FOXBORO — For the primary time in program historical past, North Reading has a Super Bowl victory after developing brief a season in the past.
The second-seeded Hornets recovered from a sluggish begin and a 14-14 halftime rating to take down No. 4 Shawsheen 44-28 within the Div. 5 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium on Friday evening.
“It feels so good,” stated senior captain Alex Carucci about with the ability to cap off the season with a Super Bowl title after shedding in the identical contest final 12 months. “Just after winter break last year, we devoted (ourselves) to the weight room. We devoted everything we had. We devoted every single ounce of effort we had to come back. For it all to be worth it, it feels so good.”
With a median over 40 factors per recreation within the postseason, North Reading (11-2) used a 21-point fourth quarter to get to the 44-point mark and put this recreation out of attain at 44-20 with 4:52 left within the fourth.
“We had a lot of guys that stepped up,” stated Hornets coach Ed Blum about their offensive strategy. “Will Batten is a huge player for us at running back. Alex Carucci had a hell of a second half. We had to have a bunch of guys step up at wide receiver. … We are so fortunate to have so many athletes and the offensive line opened up holes for Carucci and our runners.”
Two of these scores got here off the toes of Carucci as he ran for a 47-yard rating to make it 30-14 early within the body. He added a 90-yard rating after Caleb Caseres scored from 4 yards out for Shawsheen (12-1).
“Our offense really struggled in the first half,” Carucci stated. “We went in and were like, ‘Tie game. Clean slate. Let’s go after it and play our football.’ That’s what we did and it felt really good.”
Carucci additionally added two landing passes, together with one from 5 yards out to senior captain Matt Guidebeck, proper earlier than halftime to knot the rating 14-14. He additionally began the scoring by throwing a fourth down go to junior Will Batten to place North Reading up 7-0 within the first quarter.
Batten was one other huge catalyst on offense as he scored on a run from 39 yards out to provide the Hornets again the lead for good at 20-14. He ran it in once more from 33 yards out to make it a 44-20 contest to all however ice the win.
The protection aided the beginning of the third quarter for North Reading as two three-and-outs and a choose led to 16 straight factors to start the second half.
“We had some trouble in the secondary (in the first half),” Carucci stated concerning the crew’s defensive recreation plan.
For the Rams, senior captain Mavrick Bourdeau tied a Super Bowl document with 17 receptions whereas additionally scoring two touchdowns and compiling 241 yards (240 by means of the air). Sophomore Sid Tildsley completed 28-of-31 for 303 yards and a rating whereas additionally dashing for 51 yards and one other rating.
NORTH READING 44, SHAWSHEEN 28
North Reading (11-2) 7 7 9 21 – 44
Shawsheen (12-1) 7 7 0 14 – 28
NR – Will Batten 2 go from Alex Carucci (Matt Guidebeck kick)
SH – Mavrick Bourdeau 33 go from Sid Tildsley (Jack Finn kick)
SH – Tildsley 4 run (Finn kick)
NR – Guidebeck 5 go from Carucci (Guidebeck kick)
NR – Batten 39 run (kick failed)
NR – Guidebeck 37 subject aim
NR – Carucci 47 run (Guidebeck kick)
SH – Caleb Caseres 4 run (go failed)
NR – Carucci 90 run (Guidebeck kick)
NR – Batten 33 run (Guidebeck kick)
SH – Bourdeau 1 run (Bourdeau go from Tildsley)
Source: www.bostonherald.com