READING – There could be higher gamers in Massachusetts than Bishop Feehan’s Nick Yanchuk however Shamrocks coach Brian Pinabell positive is glad that he will get to enter battle with him.
After shredding Peabody for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns final week, it seemingly couldn’t get higher for Yanchuk. But that proved to be only a warm-up for Friday night time because the senior carried 39 instances for 362 yards and 6 touchdowns to steer the Shamrocks to a 48-6 win over beforehand unbeaten Reading.
The No. 14 seed advances to subsequent week’s Division 2 semifinal in opposition to No. 2 King Philip, a 17-13 winner over Marshfield, with a visit to Gillette Stadium up for grabs.
“If Matt is not one of the best players in the state, I don’t know who is,” Pinabell mentioned. “I would take that guy with me anywhere, any time.”
Yanchuk’s backfield mate, Dante Bruschi, additionally had a standout sport for the second week in a row as he rushed for 100 yards and the sport’s spotlight landing that noticed him shake off six tacklers, 4 of them coming contained in the 5 yard line. He additionally led a protection, coordinated by his father Tedy, that turned in 5 sacks and by no means let Reading quarterback James Murphy get right into a rhythm.
“All the credit goes to Tedy and the coaches. They came up with a fantastic game plan for the kids to execute,” Pinabell mentioned. “To hold one of the best offenses in the state to six points is amazing.”
Reading bought the ball to start out the sport and marched contained in the Shamrocks (5-3) 30-yard line on 4 completions from Murphy. But the Feehan protection stiffened to pressure a turnover on downs to provide its offense an opportunity to set the tone for the wet night time.
Yanchuk toted the rock seven instances for 50 yards as a part of a 9 play march that lined 73 yards in a bit of over 5 minutes. His 24-yard sweep capped the drive to provide the Shamrocks a 7-0 lead.
A brief Reading punt to start the second quarter gave Feehan the ball close to midfield. From there, Yanchuk and his huge offensive line went proper to work. Six straight runs lined the 53 yards in a bit of underneath 4 minutes with a 24 yard sweep left, capping the drive for a 13-0 lead.
The groups traded punts till late within the half when Feehan bought the ball at its 44 with 2:14 left. It didn’t take lengthy for the Shamrocks to transform as Yanchuk accomplished a 159-yard first half with a 46 yard sprint to make it 20-0 on the break.
Even higher for the Shamrocks was they bought the ball and an opportunity to double up firstly of the second half. It took simply three performs and 90 seconds for simply that to occur as Yanchuk bolted 69 yards to make it 27-0.
A 3 and out was not what Reading wanted to start the second half because the tiring Rockets protection needed to come proper again on the sphere. Feehan took full benefit as Yanchuk’s fifth rating of the sport capped a 77 yard drive to make it 34-0 with nonetheless 4:12 left within the third.
Reading lastly bought on the board on the subsequent drive as Murphy scored on a 16-yard scramble however Bruschi answered together with his 70-yard run on the subsequent collection earlier than Yanchuk capped the scoring and his night time to recollect with a 15-yard TD within the fourth.
“Our defense was able to get stops and we scored off of them,” Yanchuk mentioned. “Everyone knows that’s what we want to do and it’s how we play.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com