RallyNorth.net

Methuen earns comeback win

METHUEN — Rugged junior Anthony Romano, like a number of players on the Methuen football team, did not have his best game Saturday afternoon.

The junior tight end/linebacker was whistled for three penalties, missed a couple of assignments and was not in quite as many tackles as usual.

But Romano, like all the great ones, came up big when it counted to help unbeaten Methuen survive Lowell, winning a hard-fought Merrimack Valley Conference comeback 19-14 victory that very easily have gone to the Red Raiders.

Romano came up huge with one key play in each half.

With Methuen trailing 7-0 in the second quarter and Lowell on its own 5-yard-line with a second down, Romano charged through the line, slapped the ball out quarterback Naukiye Neal's hands and dove on it in the end zone for a tying touchdown.

Then, in the fourth quarter with Lowell clinging to a 14-13  lead, the Rangers faced a 4th-and-12 on Lowell's 40-yard line. Quarterback Connor Bryant threw a high, slightly off target pass to Romano who somehow twisted and leaped and brought it down for a 22-yard gain.

"I knew I was going to catch it," said Romano. "I knew Connor

Four plays later, Bryant circled the right side from 11 yards out for the winning score.

"That was a heck of a catch," said Methuen coach Tom Ryan of Romano's grab. "That saved us."

Lowell had taken a 14-7 early in the fourth quarter on a 19-yard TD pass from Neal to Jakob Rivers, just two plays after a miraculous 25-yard reception by standout Brendan Tighe. But the Rangers came right back and scored an equalizing TD when Kareem Coleman capped a 65-yard drive with an right-yard dash around the left side.

However, the Rangers went for two points and failed, leaving Lowell still ahead, 14-13.

But Methuen's defense quickly forced a punt, giving the offesne the ball on the Rangers' 27 and setting up the decisive final drive, kept alive by Romano's catch.

"We were very fortunate to win this game," said Romano. "Coach Ryan said at halftime that the toughest team would win the game and I think that's what happened."

Agreed Ryan: "I think we stole one, but a win is a win is a win and any time you win an MVC game, it's big. We didn't play wel — I think we set a record for penalties — but we made the plays when we had to."

Indeed, with their backs to the wall, the Rangers played their best in the fourth quarter. Bryant gained 62 of his 70 rushing yards in the final frame, Zac Bergeron gained 36 of his 114 yards and Coleman rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on just three carries.