FOXBORO — As each packages within the Division 6 Super Bowl set foot on the Gillette Stadium subject for the time since 2018 on Saturday afternoon, all awe rapidly turned towards top-seeded Stoneham when it bruised by a seamless 15-play, nine-minute opening drive for the sport’s first landing. Remarkable execution to say the least.
But then David Brown acquired the ball.
Behind a monstrous efficiency that noticed the senior rating all 4 of his workforce’s touchdowns off 204 yards from scrimmage, St. Mary’s (L) coasted its option to a 29-8 win for this system’s first state title since 2005. Defense adopted swimsuit by forcing three turnover-on-downs following the opening landing to chop off Stoneham’s (11-2) methodical prowess, together with a gritty second half that noticed St. Mary’s (12-1) stop a single third down conversion on 5 bids.
After a year-long wait to recover from the workforce’s loss in final yr’s state semifinals, St. Mary’s can lastly have fun.
“They really worked their tails off since the minute we got off the bus from last year’s semifinal loss,” mentioned St. Mary’s head coach Sean Driscoll. “Our goal was to get back here and win it. … This is the greatest.”
Eating clock with quick positive factors all the way in which to the tip zone is Stoneham’s goal every sport, and after averaging over 30 factors by the playoffs beforehand, it labored completely on the opening drive as Colin Farren (115 dashing yards) capped off his 54 yards on the bottom within the first quarter with the 9-yard rating for an 8-0 lead. Stoneham went 3-for-4 on third down by the 15 performs, wanting subsequent to unstoppable with small chunk positive factors.
But St. Mary’s didn’t permit the opposing Spartans to enter its crimson zone the remainder of the sport. And within the meantime, Brown erupted.
The ensuing drive after the Stoneham landing noticed Tyler Guy join with Maddox Romero for a important third-down conversion, and Brown tied the rating 5 performs later with a 4-yard landing run and barreled within the two-point conversion. Stoneham responded nicely, operating all the way in which all the way down to the St. Mary’s 36 earlier than the protection compelled an incompletion for a turnover-on-downs. Two performs later, Brown bolted by a gap for a 62-yard landing run for the 15-8 lead.
Starting the third quarter on the Stoneham 25-yard-line through a 55-yard kick return from Derick Coulanges helped St. Mary’s prolong the result in 22-8 as soon as Guy related with Brown for an 8-yard landing go. By the time he ripped off one final huge run, a 59-yard landing, the title was nicely in hand.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Brown mentioned. “It was really easy out there, once I get to the outside. Blocks were made, the holes were there. Just a bunch of cuts.”
Much is to be mentioned in regards to the defensive effort to permit the offense to interrupt away, because it allowed simply 139 yards from scrimmage following the 86-yard opening drive. Four makes an attempt have been tackled within the backfield by St. Mary’s, capped off by a sack from lineman Tommy Falasca, on Stoneham’s last offensive play.
“We knew they were going to push us a bit,” mentioned senior captain Falasca mentioned. “Our coach told us to come out of that long drive they had and we’re going to keep perservering. … Just keep making the plays.”
ST. MARY’S 29, STONEHAM 8
St. Mary’s (12-1) 8 7 7 7 – 29
Stoneham (11-2) 8 0 0 0 – 8
ST – Colin Farren 9 run (Jason Nutting run)
SM – David Brown 4 run (Brown run)
SM – Brown 62 run (Michael Anderson kick)
SM – Brown 8 go from Tyler Guy (Anderson kick)
SM – Brown 59 run (Anderson kick)
Source: www.bostonherald.com