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Van Alstyne's pick seals win for Salem football team

Friday, October, 12 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

SALEM -- Melikke Van Alstyne wasn't at 100 percent, but that didn't stop Salem High's football star from saving the game for his Witches. The 6-0, 175 pound junior made a leaping interception at his own 10-yard line with 56 seconds remaining to stop Revere's last-ditch effort as the Witches dropped the Patriots, 14-12, last night at Bertram Field.

"I can't say enough about that kid. As good an offensive player as he is, he's even better on defense," said Salem coach Scott Connolly. "When we need a big play to be made, it's him we expect it out of."

Though he had just 35 yards, Van Alstyne scored both Salem's TDs in the second quarter. The first was a 2-yard plunge after Chris Maxson caught a Colby Boulay pass just shy of the end zone, and the second was an impressive 16-yard scamper that featured several broken tackles with 1:48 left in the half.

"Melikke's my best friend right now. I'd have been hurting pretty bad if we didn't get this one," said Boulay, after the Witches snapped a three-game skid and improved to 3-3.

The senior signal caller was as big a part of the victory as his new-found best friend. Returning from a one-week abscence due to a concussion, Boulay threw for 126 yards and ran for 47 more to help keep a stifling Revere defense off balance.

"We added the (shot) gun this week and the game plan was to pass a little more," Boulay said. "They stopped the run the whole game so that worked."

Boulay's elusiveness kept Salem alive. On 2nd-and-17, he collected a bad snap and broke two tackles before finding Ramon Rodriguez for a 20-yard gain. He broke away from another would-be sack on the 32-yard completion to Maxson that set-up Van Alstyne's first TD.

"I feel like the quarterback has to be the most composed player on the team, as the leader," Boulay said. "I was a little weary of running today because of the concussion but that was for the best because our receivers played very well."

Revere, which fell to 3-3, answered Salem's first score almost immediately, as Anthony DeFeo found a seam up the middle and scurried to paydirt from 35 yards out. DeFeo ran for 140 yards on the night and all 65 on the four-play, 1:48 scoring drive.

Salem's Matt Paine had the answer, however, blocking the extra point try in what would turn out to be a difference-making play. The Patriots were denied on the two-point conversion try after their second TD and the missed PATs provided the margin of victory for Salem.

Maxson -- who finished with five catches for 79 yards -- pried the ball from DeFeo on the Patriots' next possession. The critical turnover led to Van Alstyne's second TD and put the Witches ahead 14-6 at the break after Dan Reddy's pair of successful PATs.

"What a game that kid had," said Connolly. "He had a couple of nice catches and the huge fumble recovery. That was a savvy football player making a great play."

The Patriots battled back with a touchdown on their first drive of the second half. Revere went on to hold the Witches off the scoreboard and got the ball back for their last-ditch drive. They advanced past midfield before Van Alstyne's game-saving interception.

"Revere plays 44 minutes and they don't give up," said Connolly. "They are as hard nosed a team as there is in this conference."