Central crushes Haverhill for second straight blowout win
- Currently 0.0 with 0 votes.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
Friday, September, 12
By Hector Longo
LAWRENCE — Two weeks into the season, staring at the only team to knock them off last year, Central Catholic's only problem might be going the distance.
For the second straight week, the Raider starters had the helmets unbuckled for good by the mid-third quarter, making quick work of Haverhill High before about 1,200 fans here last night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"Our coaches condition us every day, so we'll be fine playing the full four quarters," said Raider halfback Mike Balsamo, who steamrolled his way to 54 yards on just seven carries.
The Raiders will need it. Saturday, they travel to 2-0 St. John's Prep, fresh of last night's 14-6 victory at Brockton.
St. John's defeated Central here a year ago. The Raiders have gone on to rip off 11 straight wins since, including the drive to the 2013 Division 1 Super Bowl championship.
Central simply smothered the visiting Hillies, who came in riding the high of a last-minute opening win over Beverly.
But when the Raiders recovered their own opening kickoff — kind of a side-of-the-foot-flopper that came to rest in no-Hillies-land — they went to work.
Markus Edmunds dove in for the first of his three TDs on the night — five for the young season — and a fumble on Haverhill's second snap from scrimmage set up No. 2.
"That's our preparation, and we were hyped up for this one," said Balsamo. "We have some pretty experience guys like myself, Markus, Mike Milano. We have a lot of key starters back. So we're ready for challenges like this."
Central's starters dominated nearly every second they were in there, outgaining the Hillie regulars 304-20.
Edmunds, Milano and Balsamo combined to run 24 times for 205 yards on their own.
Fans got to see a hungrier, maybe even nastier Balsamo.
"That's my style of game," said the senior, who's already gotten offers from Wofford and Bryant. "I'm 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and I'm going to use it all I can to punish defenders and move the chains.
Now the Raiders can look ahead to the Prep and try to forget the nationally-acclaimed 40-21 loss that saw Eagle Johnny Thomas make ESPN's SportsCenter for his 106-yard interception return for a TD.
"I never watch (the video)," said Edmunds. "I want to vomit every time I watch it."
Game Statistics:
First Quarter
CC — Markus Edmunds 1 run (Mike Milano kick) 8:21
CC — Edmunds 1 run (Milano kick) 5:55
Second Quarter
CC — Milano 3 run (Milano kick) 4:30
CC — Omar Deschamps 2 run (kick wide) 2:39
Third Quarter
CC — Edmunds 45 run (kick wide) 10:04
CC — Milano 12 run (Milano kick) 4:48
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: CC — Edmunds 6-91, Mike Balsamo 7-54, Milano 11-60, Deschamps 6-57, Steven Jackson 1-9, Calvin Driscoll 1-9, Johandy Gonzalez 3-11, Nino Mastrangelo 2-(-1); H — Samie Al-Ziab 4-11, Nick Munoz 1-0, Ian Kessel 6-8, Pedro Santiago 4-34, Luc Chretien 3-30, Manny Batista 2-9, J.C. Laguerre 3-18, Broghean McGovern 1-(-9)
PASSING: CC — Milano 6-12-0, 34 yards; H — McGovern 1-7-2, 1 yard
RECEIVING: CC — Balsamo 3-23, Jackson 2-9, Greg Marggraf 1-2; H — Munoz 1-1
