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Cotter, Hamilton-Wenham hold off Indians

Monday, October, 22 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

To say that Hamilton-Wenham needed this one might be a bit of an understatement.

Looking to snap a three-game losing streak and stay alive in the Cape Ann League Small race, the Generals rode the rugged running of captains Jake Cotter and Nate Masterson to a 14-7 triumph over Amesbury Saturday afternoon at Sawyer Field. "This is huge," Masterson said. "We were on a three-game skid, and it's good to get back."

The Generals couldn't breathe easy until after the final snap. Amesbury quarterback Jared Flannigan brought his team to the doorstep of the tying score at the 19-yard line with 10 seconds left. The Indians' final pass was deflected by Justin Mullen, and H-W improved to 3-3, 1-1 in CAL play.

"I was a little nervous, I won't lie," quipped Masterson (15 rushes, 52 yards). "Everyone stuck together, though, and we were able to finish it up."

Cotter spotted the Generals a 14-0 lead by capping an impressive drive to open the second half with a 5-yard scoring plunge. The captains | Cotter and Masterson | accounted for all 63 yards on the 12-play scoring march that set the tone for the second half.

Each lauded the play of an offensive line that featured improving youngsters and the return of junior stud Dave Littlefield, who missed last week with an ankle sprain.

"Our line was firing off the ball," said Cotter, who ran for 92 yards on 22 carries. "Dave (Littlefield) was back, and it was great to run behind him again."

On the defensive side, the Generals turned in their best performance of the season. Led by Cotter, Masterson and Casey Colyer (two sacks), the "D" held Amesbury to a season-low seven points and just 213 total yards, the bulk of which came on the Indians' lone scoring drive.

"Our defense really showed up to play today," said H-W coach Andrew Morency. "They have an explosive offense, and we felt like our defense would predicate our success today. It did." The lone blemish for the defense came on the first play of the fourth quarter when Amesbury's Kevin Johnson found the end zone from 19 yards out. But the Generals responded with a three-and-out on the Indians next possession, and they bent but didn't break on the game's final drive.

"If we played the first three quarters like we played the fourth quarter, we could've won the game," said Amesbury coach Thom Connors, whose squad dipped to 2-4 on the year, 1-1 CAL Small.

Cotter opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 5-yard rush that came after QB Andy Duval's only completion of the day, a 27-yard strike to Joey Hoyle.