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Matthews brilliant again, Sanborn rolls over John Stark

KINGSTON — Sanborn may have already locked up a trip to the postseason, but the Indians were not satisfied just yet.

They wanted a home playoff game, and yesterday they earned one.

Led by another tremendous performance by running back/linebacker Zach Matthews with the help of a few other stars, Sanborn jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead and eased past John Stark 33-21.

The victory earned the Indians a home date in the first round of the Division 2 tournament, hosting Hollis-Brookline on Saturday at 1 p.m.

"I feel like this win is great for the program and for the entire school," said Sanborn coach John Welch. "We have worked very hard to earn the right to host a conference championship game. We have worked to earn the right to host this game, and I think it is great for the whole community."

The Indians wasted no time grabbing control. Mike D'Amelio gave his squad the lead in the first with a 6-yard run. Matthews then added a 21-yard score, before D'Amelio struck again right before halftime to make it 21-0.

Matthews continued to roll in the second half, scoring two more touchdowns and finishing the day with 185 yards on 23 carries.

Sanborn QB Christian Ehlers didn't need to complete a pass, as he did his damage on the ground with 95 yards on just four carries.

"Matthews continued to run so well," said Welch. "And Ehlers did a great job of getting to the edge and making this happen. Our offensive line also stepped up, led by Ryan Rose and Josh Bonin."

It was also Matthews who paced the defense, leading the team in tackles and recovering a fumble.

"We feel like we are playing very strong right now," said Welch. "We are looking forward to taking on Hollis-Brookline."