RallyNorth.net

Sachems QB Silva thriving under pressure

Friday, November, 09 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

He toils in relative anonymity in coach Steve Hayden's run-till-you-can't wing-T attack.

But when Pentucket needed him in Sunday's shocker over Masconomet, Jordan Silva came up huge.

The opposition was not surprised.

"Silva made the big throws and had a heck of a game, we didn't," said Masco coach Jim Pugh. "(Fullback) Nate (Bunnell) is bigtime. We knew we had to focus on him, but Silva is a gamer. He made some big plays against us, he came up and hit defensively, just like we expected he would." These are high times for Silva, a junior three-sport athlete.

Overachieving Pentucket will earn at least a share of the Cape Ann Large championship if it beats Wilmington tonight and Triton on Turkey Day.

"I don't know if anyone knew we'd be this good," said Silva, who has piloted Pentucket to a 7-2 start, 2-1 in the CAL Large. "We all just rally around Nate. He works hard, and we look to him. He's a great leader.

"It feels good to beat Masco. And we're excited for (tonight), too. Really, there are a lot of tough games stacked together at the end of the season. It's the best part."

Silva, who hit .250 and scored 15 runs for the Pentucket baseball team last year, has hit on 32 of 61 passes for an even 700 yards this year. No completion was bigger than the 56-yard hookup with Justin Bolla that turned the tide against previously-unbeaten Masco.

"It was huge to get the momentum on our side," said Silva. "It was a waggle. He ran a corner and I led him. Justin runs good routes, and he usually always gets open."