RallyNorth.net

Goalline stand vaults Sachems

Saturday, October, 04 By John Shimer
Staff writer

NEWBURYPORT ­— Pentucket led by a touchdown, but Newburyport had marched to the Sachems’ 1-yard line. Then, the Green and White took control.

The Sachems’ defense turned in a big goalline stand, and followed it with a 99-yard drive of their own with their backup quarterback in the game to down the Clippers 19-0 last night.

Newburyport had marched to the Pentucket 1. But on first down, Josh Williams was stuffed. On second down, quarterback Joe Clancy threw incomplete to Derek Freeman. On third-and-goal, Newburyport tried a halfback pass from Andrew Sokol, but that failed as well. On fourth down, Sokol took the handoff and looked to be free to go in up the right, but slipped and came up a foot short as he reached out with the ball.

“I’ve got to hand it to the kids on the goalline stand, we held them right there, and I was pretty proud of them for that,” said Pentucket coach Steve Hayden. “The guys up front got off the ball well, and although they never get any respect, they did an awesome job.”

The Sachems then took over, and Chris Modlish led the drive with five carries for 56 yards. Fullback Dan Johanson then finished off the posession with a 2-yard plunge into the end zone.

Also making plays for the Sachems was junior quarterback Mike Brennan, who stepped in for injured standout Jordan Silva. Brennan had two big runs on the series, including a 24-yard run to the Clipper 15-yard line.

Connor Harrison iced the victory, picked off Clancy on the ensuing drive and returning the ball to the Newburyport 28. Three plays later, Modlish stuck in the clincher, sprinting out to the left and never getting touched from 23 yards out.

“The game plan was to smash them up the middle,” said Modlish. “They (Newburyport) have a tough passing game, but we tried to contain it and then run the ball up the middle on offense.”

Added Newburyport coach Ed Gaudiano: “We were beaten pretty convincingly, and the decisive part of the game was we can’t get in the end zone from the 1 and they go on a 99-yard. Up to that point, it was a game. They were just a little better than us up front, executed better and held onto the ball.”