RallyNorth.net

Knights rout Dracut

NORTH ANDOVER – Entering Week 6, North Andover was looking to end a three-game losing streak during which it struggled in the second halves.

Friday evening found the Scarlet Knights enjoying both sides of intermission as they scored 13 points in each of the first three quarters en route to an easy 46-0 victory over Dracut.

“We needed this bad,” said Zach Wolinski, who found the end zone three times on only five carries. “Every day we’ve shown up and put in the work we needed. It’s just that some weeks we fell short. But we know good things are ahead and this is the game we needed.”

It was all good against the 1-5 Middies as North Andover began eight of their 10 possessions in Dracut territory. Three of the seven scoring drives needed 25 yards or fewer.

Surprisingly, the Knights (3-3 overall, 1-2 MVC) came out throwing with sophomore quarterback Drew Fitzgerald, who found Cam Partridge twice on a four-play drive that quickly ended with a 12-yard connection between the two.

“We have a young quarterback, and we’ve brought him along as the season has gone on,” North Andover coach John Dubzinski said. “This is the week we talked to him, and we changed it up … We’ve been more of a power offense. So, we said on Monday, ‘let’s work on some spread (offense) and see if we can complete some balls.’ We saw enough tonight to know we can work with it.”

All seven of Fitzgerald’s completions came in the first half, but it was the quick-strike running attack of Wolinski and James Federico that quickly ran up the score.

Wolinski first finished off a 12-yard drive that began after a 13-yard punt return by Federico. On the next drive, it was Federico, who had a game-high 72 yards on six carries, capped the Knights’ longest possession of 72 yards).

A bad snap on a would-be Dracut punt then set up North Andover at the 25 and Wolinski scored on the first play.

Wolinski, who missed the first week of the season while contemplating transferring, finished his night with a 19-yard scoring run early in the third before Caleb’ Agbor’s 15-yard run put the clock in running time midway through the period.

“Every week (the carries) have increased,” Wolinski said. “I’ve been working my way back. Our backfield is dominant, so just to be able to share carries with those guys has been great. I’ve just tried to add to what they’ve got going. Since Day 1, I’ve been doing everything I can to help them out.”

A late scoring pass from Jake Jackson to Brayden Bethel capped the scoring.

Despite running five fewer plays than Dracut, North Andover racked up 247 more total yards (308-61). The defensive front of Jake Saalfrank, Jon Markot, Shane Fitzgerald, Charlie Cox and Nathan Jacques were primarily responsible for 12 tackles for losses among Dracut’s 39 plays from scrimmage.

“They were unbelievable, and they got it done,” Wolinski said of the defensive line. “Without them we wouldn’t be in this position. We got three really good, competitive practices in, and those guys were the heart and soul of the (defense) tonight.”

North Andover next plays host Friday to Billerica, which was undefeated and sitting atop the MVC small standings entering the week.

“We needed that,” Dubzinski said of Friday’s victory. “It was a good boost for our kids. We have a huge game next week. So, we need a good week of practice and hope to deal with Billerica.”