and wait for someone to try to cross. And (defensive back) Brandon Wilbur and the guys came through.”


With just 2:21 left in the game, Newburyport cut the Pentucket lead to just two points when Shay completed a touchdown pass that was deflected by a defender and fell into the hands of his receiver.

But, forced to go for a two-point conversion, a Pentucket rush forced the Clippers QB to run for his life, and a frenzied heave into the end zone that seemed destined for a receiver’s hands was batted down by the converging defensive backs led by Wilbur.

The Sachems then recovered the following onside kick, and closed out a 21-19 victory over rival Newburyport on a sloppy Pentucket home field.
“Playing in the mud is always fun, and beating Newburyport in it is that much better,” said overjoyed defensive back Chris Muollo. “We wanted this one so much. This is special because it’s Newburyport. Triton and Newburyport are our two big ones, so to fight hard and get this one is amazing.”
It was the fifth straight victory for Pentucket (2-2) over the Clippers (2-2), including a playoff victory in 2014.
“It’s always fun when you beat the Port,” said safety Stevie Noyes. “We were ready for this one. We were all ready to go. We knew it was a big game, and we wanted this win so much. It was big because we got the momentum right out of the gate.”
After a scoreless first, Pentucket struck first with a 95-yard drive that Sheehy finished off with a 1-yard plunge into the end zone.
But back came Newburyport, which scored just two plays into the next drive, and took the lead a possession later on a long Shay touchdown pass.
Just then the Clippers seemed to be taking control, however, the Sachems bounced right back. QB Finn Graham completed passes of 21 and 14 yards to Nate McGrail, setting up a 3-yard Sheehy score for a 14-13 lead.
Pentucket then caught a huge break at the start of the fourth. A Sachem punt hit a Clipper, and the live ball was recovered by Muollo, who ran it into the end zone.
 “As soon as I started running I saw the ball come free and I just saw an opportunity to grab the ball,” he said. “I just went for the ball and gave it a shot.”
The referees ruled the ball could not be advanced, but two plays later Robert Porter scored a 5-yard touchdown. Following Stevie Johanson’s third extra point of the game, it was 21-13 Sachems.
Newburyport made it’s comeback attempt, as Shay followed a big punt return with a 22-yard touchdown to Owen Bradbury. But the Sachems were up to the task on the 2-point conversion.
“We knew we just had to shut them down one more time and the game was over,” said Noyes. “I was at safety and I was covering my man. They threw it to the other side and we swatted it down. It was huge.”
Sheehy was in dominant form, rushing for 123 yards on 24 carries and the two scores and 12 tackles. Ethan Dore added a sack, Porter intercepted a pass and Jacob Luke was a force on the defensive line.
“My heart was racing at the end of the game but it was great,” said Sheehy. “Everyone is excited. This will help us going forward. It was a great win.”

Game Statistics:


Second Quarter

P — Liam Sheehy 1 run (Stevie Johanson kick), 9:06
N — Donte Harmon 55 run (Brian Hadden kick), 8:03
N — Brendan Powers 30 pass (kick failed), 1:26
P — Liam Sheehy 3 run (Johanson kick), 0:19

Fourth Quarter

P — Robert Porter 5 run (Johanson kick), 9:21
N — Owen Bradbury 22 pass from Rob Shay (pass failed), 2:21

 


INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: Pentucket (39-215) — Liam Sheehy 24-123, Chris Muollo 5-22, Robert Porter 7-44, Finn Graham 3-26; Newburyport (19-87) — Rob Shay 6-24, Donte Harmon 8-52, Ronnie Mwai 2-7, Myles Maloof 2-4, Nick Toolan 1-0

PASSING: Pentucket — Graham 5-8-0, 74; Newburyport — Shay 6-19-1, 115

RECEIVING: Pentucket — Nate McGrail 5-74; Newburyport — Brendan Powers 1-40, Jack Cahalane 2-16, Rob Federico 1-17, Justin Knight 1-22, Maloof 1-20 

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