CHELMSFORD — In the long run, 4 turnovers proved an excessive amount of for the Billerica Excessive soccer staff to beat.
In a driving rain, Chelmsford pulled off an upset with a 28-21 win over the visiting Indians within the annual Thanksgiving Day sport.
The Lions led 14-7 at halftime and after BMHS tied the rating, Chelmsford (5-6) scored the subsequent two touchdowns for a 28-14 lead.
“It was a fantastic staff victory,” stated Chelmsford senior lineman Thomas Brown.
With the rating even at 14, Billerica (6-5) in place to take the lead late within the third quarter.
After a foul snap compelled a Lion punt from the CHS 43, the Indians stopped the kick, gang tackling Lion punter Patrick McConnell earlier than he may even try the kick. With a primary down on the Chelmsford 23, the Indians moved six yards in two performs earlier than fumbling on third down.
Senior Jake Brooks recovered and Chelmsford adopted with a 91-yard drive to take the lead.
A 46-yard run by sophomore Dillon Dulong began the drive and a 20-yard move to Brooks moved Chelmsford to the 23. A keeper by senior quarterback Ryan Hart on third-and-10 moved the ball to the 9 and Hart scored on the subsequent play. McConnell’s kick made it 21-14 with 9:10 to play.
The Indians went for a fourth-down play on their subsequent drive from the Billerica 36. Chelmsford stopped Billerica’s Griffin Bordeau after a one-yard acquire, giving the ball again to the Lions.
On the subsequent play from scrimmage, Dulong busted free for a 37-yard landing run for a two-score lead with 6:42 left.
“I’m so happy with our youngsters,” CHS coach George Peterson stated. “It’s an unbelievable end to our season. We thought we had been a adequate staff to make the playoffs, however we did some issues to harm ourselves and we weren’t capable of get there, however the best way we completed is a testomony to the kind of child we’ve.”
The Indians answered with a 64-yard drive that took eight performs and ended with a 21-yard landing move from senior quarterback Steven Gentile to senior receiver Matt Grey.
Sophomore Dan Venezia’s additional level made it 28-21 with 3:44 to go.
Chelmsford picked up one first down, however the BMHS protection compelled a punt with 1:56 to go along with Billerica out of timeouts. On the punt, Billerica’s rush to dam the kick simply missed and a leaping Billerica participant hit McConnell on his means down, drawing a flag and a primary down that ended the sport.
Within the first quarter, after a brief punt, it took only one play for the Lions to take the lead, a 33-yard run by Brooks with 1:13 left within the first quarter. It was a trick play by CHS that noticed Brady Burnham run as much as the ball and flip it to a gaggle of teammates in entrance of the Chelmsford sideline. Brooks took the ball down the left sideline untouched into the top zone.
“It was trick play that we noticed from a state championship sport in Oklahoma,” stated Peterson, doubtless sparking Google searches aplenty. “We had practiced it each single day. The primary collection we went out on we observed that no person (from Billerica) came visiting the place (the coaches) had been. We knew it was one thing we may use later within the sport and we simply waited. That’s the sort of stuff I like.”
Billerica’s Grey practically tied the rating on the following kickoff, returning it 67 yards to the Lion 22. The Indians couldn’t convert, nevertheless, and turned the ball over on downs on the 14.
On the subsequent BMHS drive, a 13-yard run by Judd Dorival moved the ball to the Lion 40 earlier than one other misplaced fumble by the Indians, recovered by Brown.
“You possibly can’t fumble 4 occasions,” stated Indians coach Duane Sigsbury.
The Lions turned the miscue into seven extra factors as Brooks caught a 9-yard landing move from Hart with 5 minutes left within the first half. A 34-yard run by Dulong was the important thing play.
Billerica scored simply earlier than halftime, driving 61 yards in eight performs and discovering the top zone on a 1-yard run by Gentile.
The Indians scored once more with 3:24 left within the third quarter when Bordeau scored on a 36-yard run. However Chelmsford would have the ultimate say.
