Thanksgiving Rivalry

Fast start not enough for Wolves

November 23, 2023 by pkzadmin

BOLTON — It’s been a long wait for the Clinton High football team.

On Thanksgiving morning, the visiting Gaels brought an end to Nashoba Regional’s streak of six consecutive Thanksgiving wins as Clinton cruised to a 42-14 victory in the 11th edition of the Cataldi/Tucker Classic at Nashoba Regional High School.

Clinton ends the season with a 7-5 overall record while the Wolves finish the campaign at 1-10.

“We knew, they’re Nashoba. Their record may be 1-9 coming in but they’re Nashoba and they weren’t going to make it easy. No matter how you slice it, they were going to play us tough,” said Clinton head coach Justin Ball. “We know we’re a good team and that they were going to have a hard time stopping us. I’m just so happy for these kids.”

Nashoba now leads the series 6-4-1.

“Clinton is an excellent team this year, hats off to them. We gave them everything we had, but it wasn’t enough,” said Nashoba head coach Andy LeBlanc. “We kept it close through the first half, the guys battled all the way through but unfortunately we made some mistakes at key moments and Clinton capitalized.”

Nashoba hung tough for a while, trailing 14-8 at the half, but the Gaels showed their strength and controlled the second half, outscoring the hosts 28-6 over the final 24 minutes.

Nashoba came out ready to play as it struck first on the game’s opening possession. A 10-play, 61-yard drive was capped by a 19-yard touchdown scamper from Matt Cahill to give the Wolves a 6-0 lead just 4:04 into the contest.

The Wolves had a golden opportunity to add to their early lead when the Gaels coughed up the football on the first play of the ensuing possession, giving Nashoba the football back at the Gaels 36. Unfortunately for the hosts, they couldn’t do anything with it as the Wolves turned the ball over on downs at the 27-yard line.

Nine offensive plays later the Gaels found pay dirt when Angel Lopez ran it in from a yard away. Marcelo Pereira kicked the extra point to give Clinton a 7-6 lead with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter.

Clinton added to its lead on the first play of the second quarter when Connor Cox recovered a Nashoba quarterback Dylan Devine fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Pereira’s kick was true and the Gaels enjoyed a 14-6 lead eight seconds into the frame.

The Wolves defense made a key stop on Clinton’s next drive as Devine, now playing defense, hauled in an interception in the end zone on a Matt Phillips throw. The turnover brought the football out to the Nashoba 20.

Nashoba pulled to within 14-8 with a little luck later in the quarter. A booming Nashoba punt was muffed by the Gaels as the ball rolled into the end zone. By the time the Gaels recovered the ball, Nashoba’s Hunter Bernard was able to make the tackle in the end zone for a safety with 5:05 left before halftime.

The Wolves had a chance to close the gap even more before halftime when Abasi Semakula attempted a 30-yard field goal attempt. The kick was partially blocked by the Gaels to keep it 14-8 heading into halftime.

Clinton came out in the third quarter and took control, crossing the goal line twice in the stanza to take a 28-8 advantage after three quarters. A touchdown run by Cox and a touchdown pass to Ramos from Phillips and the guests were in business leading into the fourth quarter.

In the final 12 minutes Clinton ballooned its lead in the opening minutes. A 92-yard touchdown scamper ballooned the lead to 35-8 with 10:43 left.

Nashoba’s final score of the season came on the Wolves next possession when Cahill muscled his way into the end zone from two yards out to pull Nashoba to within 35-14.

Cox and the Gaels had one more touchdown in them as the Clinton running back busted through a hole in the line and rumbled his way 34 yards to paydirt with 4:25 left to cap the scoring.

Following the game, both teams handed out some hardware. For Clinton, Brendan Bernard won the Offensive MVP Award while Angel Lopez (Defensive MVP), Phillips (Overall MVP) and Ramos (Clinton Player of the Game) were also recognized.

For Nashoba, Andrew Toth (Defensive MVP), Matt Cahill (Offensive MVP) and Jared Williams (Nashoba Player of the Game) were honored.

Fitchburg’s Beaulac left it all on the field

November 23, 2023 by pkzadmin

BOSTON — A runaway loss, blood dripping down his forearm, the end of his high school football career. … None of these things could erase the smile on the face of Fitchburg’s Lukas Beaulac Wednesday night.

Despite falling to rival Leominster High 59-7, the Red Raider senior was proud of his effort and thrilled to be able to play the final game of his high school career on as grand a stage as Fenway Park. The smile might have seemed misguided to some, but in reality, it was a masterclass in perspective.

“My teammates and I left it all out on the field tonight,” Beaulac said. “We work every day for this and yeah, we lost, but football’s fun and I’m glad I can be out here playing. I play football because it’s fun. It’s what I do.”

On a night when the Red Raiders struggled against a tough Leominster side, Beaulac had several shining moments for Fitchburg. He rushed for 82 yards on 20 carries and was the catalyst for Fitchburg’s lone score, setting up the touchdown with a deep pass to Richard Salomon.

Facing a second-and-7 near midfield early in the third, Fitchburg quarterback Zacchaeus Collins took the snap and pitched the ball to Beaulac. The FHS senior, who had started the season under center for the Red Raiders, unleashed a deep ball downfield to Salomon, who hauled in the pass and rumbled down to the Leominster 2.

The 42-yard pass was Fitchburg’s longest play of the evening. Two snaps later, Shea Gonynor punched in a one-yard run.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to throw in a game, so I was happy to throw one there, especially being at Fenway,” Beaulac said.

Beaulac also was on the receiving end of a pair of passes from Collins, but managed to accumulate just three yards.

Still, nothing was going to stop the Fitchburg senior from enjoying a unique experience in his final high school contest. Win or lose, Beaulac was playing the game he loves.

“This was everything,” he said. “It’s just crazy to have played here and I’m thankful for it.”

Blue Devils couldn’t keep Cora off the field

November 23, 2023 by pkzadmin

BOSTON — There was no stopping Xavier Cora on Wednesday night.

The Leominster junior was hobbled with a nagging lower-body injury, but refused not to be part of the Blue Devils’ contest against Fitchburg High at Fenway Park. And though the standout running back and linebacker’s snaps were limited, he managed to not only get on the field, but make a few big plays in Leominster’s 59-7 victory.

Head coach Devin Gates had considered holding Cora out of the contest, but come game time, it was clear that wasn’t an option.

“He had to be in this game,” Gates said. “He came out begrudgingly and he still went in on defense a little bit against my recommendation, but you’re not going to keep a kid like Cora off the field. The kid’s an absolute warrior. I’m glad to play some meaningful minutes and make some stuff happen and memories with this group of seniors.”

Cora had just one carry in the game and picked up 13 yards early in the first quarter. But with his mobility limited, he was pulled from the offense and stayed on the field as a middle linebacker for a few defensive series.

“It was the chance of a lifetime to play at Fenway Park, so I had to give it a go,” Cora said. “I prepared myself all week. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay in the whole game, but I gave it a shot and did what I could do.”

The junior was able to contribute to several stops in the first quarter as Leominster jumped out to a 20-0 lead. From his middle linebacker spot, Cora notched two solo tackles and assisted on three others.

“I had to come out and be a leader. I had to try to help out my guys,” Cora said. “And it meant a lot to be able to come out and play with these seniors for the last time.”

Local Roundup: Williams, Rose lift Bernardians to win

November 23, 2023 by pkzadmin

For the third straight year, the Bishop’s Cup is staying with the St. Bernard’s football team.

The Bernardians took care of business Wednesday evening against St. Paul, erasing an early deficit to roll to a 32-6 victory at the Bernardian Bowl.

It’s the third straight win for St. Bernard’s over the Knights and the team’s third straight win to close the 2023 season at 4-7.

Keegan Rose earned the game’s MVP, carrying the ball 11 times for 137 yards and a pair of scores. The senior back was part of a two-headed monster in the backfield with Jarius Williams, who tallied 179 yards on eight carries, including a pair of touchdowns.

Trailing 6-0 after one, Williams pulled the Bernardians even in the second quarter on a 10-yard TD run. Rose’s two-point run put the hosts ahead and they never looked back.

Rose scored the first of his two touchdowns after halftime, finding the end zone on a 15-yard run before again adding the two-point conversion. He also added a 6-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter with Williams converting for two on the run.

St. Bernard's Jarius Williams carries the ball during Wednesday's win over St. Paul. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Gary Fournier) — St. Bernard’s Jarius Williams carries the ball during Wednesday’s win over St. Paul. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Gary Fournier)

Williams had the longest scoring run of the night, reaching pay dirt on an 80-yard jaunt in the third quarter. Quarterback Salvi Bilotta added the two-point run after Williams’ second touchdown.

St. Bernard’s Ryan Leedburg picked up the Lineman of the Game award after leading a strong effort up front from the Bernardians.

Littleton 35, Ayer-Shirley 18: James Gauntlett scored on a 50-yard run and connected with Bobby Manchester on a TD pass during Thursday’s game for Ayer-Shirley, which finishes the season 2-8.

North Middlesex 28, Manchester Essex 8: The road win on Thanksgiving give the Patriots a final record of 8-3. It was North Middlesex’s first game on Thanksgiving Day in eight years.

Oakmont 40, Lunenburg 7: The Spartans won on the road Wednesday night to earn their third straight victory and close the season at 6-5, while the loss ends the campaign for the Blue Knights at 4-7.

Vikings stop Bulldogs in 2OT thriller

November 23, 2023 by pkzadmin

WESTFORD — It wasn’t the way the Monty Tech football team wanted to wrap up the 2023 season.

The Bulldogs were looking for their second straight win on Thanksgiving Eve when they traveled to Nashoba Valley Tech for their 31st annual clash with the Vikings on Wednesday night.

Things didn’t go as planned for the Bulldogs, who rallied late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but eventually fell to the Vikings 26-20, in double overtime.

With the win, the Vikings finish the season with a 6-5 overall record, while Monty Tech wraps up at 5-6. Nashoba Tech now leads the all-time series 24-7.

“Disappointing ending. The kids fought hard and came back to force overtime with a late score,” said Bulldogs head coach Anthony Secino. “They played hard until the end, but we just didn’t execute well and we made some mistakes at key moments. We shot ourselves in the foot a few times with penalties.”

Monty Tech rallied from deficits of 6-0 and 14-6, but couldn’t make the big stop when it needed it inside the 10-yard line in the extra sessions.

“This feels good, coming in with this group of seniors. They were unbelievable this year. Their leadership was second to none,” said Vikings head coach Danny Kelly. “This was our third overtime game of the season and the guys dug down deep and got it done.”

Nashoba Tech drew first blood, scoring the only points of the first half. A 3-yard touchdown run by Vikings Offensive MVP Anthony Panetta early in the second quarter put the hosts on the board with a 6-0 lead after conversion run was stopped by the Bulldogs.

Monty Tech’s offense struggled to produce offensively early on. Quarterback Dylan Hunton and running backs Sam Proctor and Ryan Quinn did their best to power the Bulldogs offense, but their four first-half possessions were unsuccessful. A pair of punts, an interception and a turnover on downs were all Monty Tech had to show for their effort through the first 24 minutes as the Vikings led 6-0 at the break.

The Bulldogs caught a couple breaks in the third quarter. Monty Tech recovered a fumble by Nashoba Tech inside the Monty Tech 10 that prevented the Vikings from adding to their lead.

Setting up shop at their own 5, Monty Tech used 12 plays to move the ball to their own 45-yard line. On fourth down, the Bulldogs elected to punt. The Vikings muffed the punt and Monty Tech’s Aiden LeBland was there to pounce on the loose football at the Nashoba Tech 25, giving the football back to the Bulldogs.

Six plays later, Quinn rumbled his way into the end zone from two yards out to tie the contest at 6 just 12 seconds into the fourth quarter. Quinn’s conversion run attempt was stopped short of the goal line.

Nashoba took momentum right back. A great kickoff return by Panetta took the ball to the Monty Tech 28-yard line and seven plays later, he muscled his way into the end zone from a yard out. A successful conversion run made it 14-6 with 6:48 remaining in regulation.

It looked like the Bulldogs were in trouble when Hunton was picked off on Monty Tech’s next possession, giving the ball back to Nashoba Tech at the Vikings 46 with 6:47 remaining.

The Monty Tech defense came up big again as a Nashoba Tech fumble was recovered by the Purple and Gold at the Monty Tech 47 with 5:23 left. Monty Tech needed 11 plays to find pay dirt when Hunton connected with Quinn for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 55 seconds remaining. Quinn’s conversion run tied the score and forced overtime.

“That was a big score late in the fourth quarter,” said Secino. “We weren’t as sharp offensively as we normally are. We had trouble moving the ball and Dylan had a tough night throwing the ball, but we made a big play late in the fourth quarter.”

Both teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime but in the second overtime, the Vikings found pay dirt with a 10-yard run by Andrew Ferreira and then relied on its defense to make a stop.

Monty Tech’s Kayleb Fayard was named his side’s defensive player of the game, while Blake Linstad earned the honor for Nashoba Tech.

Blue Devils run past Red Raiders at Fenway

November 23, 2023 by pkzadmin

BOSTON — With the backdrop of the Green Monster behind them and the splendor of Fenway Park laid out before them, it would have been easy for the Leominster High football team to get caught up in the grandeur of playing at such a historic venue.

A slow start would have been understandable.

But as they have throughout the second half of the 2023 season, the Blue Devils came out ready to play Wednesday night. The end result was a 59-7 drubbing of Fitchburg High in the 117th Thanksgiving meeting of the Twin City rivals.

“We got here early and the energy as soon as we walked in, it kind of caught me off-guard. We immediately snapped into gear and the guys were pretty much dialed in from that point on,” said Leominster head coach Devin Gates, whose team finishes the season 6-5. “They were ready to go and excited for the opportunity. The whole mystique hit us right in the face, but when the game started, they were ready.”

Ready might be an understatement. On Leominster’s first play from scrimmage, Osiris Lopez found Ryan Ricker streaking down the right side for a 72-yard scoring strike. It was one of four TD tosses for Lopez and the first of two to be hauled in by Ricker.

Daniel Thompson’s extra point gave Leominster a 7-0 lead just 19 seconds in.

Leominster and Fitchbrug face off in the 117th Thanksgiving Classic at Fenway Park on Wednesday. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Ashley Green)

With the tone set, Leominster took control early. By the end of the first quarter, the lead had grown to 20-0 and expanded to 39-0 by halftime.

“We knew coming in that they were a good team,” Fitchburg head coach Paul DiGeronimo said. “We’re not going to take anything away from them, but our kids played to the best of their abilities and left it all on the field. They had a great experience and we have a lot to build on.”

Leominster’s victory was an exercise in efficiency. Lopez finished the game 9-for-11 passing, throwing for 217 yards and four touchdowns. In addition to Ricker’s two touchdown receptions, Jaidis Delgado hauled in a pair of scoring strikes.

Even more impressively, senior running back Christopher Hatch carried the ball just twice, but found the end zone each time, scoring on runs of 74 and 32 yards.

The Blue Devil defense was equally impressive, holding Fitchburg (0-11) to 179 yards of total offense in the game and scoring a pair of touchdowns of its own. Memi Elias recorded an 87-yard interception to pay dirt in the first quarter before Jaden Jenkins had a pick-six of his own from 46 yards in the third quarter.

The Red Raiders got on the scoreboard in the third quarter, briefly cutting the Leominster lead to 30-7. A long pass from Lucas Beaulac to Richard Salomon put Fitchburg at the LHS two and two plays later, Shea Gonynor punched in a 1-yard yard run.

Melvin De Leon booted the PAT try through the uprights for the Red Raiders.

On the night, Beaulac was Fitchburg’s most productive offensive player tallying 82 yards on 20 carries. The senior also caught a pair of passes and was 1-for-1 passing for 42 yards through the air.

The Blue Devils capped the scoring in the final minute as senior Kaiden Calderon closed out a long drive with a 1-yard run. With time running, no extra point was attempted following Calderon’s touchdown.

Thanksgiving Rivalry

Footer