RallyNorth.net

PEABODY — Bishop Fenwick has now won a state-leading 26 straight games, but Friday night’s 20-14 thriller over Whittier Tech in the Division 5 North semifinals may have been the toughest. Whittier, which fell to 7-3, came into the contest unfazed by defending state champion Fenwick’s reputation. “We played our football. It was a good, tough football game. We believed in ourselves that we were gonna come out and play our football. Nobody intimidates us. They weren’t intimidated by their records and they showed it,” Whittier coach Kevin Bradley said. “We were able to stop their big running back. It was just a couple big plays that they broke on us.” That “big running back” is Rufus Rushins, a 220-pound bruiser with over 5,000 career rushing yards. He had to earn every one of those 126 yards. It took 27 carries and the Cats accomplished something few have ... held Mr. Rushins without a touchdown. Leading 14-12, Whittier had the hosts on the ropes. But Fenwick pulled it out on a 1-yard run by Josh Niconchuk with 7:44 left to tie it. If you thought Rushins was big. Niconchuk is 300 pounds! Rushins added the 2-point rush for the 20-14 final. Two plays later, Fenwick forced a fumble and R.J. Libby recovered. The Crusaders then picked up three crucial first downs — all runs by Rushins — to salt the game away. Rushins had a hard time getting going. He was often met in the backfield by Whittier defenders. He struggled his way to 40 yards in the first half, but got rolling after the break. The Crusaders will now play Abington, a 38-20 winner over East Bridgewater, for the second year in a row in the state semifinal. With the rushing game held in check, Matt Renzulli was sharp throwing the ball, connecting on 8 of 13 passes for 89 yards and 19-yard touchdown toss to Brian Fitzpatrick that gave Fenwick a 12-8 lead in the first half. Renzulli added 33 yards on the ground before re-injuring his sprained ankle. He finished the game on the sidelines with senior Mike Campatelli making a memorable return to the field. Whittier took an early 8-0 lead when Connor Bradley hit Sean Thibodeau for a 23-yard TD pass. Jesus Sanchez (16 carries, 102 yards) added the conversion rush. Fenwick cut it to 8-6 less than three minutes later when Cody Mullen took a direct snap and followed Rushins right up the middle for an 8-yard score. Whittier re-tok the lead on a 5-yard Sanchez run in the third. The Wildcats were primed to post perhaps the biggest win of the year in Eastern Mass. but Fenwick wasn’t done yet.

Bishop Fenwick 20, Whittier 14 Bishop Fenwick (7-3):     8 0 6 0 — 20 Whittier (10-0):     6 6 0 8 — 14 Division 5 North Final First Quarter  WT — Sean Thibodeau 23 pass from Connor Bradley (Jesus Sanchez rush)  BF — Cody Mullen 8 run (rush fail) Second Quarter  BF — Brian Fitzpatrick 19 pass from Matt Renzulli (rush fail) Third Quarter  WT — Sanchez 5 run (rush fail) Fourth Quarter  BF — Josh Niconchuk 1 run (Rufus Rushins rush) INDIVIDUAL LEADERS RUSHING: WT — 16-102, Robby Gramstorff 8-44, Sidney Taylor 4-14; BF — Rufus Rushins 27-126 PASSING: WT — Connor Bradley 5-13-0, 56; BF —Renzulli 8-13-0, 89 RECEIVING: WT — Sean Thibodeau 3-41, Taylor 1-10, Gramstorff 1-5