RallyNorth.net

Pentucket stumbles into the playoffs

Saturday, October, 20 By Jeff Hamrick

WEST NEWBURY - Looking to solidify a playoff seeding that had it rated fourth in Division 5 North heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Pentucket instead was unable to contain a one-win team from the south.

Quarterback Dante Vasquez ran roughshod over the Sachem defense Saturday afternoon as Rockland, a Division 6 squad, easily handled Pentucket 21-7.

Although it shouldn't keep the Sachems out of the playoffs - and hence a North title - since the two closest teams in the ratings also suffered defeats, the loss surely won't help their confidence.

"I have no idea," Pentucket coach Steve Hayden responded when asked about his next opponent. "Whatever will happen will happen, and they'll let us know."

Vasquez, a junior whose previous best was 162 yards, scored twice, including a broken-play 96-yard jaunt, en route to 224 yards on only 16 carries (14 yards per attempt).

Rockland (2-5) grabbed a 7-0 lead on a 40-yard run by Michael Ebersole with 3:25 left in the second quarter. It appeared Pentucket would enter intermission down by that score after a 41-yard punt by Gus Flaherty left the Bulldogs at their own 5 with 63 seconds remaining. Two plays later, however, Vasquez turned left to hand off to a running back that wasn't there and instead broke for the right sideline and out ran Sachem defenders for a 13-0 lead 41 seconds before half.

"They have quite a player there in No. 2," Hayden said of Vasquez. "He made a lot of big plays. He did very, very well. He just kept breaking tackles."

Pentucket (3-4) finally found some offensive rhythm late in the third with an 11-play drive that consumed 5:23. Andrew Joyce carried the ball six times on the trek, including the final 16 yards with 9:23 left in the game. Joyce, who took over at running back for Dylan O'Rourke, who didn't return for the second half with a left wrist injury, gained 34 of the 85 yards on the drive.

"I thought we played pretty well except for two plays in the first half," said Hayden, whose squad was outgained on the ground 320-113. "Then they wore us down. Offensively, we just didn't finish off drives. We just couldn't stay consistent."

The ensuing kickoff once again pinned the Bulldogs deep at their own 3, but Rockland proceeded on a 12-play drive that lasted almost six minutes and ended with Vasquez scampering in from the 10 to secure the victory with 3:32 remaining. The quarterback gained all but 14 of the needed yards on the possession.

Rockland 21, Pentucket 7

Rockland (2-5):     0 13 0 8 - 21

Pentucket (3-4):     0  0 0 7 -  7

Second Quarter

R - Michael Ebersole 40 run (Matt Dalton kick), 3:25

R - Dante Vasquez 96 run (kick failed), :41

Fourth Quarter

P - Andrew Joyce 16 run (Daniels Lathum kick), 9:23

R - Dante Vasquez 10 run (Dante Vasquez run), 3:32

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: PENTUCKET (33-113): Andrew Joyce 15-59, Dylan O'Rourke 12-28, Ryan Kiley 2-18, Keegan O'Keefe 2-11, Gus Flaherty 2-(-3); ROCKLAND (35-320): Dante Vasquez 16-224, Michael Ebersole 14-78, Joe Nguyen 2-17, Nick Leander 2-1, Mark Sprague 1-0

PASSING: P - Gus Flaherty 8-17-1, 81; R - Dante Vasquez 3-5-0, 21

RECEIVING: P - Peter Cleary 5-67, Austin Senfleben 2-4, Justin Snow 1-10; R - Patrick Mariarty 2-15, Dalton 1-6