RallyNorth.net

Hillies can't hang with Dracut

Friday, November, 13 By Conor Clancy
Correspondent

DRACUT — Playing with only three down lineman and six defensive backs for the entire game, Haverhill was hoping to shut down the explosive passing offense of Dracut and more specifically quarterback Matt Silva. And although a quick first score put the Hillies up 8-0, Dracut then stepped on the gas and poured on touchdown after touchdown in a 48-21 win over Haverhill.

Silva's arm was too much for the now 0-10 Hillies, completing 12-15 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns in only three quarters of play. He also added another on the ground.

"We've scored quick several times this year," said Haverhill coach Tim Briggs. "Each time however we've lost focus and lose our confidence whenever things begin to go wrong."

The quick first strike that seemed to momentarily stun the Middies of Dracut was the product of an eight play, 60 yard drive that culminated with a Connor Tufts (14 carries 100 yards, 2 TD's) one-yard touchdown run off a quarterback sneak. The drive was highlighted by a beautiful 38-yard pass from quarterback Austen Campbell to back Malcom Novello down the Haverhill sideline that put the ball on the one-yard line.

After the two-point conversion put Dracut down eight, the offense methodically marched down the field and used the Haverhill prevent defense to its advantage, eating up most of the yards on the ground behind running back Tom Szymanski who would go on to score Dracuts first touchdown.

Things began to unravel quickley for Haverhill at that point as its offense stalled for the rest of the half while Dracut put on a passing clinic with Silva. Dracuts QB threw for three touchdowns before the half was over as Dracut took a 34-8 lead into halftime.

The second half started as the first ended with Silva throwing one more touchdown pass before yielding to Dracuts second-stringers with Haverhill desperate for some life on offense.

Haverhill did begin to salvage some offensive spark in late in the third when a miscue by Dracut's sideline allowed Haverhill to line up on the line-of-scrimmage with no defense on the field. Tufts snapped the ball and gave it to running back Tito Morel who raced the 75 yards to the endzone before Dracut could realize what was happening.

Tufts ran for a second score and Haverhill's final late in the fourth quarter from five yards out.

"We are only 32 kids strong," explained Briggs. "We need to be able to bounce back better and not hang our heads when things go badly. It's been a long time since we've had a win."

Haverhill's last hope for a win will come on Thanksgiving day against 1-9 Lowell.