BRIDGEWATER — In the primary half of Saturday’s Division 4 semifinal, Holliston’s passing assault gave Duxbury issues, and the groups went into the break tied.
But the Dragons’ secondary clamped down admirably after that, whereas quarterback Matt Festa and operating again Alex Barlow dealt with a lot of the manufacturing on offense, as Duxbury rolled to a 42-14 win.
Duxbury improves to 10-0 and makes it again to Gillette Stadium after shedding the Div. 4 state title to Scituate a 12 months in the past. The Dragons will play Grafton.
Holliston falls to 9-2.
Barlow rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns, and in addition caught a 23-yard scoring toss from Festa. Festa rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and accomplished 15 of twenty-two passes for 226 yards and the rating to Barlow.
Brendan Bonner made two interceptions, together with a pick-six, and Trevor Jones and Sam Wien additionally made one every.
“Kids making plays,” Duxbury coach Matt Landolfi mentioned of the interceptions. “The kids made some really good plays. (Holliston) had some really good athletes. We tried to keep them in front of us, prevent the big play. Brendan Bonner stepped in and made an unbelievable break on the ball. Kids made plays.”
Coming out of a 14-14 tie at halftime, Duxbury scored within the third quarter when Festa ran in a 17-yard landing.
The Dragons pressured a turnover on downs on the following Holliston possession, and Duxbury went proper again to work. Barlow had a 37-yard run to arrange his 1-yard landing to make it 28-14 with 2:54 left within the third.
The Duxbury protection struck once more on the subsequent Holliston drive, as Alex Rovegno sacked Holliston quarterback TJ Kiley (192 yards passing, 2 TD), and compelled a fumble that Henry Bicknell recovered.
Just two performs later, Festa hit Barlow on the 23-yard landing over the center, an the rout was on.
Bonner made his 80-yard interception return for a landing on the subsequent Holliston drive and it acted because the exclamation level for Duxbury’s victory.
“All year, I dropped a few of those, dropped a few picks. I knew he had to take a shot,” Bonner mentioned. “Tried to catch the ball and take off. I took advantage of it.”
Holliston jumped out early to a 7-0 lead, as Duxbury muffed a Panthers punt, and Jack Schellings recovered. That led to Kiley hitting Brady Sweeney on a 14-yard landing cross.
Duxbury answered, although, as Festa hit consecutive completions to Colin Quinlan and Barlow for a mixed 54 yards to arrange Festa’s 2-yard landing run that tied it at 7.
Kiley stayed scorching, as he discovered Devin Harding for a 33-yard connection. Then Kiley hit Andrew Denson over the center for a 14-yard landing late within the first quarter as Holliston grabbed a 14-7 lead.
But Duxbury’s offense was to not be denied, as Festa went 5-for-5 for 45 yards on the subsequent drive to assist arrange Barlow’s 13-yard landing proper up the intestine and assist tie it at 14 on the half.
Bonner is comfortable to get the prospect to place final 12 months’s loss at Gillette behind the group.
“Last year was heartbreaking,” Bonner mentioned. “We’ve all been motivated to get back there. We’re back and we’ve just got to make a statement and go out and win this next game.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com