RallyNorth.net

Triton surprising CAL foes

Monday, October, 20 By John Shimer
Staff writer

TRITON — Don’t look now, but the Triton Vikings are off to a terrific start at 4-2 after shutting out Lynnfield, 22-0.

Perhaps sneaking up on other teams this season, the Vikes won their third straight in convincing fashion behind the bruising running of tailback Brendan O’Neil (15 carries, 76 yards, 2 touchdowns). Wrapping up their CAL Small portion of the schedule, the Vikes quadrupled the total of wins of the team from a year ago, something that has even caught the players themselves off guard.

“With a new coaching staff, I didn’t know what to expect,” said O’Neil after another phenomenal performance. “But the work ethic coach has instilled has paid off. We’re 4-2 and quadrupled the wins from a year ago, it’s unbelievable.”

In a match-up of two contrasting styles of offense — the smash-mouth, run the ball right at you of Triton versus the spread formation, throw to set up the draw of Lynnfield — the Vikings took control of the game by eating up huge chunks of time on the clock and dominating field position. Although Triton did not score in the first quarter, in the first half alone the Vikings held on to the ball all but 4:03.

Then on their second drive of the game, which began in the first quarter, the Vikes drove 39 yards on nine plays set up by a key 37-yard completion on third-and-22 by Sam Ferrara to Matt Brimicombe just after Ferrara had been sacked for a 10-yard loss on the previous play. O’Neil would eventually punch it in from five yards out, and Nick DeFrancesco would complete a perfectly executed pass to Mike Foley for the two-point conversion, 8-0.

Both teams would stall on the following two drives, but with 1:03 remaining in the half Lynnfield’s Tyler Shaffer would fumble the ball, turning it over to Triton on the Lynnfield 18-yard line when Rob West recovered the ball.

The Vikes made the Pioneers pay. Faced with a crucial decision on fourth-and-one from the nine with 22 seconds remaining in the quarter, Triton coach Jim O’Leary made the gutsy decision to go for the jugular instead of taking points with a field goal — a safe bet considering DeFrancesco’s leg (the kicker made a 32-yard game-winning field goal against Ipswich two weeks ago). On the ensuing play O’Neil made his coach look like a genius, rushing off right tackle to score his second touchdown of the game, and with DeFrancesco’s kick the Vikes had a commanding lead at half, 15-0.

On the first play of the second half, the Pioneers looked like they might be able to move the ball as quarterback Chris Grassi rushed for a 27-yard gain. But, just as quick as the team showed promise the drive stalled, turning the ball over on downs.

Lynnfield would hold Triton to a punt, and then would show the Vikes a new look on the next possession as Shaffer took over at QB. But again the Pioneers stalled on another big costly miscue, this time a chop block penalty wiping out a 9-yard gain by Shaffer and a first down on the play. Eventually Lynnfield would be forced to punt on fourth-and-17.

Triton then put the game away on its first drive of the fourth quarter as Ferrara and O’Neil again worked their magic going for big gain after big gain before Ferrara bootlegged into the endzone from two yards out for the insurance score, 22-0.

“From day one we said we’re going to turn this thing around,” said the jubilant O’Leary after another terrific win. “This is a determined team where everyone contributes blocking, running, tackling, and great assistant coaches.

“We have guys like Jordan Doucette, who plays both sides of the ball and works hard but never gets mentioned,” O’Leary continued, “but it’s guys like that that just makes the whole team.”