Spartans ride defensive wave past Cohasset
MEDFORD — The Division 7 state semifinal pitted two high-powered offenses against each other. But it was St. Mary’s defense that stole the show. The Spartans forced three turnovers and held Cohasset, which was averaging nearly 37 points per game in the postseason, out of the end zone for 42 minutes to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl with a 22-11 victory yesterday at Hormel Stadium. “We prepared mentally, physically all week and it showed,” said St. Mary’s senior linebacker George Freeman. “We just had the upper hand. We came out with more energy.” The Spartans will face Blackstone Valley for the state title. St. Mary’s (8-3) defense stood tall in the first half, holding Cohasset (8-3) to a field goal and picking off two passes before pulling ahead for good in the final seconds of the second quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run from Jalen Echevarria for an 8-3 halftime lead. Cohasset went on a late third-quarter drive into Spartans territory, but St. Mary’s defense made a game-changing play, causing a fumble and recovering it on its own 34. St. Mary’s then went on a 12-play, 66-yard scoring drive that lasted seven minutes. Derek O’Leary completed key third- and fourth-down passes on the drive before sneaking into the end zone from a yard out for a 15-3 lead with 4:24 left. Freeman then came up with a fourth-down sack on Cohasset’s ensuing possession to set up another O’Leary sneak for a score. Matt Lund threw a touchdown pass to Mark Mahoney with 1:28 left, but that’s all Cohasset’s offense could muster. “They really stepped it up and are taking that step to keep this tradition going,” said first-year St. Mary’s coach Sean Driscoll. “I couldn’t be prouder of a group.”