NORTH ATTLEBORO — After taking good care of Billerica within the Div. 3 semifinals a season in the past, North Attleboro dealt with enterprise a spherical earlier at residence Friday evening.
From the opening kickoff, the No. 2 Red Rocketeers managed play on the entrance line on either side of the ball to high No. 7 Billerica 34-6 at Community Field within the Div. 3 quarterfinals.
“We put in a lot of work this week,” mentioned North Attleboro coach Mike Strachan. “(Billerica) is a very good football team that has skill guys all over the place. They are very well coached. I thought it was going to come down to what happened up front. I think our guys were up for the challenge and I think we dominated the line of scrimmage.”
North Attleboro (7-2) began the sport off with a bang as senior captain Nathan Shultz returned the opening kickoff from 84 yards out to go up 7-0 simply 14 ticks into the competition.
The Red Rocketeers adopted that up with a defensive 3-and-out earlier than the operating assault was in a position to get the motor going with Shultz operating it in from 30 yards out to go up 14-0 halfway via the primary quarter.
Shultz completed the primary half with 211 all-purpose yards, with 129 of these on the bottom on 11 carries. He completed the sport in fashion with a four-yard dashing rating for the hat trick to seal the victory at 34-6 with 1:37 remaining.
“The offensive line played phenomenal,” Shultz mentioned concerning the line’s play. “They worked hard every single play. That’s who you have to give the Offensive Player of the Week to – our O-line and our fullbacks. … That’s really who won us the game – the boys up front.”
Billerica (9-1) responded as Scott Einarson caught a 29-yard move earlier than dashing it in from 4 yards out the lower the deficit right down to 14-6 just below a minute after North Attleboro’s second rating.
The Red Rocketeers didn’t let up as senior Greg Berthiaume added a 3-yard rating proper earlier than the top of the primary quarter. He ran it in from 25 yards out with 1:17 left within the first half to make it 27-6 on the half.
North Attleboro completed the evening with 302 yards from scrimmage – all on the bottom.
The protection was no slouch both because it accrued eight tackles for much less with two of these being sacks as Billerica amassed solely 86 yards from scrimmage – 51 of these got here within the first quarter.
“It all comes down to the senior leadership,” Strachan mentioned concerning the protection’s capability to make performs. “The entire senior class — that is where it starts and ends with us.”
North Attleboro will battle in opposition to undefeated Wakefield at a website/date to be decided subsequent week.
Source: www.bostonherald.com