RallyNorth.net

NORTH READING - North Reading running back Matt McCarthy had another big day, burning Newburyport's defense for 113 first-half yards and three touchdowns on the ground en route to a 41-8 win. North Reading (6-1) scored on its first five possessions, pulling ahead by four touchdowns before halftime. The Hornets started by handing the ball to McCarthy four consecutive times, leading to a 31-yard field goal by Angelo Disanto. Then, North Reading put together a four-play, 91-yard drive which was capped off by a 2-yard McCarthy touchdown run. "Matty (McCarthy) is phenomenal," said North Reading head coach Jeff Wall. "He's just a tremendous athlete and we are blessed to have him and David (Smith) as a 1-2 punch. It's not always coming down to us calling the right plays, Matt just makes things happen and he makes everyone around him better on both offense and defense." The next three scoring drives by the Hornets were two more TD runs by McCarthy of 4 and 9 yards, respectively, before Smith ran one in from 5-yards out to put his team up 31-0 just before the break. Disanto would add another 27-yard field goal before Ryan Edison plowed into the endzone for a 12-yard TD run to conclude the scoring.

WEST NEWBURY — Attention to all Cape Ann League football teams: do not start slowly against Pentucket. Newburyport was sluggish early Saturday and the Sachems (4-0) made the Clippers pay, scoring on their first four possessions en route to a 27-14 victory. “We had a good start and then we kind of limped into it in the end, but (Newburyport) came out tough at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half,” Pentucket coach Steve Hayden said. Senior Travis Bounsy took the opening kickoff 78 yards to the end zone and the rout was on. “The kick return was very, very big. (Bounsy’s) a first-year player. We’re glad Travis came out,” said Hayden, after his 201st career wins. Brennan McGuirk then rushed in a touchdown from nine yards out. Sophomore quarterback Finn Graham (2 for 2, 52 yards) placed a perfect throw just out of the reach of the defender and Bounsy beat everyone down the right sideline for the score. Junior Liam Sheehy (14 carries, 82 yards) wrapped up the Sachem scoring with a 12-yard run. Sheehy and Bounsy also intercepted passes. Noah Malhi, who may be the most feared edge rusher in the Cape Ann League, had his second straight game with three sacks and a number of quarterback pressures. James Lussier, Ben Thornton and Joe Raimondi finished with a sack each for the winners. Pentucket and North Reading, who are both 4-0, will meet in West Newbury Saturday at 1 p.m.