Gabin rushes in, lifts NA to win

NORTH ANDOVER — With standout tailback J.D. Allen on the shelf, North Andover appeared to have a big hole in its backfield heading into last night’s MVC Small showdown with Tewksbury. Guess again.

Junior Freddy Gabin rushed for a pair of scores as the Scarlet Knights ran wild against the Redmen, 40-20.

“In practice I was just doing good so they told me they would keep me in there and give me the rock,” said the speedy 160-pound back afterward with a broad grin.

When the dust settled at Joe Walsh Stadium, Gabin had racked up 146 yards on 16 carries and his first two career varsity scores. His first TD, a 39-yard blur down the Scarlet Knights sideline, made it a 33-13 game late in the third.

“I think that was the play of the game,” said NA coach John Dubzinski, who saw no letdowns after his team upended Central Catholic last week. “He had some real big carries for us in the second half.”

If that was the play of the game, NA’s Mark Federico’s 28-yard fumble return in the second quarter after blowing up a Tewksbury reverse was a close second. The score came one play after Darren Watson (12 carries, 94 yards) tied the game at 7-7 and punctuated a stellar second quarter that saw the Knights score 23 unanswered points.

When dynamic NA quarterback Jake McElroy hit Gabe DeSouza (3 catches, 63 yards) in stride on a slant from 31 yards out, the Knights (4-0) were soaring and had a 23-7 lead at the half.

Tewksbury (3-1) made things interesting by scoring on a Jay Connolly keeper to make it 23-10 early in the third quarter, but a DeSouza 24-yard field goal and Gabin’s exploits proved far too much to overcome.

The Redmen cut the deficit to 33-20 late in the third on Shane Aylward’s 46-yard jaunt, but Gabin answered with a 44-yard run to the Tewksbury 5 and rumbled in on the next play to close out the impressive win.