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Pentucket Sachems Football '08

Sat, Oct 18, 2008 01:30 PM @ Pentucket
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT Final
Amesbury 13 0 8 0 3 24
Pentucket 0 14 7 0 0 21
Jim Vaiknoras, Staff PhotographerMore photos

Amesbury wins classic over Pentucket

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Saturday, October, 18 By Chuck Frye
Staff writer

WEST NEWBURY — Simply a classic.

Pentucket and Amesbury brought its "A" games yesterday and the 500 fans in attendance were the grateful beneficiaries. Unloading its playbooks and making quality adjustments, the game rightfully went into overtime where timely defense and Bill Medvitz’s 24-yard field goal led to an emotional 24-21 Indian triumph.

Riding a roller-coaster that saw Amesbury’s (5-1) early two-touchdown lead melt under three impressive possessions from Pentucket (4-2), the visitors played with a discipline that paid dividends when it counted the most.

A textbook Sachems drive opened the second half, grinding out 69 yards on 10 running plays from running backs Chris Modlish (72 yards on the day, two touchdowns) and Dan Johanson (68 yards) and taking the lead 21-13 on Modlish’s 7-yard rush.

This followed two second-quarter, 80-yard marches that netted TDs for Modlish (4-yard run) and quarterback Jordan Silva (1-yard sneak).

Through it all, Amesbury calmly responded.

Quarterback Jared Flannigan, whose patient following of blockers led to a 56-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter, used the same resolve on third-and-1 from the Sachem 25. Seeing that right tackle Matt Kilmartin had collapsed the Sachem defensive line, Flannigan deftly cut outside and sprinted to the clear, just beating safety Silva to the end zone with 1:23 left in the third quarter.

Flannigan, who finished with 95 yards passing including a game-opening 36-yard TD strike to Kevin Johnston, succeeded on the 2-point conversion. Rolling out on a pass-run option to the left, Flannigan took off successfully to the end zone when receiver Stephen Serwon was covered to tie the contest at 21.

"They passed a little more than we thought they would and we didn’t do as good of a job containing them as we could have," Hayden observed.

The Indians won the OT coin toss and chose to play defense first. Despite losing Johanson to a sprained ankle, two runs set up third-and-goal from the 4, but quarterback Silva then slipped down on a scramble at the 10. With Amesbury still to go on offense, head coach Steve Hayden chose to go for the touchdown rather than try a 27-yard field goal and saw Silva’s pressured roll-out throw to Modlish sail just past his fingertips and incomplete.

Hayden did consider going for 3, but stuck with the offense because "I just thought we could get one in."

A sturdy Sachem defense forced a pair of incomplete passes and a fourth down at the 7, but Medvitz came in and delivered a high pop-up that landed three yards behind the crossbar for the winning tally.

Of the pressure-packed attempt, the senior said, "I just don’t think. I just practice my field goals and let the line give me the time to get it done. I’ve got to get loose and keep my focus."

Game Statistics:

First Quarter

A — Kevin Johnston 36 pass from Jared Flannigan (Bill Medvitz kick), 5:54

A — Flannigan 56 punt return (pass failed), 2:38

Second Quarter

P — Chris Modlish 4 run (Jordan Silva kick), 8:10

P — Silva 1 run (Silva kick), 0:59

Third Quarter

P — Modlish 7 run (Silva kick), 3:49

A — Flannigan 25 run (Flannigan run), 1:23

Overtime

A — Medvitz 24 FG

 


INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: Amesbury (22-95) — Jesse Burrell 7-52, Jared Flannigan 10-35, Kevin Johnston 5-8; Pentucket (42-228) — Chris Modlish 13-72, Dan Johanson 10-68, Jordan Silva 9-50, C.J. Lataille 8-25, Nolan Dragon 2-13

PASSING: Amesbury — Flannigan 6-14-1, 95; Pentucket — Silva 3-9-1, 81

RECEIVING: Amesbury — Stephen Serwon 4-40, Johnston 1-36, David Smith 1-19; Pentucket — Modlish 1-47, Bob Disorbo 1-20, Johanson 1-14

3 Story Comments

0         bruinsgirl1

One of the best games I have ever seen. Congrats Amesbury. Keep up the great team work.

Report! #1 10/19/2008 01:22 PM

0         BLUE CREW KING

Very good game on both sides of the ball. I was disappointed in our Indians defense allowing 230 yards on the ground though. In order to win the league we will need to do a MUCH better job than last saturday. I saw the same problem at the game against Georgetown. Thank god that ball made it over the crossbar (it was too close for comfort for me). Keep it up Indians!

Report! #2 10/19/2008 08:17 PM

0         IndianFan26

Yes, but you do have to admit that this is an unbelievable Indians team. They certainly are the most talented and overall best team in this division. Imagine, scoring 190 points in 6 games, AND, 174 of those points against Division 2 LARGE schools. Unprecedented! The Indians had not beaten Pentucket in ten years. The next team down (Georgetown) has only scored 126; and they have NOT played any Division 2 LARGES at all. Our loss to them was devastating, and a shame because of the dynamics of the playoff berths and what COULD potentially happen because of the gift of luck that G'town was given that day. I am very proud of the team that my son has had the honor of playing with.

Report! #3 10/21/2008 05:36 PM