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Billerica slips past Methuen

Saturday, September, 26 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

METHUEN — In a brilliant duel of quarterbacks, which was the story within an excellent Merrimack Valley Conference game, Billerica sophomore Nick LaSpada prevailed last night at Nicholson Stadium.

LaSpada threw for 230 yards, completing 15 of 21, rushed for 62 yards and returned a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown.

The kickoff return, coming after Methuen tied the score, 14-14 early in the third quarter, proved to be the difference as the Indians (3-0) held off the gritty Rangers, 27-21, who also got a superb performance from their quarterback, junior Cal Carroll.

Carroll rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown and also threw for a TD. In the first half, he was the only Methuen player to carry the ball.

“That was a heck of a Merrimack Valley Conference football game, and that kid (Carroll) is a good football player,” said Billerica coach Peter Flynn. “But we’re awfully proud of Nicholas. He has such a mastery of the offense and he’s a thoroughbred who can do so many things.”

It actually took both quarterbacks a series or two to unwind, and it was Carroll who struck first, late in the first quarter. After the defense had held on a 4th-and-2 situation, Methuen took over on the Billerica 27.

Carroll promptly kept the ball on a 46-yard run  and, five plays later (all Carroll running plays), put the Rangers ahead 6-0 on a three-yard TD run. The extra-point kick was just wide.

That seemed to motivate LaSpada. First, he energized a 78-yard drive, completing 4 of 4 for 35 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 15 yards. He then led his team on a 75-yard march just before halftime.
On that drive, LaSpada was 3 for 3 for 73 yards, the final 8 yards going in the end zone to Ryan Donahoe, who gave the Indians a 14-6 halftime lead.

Methuen came out of the halftime fired up. Nick Wright returned the kickoff 40 yards into Billerica territory and, four plays later, Carroll connected with Alex Shepherd on a 27-yard scoring strike and then tied the score on a conversion pass to John McCarthy.

LaSpada’s kickoff return put the Indians back in front, but Methuen tied the score again, 21-21, by responding with a 60-yard drive keyed by the running of Joey Getchel, who rushed three times for 45 yards and a touchdown.

But LaSpada answered back one last time, directing a 64-yard drive with 4 of 5 passing for 55 yards before Wayne Bolz scored on a reverse from four yards out, making it 27-21.

Methuen had the ball twice in the fourth quarter but was unable to mount a serious drive. LaSpada, meanwhile, directed the Indians on a final six-minute drive in which he rushed the ball six times and completed the only pass he attempted.

“We made some mistakes, but we played them tough and we can move forward from this game,” said Methuen coach Pat Graham.

Big turnout for Ford
More than 2,000 fans showed up at Nicholson Stadium last night, not only to watch a terrific MVC game between host Methuen and Billerica, but to honor former Rangers’ standout Dan Ford, who passed away in April after a courageous battle with cancer.

In a moving halftime ceremony which included remarks from long-time principal Arthur Nicholson, Methuen Mayor William Manzi and Ford’s sister, Patti, Ford became just the second Methuen athlete to have his football number (42) retired. Mike Jozokos (class of ‘81) was the other.

A member of the class of 1988, Ford was a terrific three-sport athlete (ice hockey and track in addition to football) who gained 1,000 yards as both a junior and senior and was named Methuen High’s Athlete of the Year. He was inducted into the Methuen High Hall of Fame in 1997.

“He was always the best athlete on the field, but you’d never know it,” said current Sanborn football coach Mike Drouin, who was a co-captain with Ford his last year. “He was never cocky and I remember he always had a smile on his face.”

Added Mark Jordan, who was a year ahead of Ford, but — like Drouin — one of many former teammates who returned to honor him, “He was always so happy and there was nothing bad that anyone could say about him.”

Sales of Dan Ford retirement shirts at the game will aid the Dan Ford Foundation, which was set up to assist in cancer research and scholarships. A road race next April (the second annual) will provide much of the funds needed.