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Last-minute score by Revere drops Danvers football

Friday, September, 21 By Phil Stacey
Sports editor

DANVERS | History was just seconds away from taking place at Dr. Charles Deering Stadium yesterday afternoon.

But an improvisational run by Steven Ennamorati ensured that it wouldn't happen.

Ennamorati, the quarterback for Revere High, ran it in from 20 yards out on fourth down with 30 seconds to play, giving his Patriots a 6-0 victory over host Danvers.

It appeared that for the first time in Danvers High football history, they would be involved in an overtime game. But with his team facing 4th-and-20 from the Falcons' 20-yard line, Ennamorati got flushed out of the pocket, cut up and to the left, juked two Danvers defenders and got just inside the left corner of the end zone for the only points of the day.

"We called a nickel combo (with two nickel backs in the secondary) on that play. The problem with that is the linebackers have to play man-to-man, meaning they had to cover their wide receivers," said Danvers head coach John Sullivan, his team now 0-3.

"Our guys up front didn't get to the quarterback, and he made a nice play to scramble out. We over-pursued and it cost us."

Gallantly, the Falcons tried to get a score of their own in the game's waning seconds, and managed to reach Revere territory with one second left (thanks to three completions from backup quarterback Eric Burgos to wideout Matt Pasquariello). But Burgos' pass to Pasquariello in the left corner of the end zone was batted away by a Revere defender, ending the game.

"We had a chance to throw it in the end zone on the last play to win the game | for that, I've got to give our team a lot of credit," said Sullivan.

Danvers' defense played well the entire game; they forced the Patriots to punt on five of their first six possessions and had junior defensive back Colin Cooper recover a fumble on the other.

The Falcons' offense, however, was another matter. Revere put a heavy rush on sophomore quarterback Greg Ladd all afternoon, sacking him five times. Danvers' running backs had nowhere to move, either; factoring in all of the sacks, Danvers managed just two yards rushing on the afternoon.

"Our offensive line needs to take a gut check call," said Sullivan. "We did not play well up front; those guys have to play better."

Danvers' best chance to score came in the third quarter, when Cooper returned a punt 51 yards before being tackled by the last man, Revere punter Brandon Bones, on the visitors' 10-yard line. But three running plays didn't get them into the end zone, and Nick Pellino's 20-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Pellino earlier blasted a 44-yard field goal try that was dead on, but fell just short by a couple of yards.

"Both sides played their hearts out," Revere (2-1) coach Lou Ciccatelli said. "We were aware of their field goal kicker; he was drilling 40-yarders during pregame. I'm happy he didn't beat us with his leg."

Sullivan, whose team travels to 0-3 Peabody next Friday night, praised the play of Anthony Sheehan, John Gikas, Jeff Turner and captains Patrick Hennessey and Kevin Keogh on the defensive line, as well as captain Chris Martin and Josh Levesque at linebacker.