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Haverhill makes No. 9 Chelmsford work for victory

Friday, September, 24 By Jeff Hamrick

CHELMSFORD — When you’ve lost 24 consecutive games and playing only the third game under a new coach, you need to look anywhere you can for positives. And the Hillies of Haverhill had a few of those in their Merrimack Valley Conference opener last night.

Malcom Novello provided Haverhill its first lead of the season, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but No. 9 Chelmsford rebounded for a tougher-than-expected 29-7 victory at Alumi Stadium.

“We made progress tonight as a team,” Haverhill coach Tim O’Connor said. “We did a great job tackling. There are definitely some building blocks there. We have to learn as a team now to play four quarters, and that’s going to come. As a staff, we couldn’t be more proud of the kids. Nobody gave them a shot (against Chelmsford) but it was only 19-7 at half.”

Novello shocked the Lions with a burst up the middle after taking AJ Rotella’s kickoff 95 yards for Haverhill’s first touchdown. It was the first time the Hillies (0-3) held a lead since a 7-6 third-quarter advantage over Lowell in last year’s final game. It also was the first points Chelmsford (3-0) has allowed this season.

Chelmsford responded to Novello’s return when Colby Emanouil went 83 yards on Haverhill’s ensuing kickoff. The Lions, who were forced to run only two plays from their own territory the first two quarters, scored on each of their next two possessions to take control.

Haverhill kept the score close with a defense that despite horrible field possession limited the Lions to 76 yards rushing in the first half. Junior linebackers Mac Milewski, Aaron Molsan and Nick Defusco led the way.

“These kids are learning a whole new system, and they’re learning my personality,” O’Connor said. “I put the onus on the defense this week. They needed to step up and play a little nastier, and they did.”

The Hillies managed only four first downs — two of them on penalites — and compiled 49 yards of total offense, giving them 130 total yards its past two games.