RallyNorth.net

Thu, Nov 22, 2007 10:00 AM @ Marblehead

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Swampscott	7	21	14	0	42
Marblehead	0	0	0	16	16

Kinchley accounts for four touchdowns as Big Blue gears up for playoffs

Thursday, November, 22 By Richard Slate
Staff writer

MARBLEHEAD | The unbeaten New England Patriots were resting comfortably at home on Thanksgiving but Swampscott senior quarterback Peter Kinchley still did his best Tom Brady impression as he led the Big Blue (10-1) to an impressive 42-16 win over rival Marblehead (4-7). Marblehead now leads the Thanksgiving series 48-47-7.

Kinchley was 10-of-14 for 156 yards passing and three touchdowns. He also ran for a score as he carried the ball four times for 33 yards. In true Patriot-like fashion, the Big Blue scored on all four of its first half possessions en route to a 28-0 lead and never had to punt all game. Swampscott (Northeastern Conference Small champions) will now meet Arlington Catholic (the winner of the Catholic Central League) next Tuesday in the Division 3 playoffs at a time and site to be announced later today.

"We came out and executed very well on offense and defense," said Swampscott head coach Steve Dembowski. "Whenever you're able to get the first score on the first drive, it puts you in good position. That was a tribute to our 19 seniors, we only dressed 38 today so they made up half the team. Their leadership has been outstanding and that's why we're going to the playoffs."

After forcing a Magicians punt on its first drive, Swampscott went 53 yards in seven plays to take the 7-0 lead. The Big Blue effectively mixed the run (four times) and pass (three times) on that march which culminated with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Kinchley to junior receiver Trevor Wheeler.

Marblehead started to move the ball on the next drive but shot itself in the foot with two penalties. Swampscott junior linebacker Shawn Hubauer ended the drive as he sacked Marblehead junior quarterback Ian McKinley on third-and-7 for a 12 yard loss.

The second quarter opened with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Big Blue junior running back Ilya Levin which increased the lead to 14-0.

After another three-and-out by Marblehead, Swampscott dipped deep into their playbook as they successfully executed a fake punt on fourth-and-2 as senior Justin Mitchell ran 15 yards for a first down. On the next play, Wheeler reprised his role as Randy Moss to Kinchley's Brady as he hauled in a 59-yard touchdown pass, giving Swampscott a commanding 21-0 lead.

The Big Blue for all intents and purposes put it out of reach with its last score of the first half. Kinchley found senior receiver Jordan Kelly on a beautiful crossing pattern for a 14-yard strike.

"The touchdown pass to Jordan was an outstanding play on Kinchley's part," noted Dembowski. "He made a good read on the route."

With his young team (only four seniors after two captains left the team earlier in the week) facing a huge deficit at halftime against a quality opponent, Chernovetz and his coaching staff gave their team two options. "We can come out with our heads high and fight or we can stay in here."

And while Swampscott would score on its next two opportunities (a 15-yard draw by Kinchley and a 1-yard run by Kyle Shonio), the Magicians seemed to heed its coaches message, particularly in the fourth quarter.

Junior Nick Haller found sophomore receiver Flynn McCormack wide open in the corner of the end zone to put Marblehead on the board, 42-6. Then Haller ran for the two-point conversion.

After a fumble by Swampscott was recovered by Magicians defensive back Taariq Allen, Marblehead put together a 88-yard drive capped off by a 1-yard plunge by senior Michael Sahagian (105 yards). Fittingly, Allen caught a jump ball from McKinley to complete the two-point try.

Afterwards, Chernovetz had nothing but praise for the Big Blue. "That's a good football team, they're not going to the playoffs for no reason. We knew we'd have our work cut out for us: we were worried about Kinchley running the ball and throwing the ball and he did all that today. Our hats off to Swampscott, they came out and executed well, making very little if any mistakes."

He was also proud of his team. "We're very young. I don't think our kids gave up, they played tough. We'll take this one and move onto next year. It was a tough week of practice with all the stuff going on but our kids hung in there and dealt with adversity. I've got some good young men that stuck with it through thick and thin. We've got the core of our kids back next season."

Dembowski cited the play of Hubauer, who added two more sacks (on the same series) in the third quarter. "With a three man defensive line, you have to send one or two other guys to give you an extra rusher. Hubauer timed those blitzes well and he made some key plays."

Levin (127 yards) and Shonio (66 yards) also gave Swampscott balance as the running attack complemented its vaunted passing game. "Ilya played well and Shonio ran well, the offensive line was outstanding. It's been a team effort all year long," Dembowski said.

Asked about Swampscott's return to the postseason, Dembowski replied, "the key is that we have a great senior class and tremendous captains. We changed a lot of the systems and they bought into it. Last year we were a young team (that finished 5-6), now we have juniors and seniors."

The Big Blue has advanced to the Super Bowl the last two times it made the playoffs. It might feel like it's looking into a mirror when they square off with Arlington Catholic. "They have a spread offense and they're very athletic. It's going to be a battle and will probably come down to which defense plays better."