PEABODY — All season, Bryan Pinabell had been itching for a litmus take a look at. A novel probability to see precisely the place his Bishop Feehan soccer group stood late within the fall.
Despite some challenges Thursday night time, he and the Shamrocks now need to be feeling fairly good about how issues are shaping up. Rising quarterback Owen Mordas completed with 130 yards passing, and fired a game-clinching landing strike to Jack Higgins as Bishop Feehan registered its defining win with a 29-26 triple time beyond regulation victory in opposition to Bishop Fenwick.
“I said to my guys in the huddle that we needed a game like this,” stated Pinabell. “We’re about to go into the guantlet of the Division 2 playoffs, and we are going to be in games like this. It isn’t easy to play in a game like this. There’s adversity.”
The sport was billed as a conflict between two of the highest offenses within the Catholic Central League. For the vast majority of the opening quarter, Bishop Fenwick (5-2) lived as much as its status, as senior Luke Connolly scampered proper up the center for a 29-yard landing rush simply moments into play. The Crusaders would pad their lead later within the body with a one-yard rush by senior captain Anthony Nicholas, leaping out to a powerful 14-0 edge with 2:06 left within the stanza.
However, if you face a group as explosive as Bishop Feehan (33.8 factors per sport getting into Thursday), brace your self for a scoring surge. It took a sequence lasting just one:41 for the Shamrocks (6-1) to even issues. Quinn rushed for a three-yard landing scamper with 3:02 left within the half, then watched his teammate Brett McCafferey come away with a large interception on Bishop Fenwick’s ensuing drive simply seconds later. With 1:21 left within the second quarter, Quinn punched in his second rating, a two-yard rush to make it a 14-14 ballgame.
Later on within the second half, the bout grew to become a chess match. Extended drives had been in brief provide, however every faculty’s kicker stepped up. Bishop Fenwick regained a 17-14 lead on a 37-yard discipline aim from Aidan Silva, however Bishop Feehan responded with an extended attempt from distance itself. Shortly after a penalty saved a drive alive for the Shamrocks, they had been capable of capitalize as Austin Clemente hit a 36-yarder for the equalizer with 7:58 left.
“Austin’s got ice water in his veins,” stated Pinabell. “When he missed a field goal earlier in the game, he came off the field and said: ‘I’ll kick it again if we get in that spot.’ ”
Bishop Feehan’s religion was rewarded, and the showdown entered an time beyond regulation session after the 2 applications traded possessions for the rest of regulation.
In an analogous development to what followers witnessed for many of the second half, neither faculty was capable of finding offensive success. Instead, they might solely chunk their fingernails as the 2 kickers continued their duel into a 3rd further body.
Silva would knock house a 25-yard discipline aim to place Bishop Fenwick forward, 26-23. However, simply after getting the ball again, Mordas heard one thing out of the nook of his ear with the sport hanging within the steadiness. It was Higgins, emphatically calling for his teammate as defenders scrambled to realize place.
“I’m wide open!”
Mordas didn’t miss the chance. He fired a lob into the flat for the wideout, and Higgins was capable of jog to paydirt for the profitable 10-yard landing reception. His teammates then stormed the sphere in pursuit.
“It feels great,” Mordas stated. “It’s good momentum going into the playoffs, and I think we’re going to make a good run.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com