RallyNorth.net

LaSpada, Indians dominate Central

Friday, November, 13 By Hector Longo

LAWRENCE – Maybe it was all the emotion wrapped up in last week’s grudge match with Methuen.

Maybe it was just too much Nick LaSpada.

By the time Central Catholic showed up last night, victory and the Merrimack Valley Conference title had vanished, 34-6, at the hands of Billerica.

About 500 Veterans Memorial Stadium fans watched the sophomore LaSpada throw for 287 yards and  five TDs, dominating the showdown and locking a postseason berth for the Indians.

“The first half was the first half from hell,” said Raider coach Chuck Adamopoulos, who watched his team outgained 273-24 in a 28-0 half. “They got us on our heels from the opening kick and they’re good.”

LaSpada feasted from the opening snap, with receivers running free down the field at will.

“The kid’s Superman, we just didn’t bring any Kryptonite tonight,” said Adamopoulos.

“We didn’t cover well, and we didn’t communicate well. After the second touchdown, we just fell apart. We broke down. It was a very disappointing effort on our part.”

Jim Holland broke the ice with a 37-yard TD hookup just 2:35 in and the rout was on. LaSpada struck three more times in the second quarter, nailing Wayne Bolz in stride on a 34-yard post then locking on by himself on a 34-yard dash to the post, slinging a five-yard slant to Ryan Donahoe and seeking out Bolz once more on an 11-yard heave to the corner.

Dazed at the intermission, Central found its one flicker of life, ignited by QB Andrew Ouellette on the opening drive of the second half.

Ouellette dashed 39 yards into Billerica territory, Central’s first trip onto that half of field, helping to set up Tommy Lacroix’s 1-yard TD plunge.

The Raider momentum looked to be snowballing when Zac Borrelli stepped into front of a LaSpada mistake, hauling the interception back to the Indian 35.

A couple Ouellette dashes, plus a seven-yard swing to Jaycob Morales, put Central back on the doorstep at 1^st-and-goal from the 1.

But a fumble, a 55-yard LaSpada dash and TD No. 5, this one to Brandon Coelho from 31 yards out assured the outcome with better than nine minutes left.

“We played a little better in the third quarter,” said Adamopoulos, whose Raiders head to Thanksgiving with a 7-3 mark. “I would have liked to see what would have happened if we put it in there and made it 28-14, but that play kind of typified our night.”

On the night, LaSpada completed 15 of 24 passes, churning out 93 yards on 15 carries. Ouellette’s ground work – 16 carries for 107 yards – was about all the offense the Raiders could muster.

“They are peaking right now,” said Adamopoulos. “They looked good against Andover, and they looked real good again tonight. They were a much better team than we were tonight.”