RallyNorth.net

Sat, Sep 08, 2007 12:00 PM @ Swampscott

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Winchester	0	12	0	0	12
Swampscott	7	7	0	0	14

Swampscott football team opens season with slim win over Winchester

Saturday, September, 08 By Bill Kipouras
Staff writer

SWAMPSCOTT | Swampscott's 99th high school football season opened in ulcerated fashion when the resilient Big Big Blue twice repelled major scoring threats by Winchester in the final 89 seconds to hang on for a 14-12 victory when Stephan Khouri blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt to preserve the margin at broiling Blocksidge Field.

Swampscott's 13th season-opening victory in 15 years was almost a replica in drama of its 11th hour 14-7 triumph over Bishop Fenwick a year ago when John Cassidy hit Brendan Garner on a hitch-and-go 60-yard TD pass play in the dying seconds.

The Big Blue had playmakers and defensive heroes all over the place, and above all, a lot of heart. The visiting Sachems outrushed, outpassed and out first-downed the host in a game that featured two spread offenses, but coach Steve Dembowski proudly noted that Winchester was guilty of three critical turnovers and Swampscott had none.

"We made a ton of mistakes," Dembowski conceded, "but none that impacted us. The defense really stepped up, and we used more than 30-35 players (on a hot day). This team showed a lot of character against a pretty good opponent, and a very good quaterback, Chris Cleary. I liked the depth we had and the way we battled."

Khouri is a 170-pound senior defensive end who missed most of the 2006 season with a broken collarbone. His SOS in busting through an outside gap and going sky high to get his hands on Cleary's 29-yard field goal bid as time expired was a surreal, game-saving Kodak Moment. Winchester had 1st-and-goal on the Big Blue 9-yard line after Cleary spiked the ball to stop the clock with four seconds showing.

"The huddle was silent. We did what we had to do. I had some butterflies," Khouri allowed. "The D tackles opened the gap for me. I knew it would be there and I just dove. I didn't know if I'd get but I was hoping. I had screwed up on the play before." Khouri spotted Dembowski walking past and declared, "The best coach in the conference."

Stephan Moran, nephew of Big Blue boys basketball coach Paul Moran, appeared to preserve the 'W' with a deflected end zone interception with 1:29 on the clock, picking Cleary when his 2nd-and-goal pass from the 4-yard line went through a receiver's hands.

Swampscott couldn't punch out a clock-eating first down, punted out and Winchester took possession at the home 37 and quickly got into chip-shot field goal range on two Cleary passes to get inside the five.

"We made a lot of bad mistakes, but I'll take the blame for the loss," Sachems' coach Paul Sobolewski said. "We should have gone straight ahead from the four," a reference to Moran's pick. "We held their offense to one TD. If you hold Swampscott to 14 points you should win the game. You can't make mental errors against these kind of teams."

Justin Mitchell had the Big Blue's other pass swipe, leading to Matt Barbuzzi's wide left 29-yard field goal while it was 14-12 early in the third; Moscow-born Ilya Levin made the hit on Cleary that led to Adam McSwiggin's 57-yard fumble return that made it 14-12 after Barbuzzi's second PAT in the dying minutes of the first half. The Sachems didn't convert the PAT on either of their two TDs in the second quarter. Jerry Kelly appeared to tip Cleary's PAT kick on the first one and he got sacked on the next one. Otherwise, Cleary was a monster at times, netting 59 yards in 16 rushes and completing 19-of-29 passes for 204 yards, scoring on a 4-yard keeper and on a 21-yard strike to Monte Marrocco.

Peter Kinchley, the standout baseball pitcher, hooked up with Trevor Wheeler (first varsity reception) on 48-yard left sideline connection that was beautiful on both ends. Wheeler's over-the-shoulder catch may have been the No. 1 play if it weren't for so many defensive gems. Kinchley was clutch all day, 8 for 17 for 131 yards in the air with one TD pass.

Moran, a cornerback, nailed his third career interception with his endzone pick and said it was the biggest play he's made.

"It was an unbelievable game, like a family win and there's nothing better than that. It would be impossible to pick an MVP. It was a team affair," he said.

"Seeing the block was the best moment of my life," Levin beamed.

"A gut-wrenching game," Kinchley said. "We were running on empty. We had to find a way, and we did."