Blocked punt scores win for Brockton
NATICK — Moments after it looked like Brockton fumbled away a shot at victory, Isaiah Laguerre snatched it right back.
With Brockton and Natick tied and less than a minute to play, Laguerre blocked a Redhawks punt. The ball went right back into the kicker’s hands and he was tackled in the end zone for a game-winning safety. Following a free kick, the Boxers ran out the clock to take the 2220 victory last night at Memorial Field.
“I knew the offensive line was focused on me so I first rushed to the right before using my agility to cut back left,” said Laguerre. “Then it was all instinct. I saw the ball, just jumped up and swatted it.”
Brockton (2-0) was going for the game-winning score just minutes earlier, enjoying a six-play drive highlighted by a 12-yard run by Ajani Horne to get inside the Natick 25-yard line with 1:20 left. Gio DeJesus, however, recovered a Boxers fumble.
Brockton’s defense stood tall, forcing a quick three-and-out to give Laguerre the chance to come through with the game-winning play.
“The roller coaster of roller coasters,” said Brockton coach Peter Colombo. “We did a great job of pinning them back there at the end and felt we had nothing to lose. Big play for Isaiah. Just a tremendous high school football game.”
The Boxers trailed 13-12 to begin the fourth quarter, but a 23-yard touchdown run by Ahmik Watterson (eight carries, 110 yards, two TDs) on the first play gave Brockton a 20-13 edge.
Natick came storming back to tie the game on its next possession. On fourth-and-15 from the Brockton 18, Redhawks quarterback Will Lederman (8-of-15, 132 yards, two TDs) picked up a fumbled snap, rolled left and connected with Nick Ofodile in the back corner of the end zone to tie the game 20-20.
Despite being down 7-6 to begin the second quarter, it looked as though Brockton was going to head into the half in front as a nine-play, 60-yard drive capped off by a 2-yard keeper from Norman gave the Boxers a five-point edge with 2:59 left in the second quarter.
Natick, however, scored in the final moments of the half. A pair of completions from Lederman to Angel Lebron pushed Natick down to the Boxers’ 25. Two plays later, Lederman completed a perfect overthe-shoulder pass to Max Ferrucci (145 total yards, two TDs) for a 24yard score to give Natick a 13-12 lead going into the locker room.