RallyNorth.net

Fri, Nov 02, 2012 07:00 PM @ Haverhill

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Lawrence	6	0	8	6	20
Haverhill	0	7	14	7	28

Without Chance late, Hillies preserve win

Friday, November, 02 By Hector Longo

HAVERHILL – With the “Ice Man,” Chance Brady banged up and out of action, Haverhill, nursing a one-TD lead simply went to the “closer by committee” theory.

 

Defensive lineman Curtis Robart came through with a pair of tackles in the backfield.

 

 Stephane Bristol ripped through from the edge and lowered the boom on two bone-rattling sacks.

 

Matt Serra picked off a late interception, and Brady’s backfield replacement, Tommy Maguire, eventually made it a two-TD game with a 17-yard TD burst up the gut.

 

But it wasn’t until Serra pounced on a botched Lawrence High hook-and-ladder pitch that the Hillies could actually proclaim that the amazingly resilient Lancers were done, 28-20.

 

“We rely on Chance so often, this was crucial for the defense to really step up,” said the senior Robart. “The defense handled it just fine. We had to slow them down, and we got to the quarterback. This was huge.”

 

The victory pushed the Hillie mark to 7-2 on the year, and it was especially gratifying for the defense, considering Brady left the game mid-second half when he received by coach Tim O’Connor called a “stinger” in punt coverage and there just wasn’t a ton available in the passing game.

 

Brady did manage 137 yards and a TD on 22 carries before he left with the Hillies up 21-14.

 

From disaster comes victory: Cool and calm, Tommy Morgan turned near disaster – fumbling a snap on 4^th-and-goal from the 1 – into gold when he scooped up the loose change, evade the rush and spotted a wide-open Jordan Javier standing alone in the end zone on what was intended to be a running play.

 

The TD gave Haverhill the advantage for good with 1:44 remaining in the third.

 

Lancers show grit: Lawrence High coach Mike Yameen had to be proud of his kids’ and their effort, coming off their first win last week.

 

Down but not out at 1-7 coming in, Lawrence fought to the bitter end and had a chance in the final minute when Nelson Valerio hit George Urena for a 61-yard TD bomb to cut it to 28-20 and Nathaniel Cruz  recovered the onside kick.

 

“Our kids played hard, and that shows a lot. They’ve bought in,” said Yameen. “They played well against a very good team tonight and just came up a little short.”

 

The Lancer again plagued by penalties, drawing the laundry for 11 accepted flaws, punished by 86 yards.

 

Clicking combos: Another big night for the Lancers’ Valerio-to-Urena connection as they hit four times for 103 yards and the score. The Hillies answered with unsung Shaine Roche, who caught three straight balls including the 4-yard TD strike from Morgan, putting the Hillies on the board just before the half at 7-6. Roche has put together a short string of highlight-film catches down the middle this year, including a sliding 22-yarder last night.