Unbeaten Marblehead ousts North Reading
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Sunday, November, 13
By Matt Williams
MARBLEHEAD — Three months ago, the Marblehead High football coaching staff put the phrase “Next Man Up” on their training camp T-shirts to sum up what they hoped would be the mantra for the 2016 Magicians.
After 10 weeks, the next men are up all right — up and on their way to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro for a state championship game.
Marblehead used a complete team effort on defense and a monster second half from backup running back Sam Frontero on offense to whitewash North Reading, 28-7, and claim the Division 2A North title Friday night at Piper Field.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world. After coming up short the last few years, this win feels pretty amazing,” Bo Millett, one of the captains of the unbeaten Magicians (10-0), said. “The only thing that’s going to be better is holding up that (state championship) trophy at Gillette.”
A North Reading (8-2) squad that rolled up more than 400 yards of offense in last week’s semifinal playoff win over Danvers was held to just 147 by the Magicians. The Hornets had but two first downs and 36 net yards at halftime.
Offensively, Marblehead pulled away in the third quarter behind two punishing touchdown runs by Frontero, who stepped in for injured starter Jaason Lopez and piled up 60 yards on 13 carries. His 3-yard score after Millett recovered a fumble in the third made it 21-0, and his 12-yard jaunt put the Magicians comfortably ahead, 28-0, with 3:31 left in the third.
Lopez ran for 51 yards and scored the game’s first TD before going out with a bad ankle. North Reading’s defense stopped the Magicians twice inside their territory in the first half, but quarterback Drew Gally (127 yards) put together a quick scoring drive at the end of the first half to make it 14-0 at the break.
Matt McCarthy, who had 125 yards on 25 carries, scored from six yards out with only 6:12 to go for North Reading. Marblehead’s defense held strong the rest of the way to send it to Gillette for the second time in program history, first since 2009. It will face the winner South vs. Central winner for the Division 2A state title on Dec. 3.
Game Statistics:
First Quarter
M — Jaason Lopez 4 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter
M — Manning Sears 21 pass from Drew Gally (Gally run)
Third Quarter
M — Sam Frontero 3 run (Sam Paquette kick)
M — Frontero 12 run (Paquette kick)
Fourth Quarter
NR — Matt McCarthy 6 run (Bob O'Donnell kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: NORTH READING (40-147): Matt McCarthy 25-125, Kyle Bythrow 15-22; MARBLEHEAD (34-179): Sam Frontero 13-60, Drew Gally 12-57, Jaason Lopez 8-51, Harry Craig 1-11
PASSING: NR — Kyle Bythrow 0-5-1, 0; M — Drew Gally 11-17-2, 127
RECEIVING: NR — None; M — Craig 6-77, Manning Saers 1-21, Justin Faia 2-18, Frontero 2-11
