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Defense powers Central to win

Friday, October, 24 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

LAWRENCE - Granted the opportunity to start at linebacker, Central Catholic's Jimmy Haddad enthusiastically roamed sideline to sideline, attacking and destroying any Tewksbury player in his path.

The senior's passion was contagious. Haddad and the Raiders held Tewksbury under 200 yards of offense, a mere four yards per snap, allowing Central to post its second straight win, 21-13, last night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

"He's had some injuries issues, so we've tried not to play him both ways," said Raider coach Chuck Adamopoulos of his 6-foot, 195-pound starting offensive guard. "This week, because of some other injuries, we had to play him, and he played phenomenal.

"The whole defense tonight was awesome. I don't usually gush like that, but these guys deserved it."

Haddad was a beast, swatting away blockers like mosquitoes and leading the way with 13 tackles.

As far as standouts go, he was the best of many.

Senior captain John DiBitetto sent his typical crackle reverberating through the stands, with a handful of crunching hits. The two-year starter at corner also delivered the play of the night, an interception and return to the Tewksbury 24 inside the final minute of the second quarter.

The pick, his first of the season, stunted a Redmen drive and set up Central to take a 14-7 lead before the intermission.

"I was thinking pass all the time," said DiBitetto of the second-and-long play. "I knew something tricky was coming up. They were running a little stop and go. I read it the whole way. I didn't come up on the stop and just played the fade to come up with the pick.

On the next play, Shain Jowett hit Brendan Walsh for a 24-yard score, one from which the Redmen never really recovered.

Central built a 21-6 advantage on Cam Fisichelli's third quarter TD dive, but victory did not come without its anxious moments.

Tewksbury's Joel Altavesta somehow escaped the Raider swarm on a short swing pass and raced 43 yards for a TD to make it 21-13.

The Redmen then got the ball back in the final four minutes and found their best stride, marching all the way to the Central 6. But on fourth and three, senior Zak Adamopoulos collapsed the pocket and sacked Sean Connolly to ice it.

"Big game, good opponent, we wanted to make a statement on defense," said DiBitetto. "That's what we did."

Offensively, Central sputtered, gaining only 190 yards, but survived through its own opportunistic nature.

Fisichelli led with 55 yards on nine rushes but was last seen on crutches, with an icepack and wrap in his knee.

Scott, Zack Lattrell, Michael Garcia and Bill Condurelli all pitched in to the defensive dominance.