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By Matthew Roy / For The Item, Tuesday, November 20, 2007

All that separated the Lynn Classical football team from taking the field tomorrow (10am) against Lynn English with a chance to claim the Northeastern Conference's North division title.

But when Quivari Jackson was stopped on fourth and two with just under two minutes left against Gloucester, it resulted in the Fishermen driving for the winning score and the playoff berth that goes to the North champion.

Despite the heartbreaking loss to the Fishermen, which saw Classical take a 22-6 lead into the fourth quarter, this season still has been a successful one for Classical, which comes into their annual Thanksgiving Day game with the Bulldogs sporting a 7-2 record and a 3-1 mark in NEC North play.

Classical also is looking for its second straight win over their cross-town rivals following a 26-0 win last season in the rain.

And the Rams would like nothing better than to continue that trend on Thursday.

"It's a great tradition and it brings out the best in both teams," Classical coach Matt Durgin said. "We are going to have to come out and be at our best because English is a very physical team and are better than their record shows."

The Classical offense has been one of the most prolific in the NEC this season, averaging 30.1 points per game, and has been held under 20 points on only two occasions (18 in a win over Beverly and 14 in a win against Salem).

Leading the attack has been a brutally effective ground game headed by Jackson.

Jackson has rushed for eight touchdowns and has caught seven others from Alex Watler for a total of 15, ranking him second in the conference behind the 24 of Gloucester's Andrew Fulford.

"Quivari is just an excellent athlete and he has the ability to have big plays when he touches the ball," Durgin said. "And he's done it both running and catching."

Another weapon that emerged during the midpoint of the season was junior Cam Smith, who had his coming out party with two scores against Beverly. He also had a 186 yard, two touchdown game vs. Danvers and added three more in a win over Revere.

Bryndyn Primus and Chad Quintana also have helped to power the ground game.

"A lot of kids have stepped up and the more unselfish we are, the better we are," Durgin said. "Cam has been stellar all year on both sides of the ball and has improved each week."

Senior quarterback Alex Watler had to wait for his turn under center. But he has certainly been able to take over for his predecessor, Michael Quintana.

Watler has thrown a touchdown pass in seven of nine games and has 10 touchdowns and only four interceptions, two of them coming in the fog during a 35-25 loss at Winthrop in week three.

"Alex has been a great leader for us and he's had a nice year. He got his opportunity and has done a nice job," Durgin said.

Providing the power up front has been the offensive line of Brian Kolodziej, Sam Smith, Dillon O'Toole, Chris Nassor and Sebastian Bejin.

"We wouldn't have been successful without them," Durgin said.

The Classical defense also has done the job this season, allowing a total of 120 points in nine games, an average of 13.3 per game. Only Winthrop (35) and Gloucester (26) have gone over the 20 point mark, and the Rams threw a shutout against Peabody in week six.

The defense also came up huge at Salem following the Gloucester loss when there were a lot of questions about the Rams' mental state of affairs. It was that defense which picked off a Colby Boulay pass in the final moments to thwart a potential game-tying drive.

It also has performed well against the conference's top rushers, holding Fulford, Salem's Melikke Van Alstyne and Winthrop's Joe McDermott in check.

"Coach (Derek) Dana has done a nice job with them. They have improved each week," Durgin said. "We're very fortunate to have some very good athletes."

Also playing well on that side have been linebackers Stanley Sam and Quintana along with defensive back Tony Johnson, one of the best in the NEC.

After a 40-6 win over St. Mary's to open the season, Classical had to hang on for an 18-13 win over Beverly when the defense stopped Panther star Greg Pierce on fourth down with 2:00 remaining. Jackson had 202 yards of total offense in the game.

Five turnovers against the Vikings led to a loss but the Rams rebounded to win their next three games against Marblehead, Danvers and Peabody by a combined score of 113-25 to set up an early November showdown with the Fishermen at Manning.

And for three quarters of that game, things were looking rosy for Classical but hulking fullback Anthony Enderle wore down the Rams defense in the fourth quarter, allowing the Fishermen to sneak away with a 26-22 win.

The Rams rebounded with the win over Salem and head into tomorrow's game off a 38-8 win over Revere in the rain. But Durgin knows that Thanksgiving is like a season packed into one 48 minute contest.

"It's a big moment for both teams," Durgin said. "There's a lot of emotion for the seniors and it's always nice if you win on Thanksgiving."

Put me down as one person who - in the beginning - wasn't crazy about the split of the Northeastern Conference into large and small divisions.

Although I understood it last year, it was a little sad to see Saugus stop playing Classical and English; it's still a little sad that there was no Classical-Swampscott game this season; and the demographics of the various schools involved could force further erosion of long-standing rivalries on the North Shore.

But on the other hand, there have been some good aspects to the split too. Beverly got off to a rough start, but as of last week, the Panthers still had a shot to win the Northeastern Conference/Small. In fact, with a little luck (well OK... a lot of luck) the Panthers could very well still do that.

Beverly lost some early games to NEC/Large opponents such as Classical, Revere and Gloucester. Last year, that would have been the kiss of death, as all the teams were vying for the same playoff spot.

The split meant that there are two playoff spots in the NEC now, and Beverly could reinvent itself for the part of its season that really counted ... the NEC/Small games. Unfortunately (for them), Swampscott didn't have to do much reinventing. The Big Blue have only lost once - to Gloucester - and it really looks as if they'll be tough for either Danvers or Marblehead to slow down.

But if you're Beverly, you have to hope that it happens, because it's your only shot. But ... at least it's a shot. Last year, the Panthers would have had none.

Similarly, with two losses, Classical would have been, for all intents and purposes, on the outside looking in as well. But because one of those losses was to Winthrop (NEC/Small), the Rams could still mange to go to the post-season if Salem defeats Gloucester, and then beats Beverly on Thanksgiving (provided, of course, that the Rams take care of business and beat Revere and English).

Such a scenario - and again, one must caution that it would be a supremely tall order for Salem to go up to Gloucester Friday and upend the Fishermen - would create a three-way tie for the league title, with Classical getting the nod because it hasn't been to the post-season since 1980.

So complain all you want about the split, but here it is November, and the second-to-the-last week of football, and we have races in both the upper and lower divisions of the Northeastern Conference.

SALEM -- It was almost the same story, but with a better ending for the Lynn Classical High football team.

A week after a bitter loss to Gloucester, the Rams looked like they might succumb to another fourth quarter comeback against Salem until Bryndyn Primus intercepted a pass with 40 seconds left as Classical held off the hard-charging Witches, 14-7, Friday night, at Bertram Field.

"An excellent win; our best of the season," Classical coach Matt Durgin said. "They were coming down the field and it looked like it might be 'Here we go again,'" but the kids just gutted it out."

The Witches (4-4; 3-1 NEC Large) suddenly go from foes to friends for the Rams (6-2; 2-1). If Salem beats the Fishermen at Gloucester next Friday and Classical beats Revere at home, it would create a 3-way tie atop the standings heading into Thanksgiving.

"Oh yeah, we're big Salem fans now," Durgin said.

Cam Smith and Alex Watler scored rushing touchdowns for Classical in a game the Rams won without their signature big plays. The Rams' longest play from scrimmage was a 21-yard run by Keshawn Avery.

Defensively, the Rams responded by holding Salem superback Melikke Van Alstyne to just 55 yards on 17 carries, and he picked up nearly half that total with a 25-yard scoring run that closed Classical's lead to 14-7 with 8:03 left in the game.

The Rams came back with a drive that took six minutes off the clock but ended when Salem's Felix Gomez sacked Watler at the Witches' 35-yard line.

After Tony Johnson trapped Van Alstyne for a 13-yard loss on first down and a penalty on the Witches for too many men in the huddle, Salem quarterback Colby Boulay connected on three passes and ran an 8-yard draw to move the ball to Classical's 30.

Van Alstyne gained one yard on the next play, and then Boulay tried to hit a receiver along the right hashmarks, but Primus jumped the route and made a sprawling interception at Classical's 23-yard line. Watler kneeled down twice to run out the final 40 seconds.

"We knew Classical was a tough team with a lot of speed, but our kids played hard for 44 minutes," Salem coach Scott Connolly said.

Classical couldn't take advantage of a blocked punt at Salem's 29-yard line by Quivari Jackson and the first quarter ended in a scoreless tie.

The Rams continued to enjoy good field position in the second quarter and drove 51 yards in nine plays for their first touchdown. A 19-yard run by Jackson set up a 4-yard sweep by Smith. Jackson's gritty run for two points made the score 8-0 with 4:12 left in the first half.

Classical scored its other touchdown on its first possession of the second half. The Rams drove 56 yards in 10 plays, the last of which was a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Watler on fourth down. The try for two was unsuccessful and Classical led, 14-0, with 4:29 remaining in the third quarter. Salem's scoring drive began with nine seconds left in the third quarter and covered 80 yards in 10 plays, three of which were completed passes by Boulay. That softened up the Rams' defense for Van Alstyne's 25-yard scoring run around left end.

The Classical football team played as well as it could last Friday against Gloucester and was less than six feet from pulling off the upset win.
But the Rams couldn't gain those two yards with just under two minutes to go and Gloucester drove for the winning score in a 26-22 game.
Now the Rams are faced with the task of trying to regroup in just six short days and get ready for a Salem team that has a share of first place in the Northeastern Conference's North division with Gloucester.
"We need to come ready to play on Friday or we're going to be in for a long night," Classical coach Matt Durgin said. "You really don't know how they're going to bounce back until then."
The Rams (5-2, 1-1 NEC) are still in the hunt for a postseason berth, but need a little help to make that happen. But getting a win over Salem isn't as easy as it used to be in past seasons and Durgin knows that.
"Coach (Scott) Connolly has done a nice job with the program over there," Durgin said. "They're in first place and its going to take an all out team effort from us.

For Classical to be successful, the Rams will have to find a way to hold talented running back Melikke Van Alstyne in check.
The senior did everything but fill the Gatorade buckets last Friday against Peabody. Van Alstyne rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which gave Salem a 20-14 lead in overtime. Then for the second time in three games, Van Alstyne made a game-winning play on defense as he forced and recovered a fumble on the Tanners lone snap in the extra frame.
Quarterback Colby Boulay has also give Connolly's team an added dimension with a solid passing game.
"They are excellent on defense and on offense," Durgin said.

Gloucester Comeback Astounds Fans

LYNN - What do you say after your team scores 20 points in the final minutes of a game that could decide the conference."I don't know," said Gloucester coach Paul Ingram with a shrug. Ingram may not have had the answer, but his Fishermen did.

After Lynn Classical scored 22 straight points to take a 22-6 lead, Gloucester clawed its way back and stunned the crowd at Manning Field, scoring three times in the fourth quarter to take an emotional 26-22 victory.

"We were dead," said Ingram as his players celebrated and tears flowedon the Rams' side. "I'm so proud of the kids not to give up. They're tough as nails."

Before the fans had time to settle in, Gloucester was on the board. Fullback Anthony Enderle capped a six-play drive with a 38-yard score.

But Classical gained momentum on their its next drive. Alex Watler found Bryndyn Primus for a 16-yard gain before a 15-yard roughing the passer call brought the Rams to the 24. Watler found Quivari Jackson for 25 yards and the score. Primus then ran for a 2-point conversion and an 8-6 lead.

Enderle fumbled in the third quarter, and Classical's Tony Johnson picked it up and bolted 51 yards for the score. Primus ran in the 2-point conversion for a 16-6 lead. Cameron Smith scored on a 3-yard run to give Classical a 22-6 advantage.

With 8:27 left, Lynn Classical punted. From Gloucester's 41, Rich Gallant found Taylor Burbine for a gain of 19. After Enderle rumbled for 8 yards, Gallant threw an incomplete pass while pressured by Classical's Stanley Sam.

Then Enderle took off, breaking through the middle for a 42-yard touchdown that brought Gloucester within 22-12. Andrew Fulford was denied on the conversion.After a punt, Gallant pump-faked and let off a long throw, but Jackson intercepted it at the 30. With five minutes on the clock, Gloucester looked to be out of it.

But Jackson found no running room, and Gloucester took over with 3:57 left.Gallant found Fulford for a 22-yard gain, firing up the Fishermen sideline. He connected with Burbine for 8 more. From the 25, Gallant went to the corner of the end zone, where junior Dylan Maki caught his first pass of the season. Fulford rushed to make it a 22-20 game.

The Fishermen again denied Jackson. On fourth and 2 from the Rams 49, a gang of Gloucester linemen stopped Jackson for no gain.Enderle ran through a stunned Classical line for 36 yards, then 13 more. From the 2, Fulford sprawled across the goal to put the Fishermen improbably on top with 1:14 left.

Classical's Quivari Jackson celebrates his touchdown with teammate Sebastian Bejin against Gloucester Friday. Watching is Chris Nassar (58). (ITEM PHOTO / REBA M. SALDANHA)

LYNN -- In Gloucester, this game will be known as "the Miracle at Manning Field."

The Fishermen (8-0) scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including the winner with 1:14 left, to emerge with an incredible, improbable 26-22 victory over Lynn Classical, Friday night, at Manning Field.

"This is the greatest win I've had ... so far," Gloucester quarterback Richard Gallant said. "We all knew we could come back. We all knew we could win."

Needless to mention, this was a bitter defeat for the Rams (5-2), who probably saw their hopes for a Northeastern Conference Large Division championship and a postseason berth evaporate in a span of less than eight minutes.

The moment that will be discussed was Classical coach Matt Durgin's decision to go for a first down on fourth-and-two from Gloucester's 49-yard line with 1:53 left. Quivari Jackson was stopped for no gain.

"We went for it. We put the ball in our best back's hands," Durgin said. "We wanted to win. We didn't come here to just survive."

With no timeouts left, Gloucester covered 51 yards in just three plays, two of which were runs of 36 and 13 yards by bruising fullback Anthony Enderle, who ripped the Rams for 173 yards on 14 carries. Andrew Fulford took care of the final two yards with a run up the middle.

Classical got the ball back at its own 26 with 1:08 left, but only picked up one first down before facing a fourth-and-10 from its own 43-yard line with just seven seconds left. Alex Watler's desperation heave for Quivari Jackson was intercepted by Kyle Habecker, setting off a wild celebration for Gloucester.

"This was a huge win for us; just tremendous," Gloucester coach Paul Ingram said. "I was scared as hell coming down here, because I knew how good Classical is and I know how much speed they have. I knew hard it was going to be."

Both teams scored on their first offensive possessions of the game. Enderle capped off a quick-and-easy 65-yard drive with a 38-yard run up the middle, and the Rams answered with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Watler to Jackson on a fourth-and-10 gamble.

In the second quarter, Gloucester twice moved the ball inside Classical's 20, but was turned back both times as the Rams took an 8-6 lead into halftime.

On Gloucester's first offensive play of the second half, Gallant and Enderle failed to connect on a handoff at midfield. Tony Johnson scooped up the fumble and ran untouched into the end zone, and Bryndyn Primus's PAT run gave the Rams a 16-6 lead.

After a Gloucester punt, the Rams went 63 yards in nine plays, the best of which was a 30-yard run by Jackson, who started on a sweep to his left and cut back to the middle of the field before he was tackled at the Fishermen's 5. One play later, Cam Smith ran over right guard for a touchdown. Chad Quintana's 2-point run made the score 22-6, with 1:28 left in the third quarter.

The teams traded punts and the Fishermen took over at their own 41 with 8:27 remaining in the game. Gallant hit Taylor Burbine for a 10-yard pickup and then avoided a big sack by throwing the ball away on second down. On the next play, Enderle rumbled 42 yards for a touchdown. Fulford thought he had the front right corner on the 2-point conversion, but the officials ruled he was stopped just short and the score held at 22-12.

"That run (by Enderle) really gave us a spark," Ingram said. "We didn't play well in the first half and up to that point in the third quarter, but I think when we scored on that run, the kids started to believe we could come back."

After a punt, the Rams looked like they put the game away when Jackson intercepted Gallant at the Classical 29-yard line, but the Fishermen held the Rams without a first down and took over at the Classical 45.

Gallant completed two passes for 20 yards and then found Dylan Maki in the back right corner of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Fulford ran in a 2-point conversion and the Fishermen trailed, 22-20, with 2:43 left in the game.

That set up Gloucester's big stop on fourth down and the winning touchdown that kept its undefeated season alive.

"We told them (Rams) before the game to make sure when it's over you can look each other in the eye and know you played as hard as you could," Durgin said. "Everyone walked off the field tonight looking each other in the eye."

Gloucester Comeback Astounds Fans

Classical Offense Dizzies Opponents