RallyNorth.net

Central Catholic Raiders Football '15

Sat, Nov 07, 2015 07:00 PM @ Central Catholic
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Andover 7 14 20 0 41
Central Catholic 26 7 13 3 49

Central ousts Andover despite Perry IV's state record 636 passing yards

  • Currently 0.0 with 0 votes.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

LAWRENCE — After more than 600 passing yards and six combined touchdowns, Central Catholic was finally able to finish off E.J. Perry IV.
Senior linebacker Nick Janco busted through the line and sacked Perry IV on fourth down from the Central 35 with 49 seconds to play. After Robert Fitzgerald ran for a first down, the Raiders had officially clinched an epic 49-41 victory over Andover in the Division 1 North semifinals.
“It’s amazing,” said Janco. “Andover is an amazing opponent, but we finally finished it off. On the final play it was all man coverage, and in the middle we ran a blitz. I flew in, made the sack and I just felt like that was the game.”
With the victory, Central Catholic advances to the Division 1 North title game, where the Raiders will host Everett — a team they beat 24-0 during the regular season.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said defensive lineman Carlos Cabrera. “We knew it was going to be a great game, but we had no idea it was going to be like this. It was amazing.”
Central took the victory despite a brilliant, record-smashing day for Perry IV.
The junior threw for a stunning 636 yards, which is belived to be a state record, — topping 300 yards in each half — throwing for four touchdowns and running for two more.
His favorite target was senior slot receiver Andrew Soucy, who caught 16 passes for 296 yards. He was one of three Warriors to go over 100 yards receiving, to go with Dan Gemmell (151) and Brandon Marti (126).
Central Catholic seemed to be on the way to a blowout, taking a 26-0 lead with 20 seconds left in the first quarter when QB Bret Edwards threw his second touchdown pass of the game to Mathias Villafane.
But on the first play of the following drive Perry IV connected with Dan Gemmell, who scampered 87 yards for a touchdown.
“I told the guys that it wasn’t going to be that easy,” said Cabrera. “They were going to have a comeback. They are too tough.”
That kicked off a wild back-and-forth battle that saw Andover take the lead 41-40 with 28 seconds left in the third quarter on a Perry IV pass to Andrew Soucy.
But Central drove right back, and Raiders star Omar Deschamps pounded in from 18 yards out to give them the lead back. Central then executed an on-sides kick — recovered by T.J. Vaughn — and added insurance with a 22-yard Stefano Calvagno field goal.
Andover was able to drive to the Central 31-yard line in the final moments. But Cabrera scored a sack, ex-Golden Warrior Pat Schena made a tackle and Janco ended the drive with the fourth-down sack.
Central now stands one victory away from a return to Gillette Stadium and the Division 1 State finals, with the North final against the same Everett team they beat two years ago.
“We survived and advanced,” said Deschamps. “We had to be strong and finished off the victory. We did what had to be done, and now we are thrilled to face Everett.”

Central Catholic 49, Andover 41
Division 1 North semifinals
Andover (6-3):      7 14 20 0 — 41
Central Catholic (8-1):     26  7 13 3 — 49
First Quarter
 CC — Mathias Villafane 25 pass from Bret Edwards (kick failed), 9:42
 CC — Edwards 70 run (rush failed), 5:07
 CC — Max Faro 34 run (Stefano Calvagno kick), 3:08
 CC —  Villafane 30 pass from Bret Edwards (kick failed), 0:20
 A — Dan Gemmell 87 pass from E.J. Perry IV (Luke Washburn kick), 0:00
Second Quarter
 A — Brandon Marti 28 pass from Perry IV (Washburn kick), 6:59
 CC — Robert Fitzgerald 15 run (Calvagno kick), 3:38
 A — Perry IV 8 run (Washburn kick), 0:58
Third Quarter
 A — Perry IV 3 run (Washburn kick), 9:28
 CC — Steven Jackson 88 kickoff return (Calvagno kick), 9:06
 A — Marti 10 pass from Perry IV (Washburn kick), 6:20
 A — Gemmell 35 pass from Perry IV (rush failed), 0:28
 CC — Omar Deschamps 18 run (rush failed), 0:12
Fourth Quarter
 CC — Calvagno 22 field goal, 8:13
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Central — Bret Edwards 5-105, Omar Deschamps 10-85, Robert Fitzgerald 6-57, Max Faro 4-49; Andover— E.J. Perry IV 14-16, Anthony Christopher 4-1
PASSING: Central — Edwards 10-18-1, 113; Andover — Perry IV 29-48-2, 636

RECEIVING: Central — Steven Jackson 4-27, Mike Mercuri 1-24, Mathias Villafane 2-55, Dan Doherty 1-3, Greg Marggraf 2-4; Andover — Andrew Soucy 16-296, Dan Gemmell 4-151, Brandon Marti 6-126, Cedric Gillette 2-52, Luke Washburn 1-4
...
David Willis is a sportswriter/videographer for The Eagle-Tribune. Reach him on twitter at @DWillisET

Game Statistics:

First Quarter

CC — Mathias Villafane 25 pass from Bret Edwards (kick failed), 9:42

CC — Edwards 70 run (rush failed), 5:07 

CC — Max Faro 34 run (Stefano Calvagno kick), 3:08

CC —  Villafane 30 pass from Bret Edwards (kick failed), 0:20

A — Dan Gemmell 87 pass from E.J. Perry IV (Luke Washburn kick), 0:00 

Second Quarter

A — Brandon Marti 28 pass from Perry IV (Washburn kick), 6:59

CC — Robert Fitzgerald 15 run (Calvagno kick), 3:38

A — Perry IV 8 run (Washburn kick), 0:58 

Third Quarter

A — Perry IV 3 run (Washburn kick), 9:28

CC — Steven Jackson 88 kickoff return (Calvagno kick), 9:06

A — Marti 10 pass from Perry IV (Washburn kick), 6:20

A — Gemmell 35 pass from Perry IV (rush failed), 0:28

CC — Omar Deschamps 18 run (rush failed), 0:12 

Fourth Quarter

CC — Calvagno 22 field goal, 8:13

 


INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: Central — Bret Edwards 5-105, Omar Deschamps 10-85, Robert Fitzgerald 6-57, Max Faro 4-49; Andover— E.J. Perry IV 14-16, Anthony Christopher 4-1

PASSING: Central — Edwards 10-18-1, 113; Andover — Perry IV 30-49-2, 636

RECEIVING: Central — Steven Jackson 4-27, Mike Mercuri 1-24, Mathias Villafane 2-55, Dan Doherty 1-3, Greg Marggraf 2-4; Andover — Andrew Soucy 16-296, Dan Gemmell 4-151, Brandon Marti 6-126, Cedric Gillette 2-52, Luke Washburn 2-11

0 Story Comments