RallyNorth.net

Short-handed Sachems fall to Masco

Saturday, November, 08 By Chuck Frye
Staff writer

BOXFORD — Even if Pentucket were at full strength, Masconomet would have been hard to beat.

But the Sachems are suffering from nagging injuries.

Running back Dan Johanson had a team-high 52 yards but was noticeably limping all night. Two-way senior Chris Modlish picked up 101 receiving yards but left late in the game with a shoulder injury suffered at the end of a 70-yard pass-and-run.

Against a Chieftain squad loaded with weapons and with title aspirations, Pentucket could only keep up for one half, eventually dropping a 35-13 verdict last night.

The loss by the Sachems (now 5-4 overall) combined with North Andover’s loss to Wilmington keeps Masco (6-3 overall) unbeaten in the Cape Ann League Large and holding a two-game lead over all three teams.

An impressive one-two punch of running back Evan Bunker and quarterback Chris Splinter — both juniors — powered the two-time defending CAL Large champs.

Seemingly wearing a Teflon uniform, Bunker shed Sachem tacklers to the tune of 261 combined yards and three touchdowns on 23 touches. Splinter was quick to the edges as he rushed for 77 yards on 14 carries while adding 70 passing yards.

The statistics tell the story. Masco rolled up 394 yards of total offense, had 18 first downs, converted 8 of 10 third downs, and scored touchdowns on five of seven possessions.

More impressively, the Chieftains had two 99-yard scoring drives. After stopping Pentucket on downs in the second quarter and having a punt downed late in the third quarter at its own 1, Masco went the distance both times. Bunker’s third TD, a 35-yard dash on the second marathon march, essentially locked up the contest with 6:01 left to play, 28-7.

“Masco won fair and square,” Sachem head coach Steve Hayden said. “They played good defense and their offense took it right to us. “But I’m proud of our kids. They were undermanned and undersized but not under-hearted.”

After an interception by junior John Troy, Jordan Silva fired a 20-yard TD pass to Modlish with 48 seconds left in the first half, pulling Pentucket within 14-7 at the break.

After Modlish’s long reception and injury, junior Austin Perreault bulled in from the 5 with 4:43 remaining for Pentucket’s final score.