Shawsheen defense stifles Mystic
Shawsheen gave up a score on its first defensive possession yesterday. And that was about all it surrendered.
The Rams were able to upend Mystic Valley, 7-6, in a Commonwealth Athletic Conference crossover tilt at Brother Gilbert Stadium thanks to some stellar passes and resilient play on both sides of the ball.
“This win feels great,” said Shawsheen coach Al Costabile. “There were times Mystic Valley made some great plays and the determination and the will of the team continued to fight for the whole 44 minutes. I just couldn’t be prouder of these guys as well as my coaching staff. I’m thankful to even be a small part of a win like this.”
The Shawsheen offense also delivered when it counted.
Trailing 6-0, the Rams finally got into the end zone with 1:41 to play. Cody Sughrue found Chris Ferrari on a 6-yard reception, with Ferrari stretching the ball across the goal line while being brought to the ground. Senior captain Craig Rich nailed the extra point to break the tie.
“To come up empty in that second half and to finally put it together and make some plays, that’s a testament to their determination and the will they have within them,” Costabile said.
Ferrari finished with four receptions for 31 yards, and ended up picking off Mystic Valley quarterback Phillipe Guerrier with 9 seconds left to seal the win.
“(Ferrari) read that play perfectly for the interception,” said Costabile. “He sat back there and read perfectly while anticipating what was coming and just made two huge plays — one on each side of the ball.”
The Rams (3-0) left multiple scores on the table as they were stopped twice in the red zone in the second half by the Eagles defense. Shawsheen started to consistently move the ball when senior receiver Sean Hines got more involved.
“(Hines) had some great catches,” Costabile said. “Going up and getting the ball, catching it in traffic, being sure-handed and being a possession-type of receiver that made big catches to keep the chains moving and keeping the ball in our possession.”
Hines recorded six receptions for 137 yards — four grabs and 78 yards in the second half.
The lone score for Mystic Valley (2-1) came on its first drive as Guerrier accounted for 67 of the 68 yards on a seven-play drive, including the 23-yard score on a keeper.
“We made some changes defensively,” said Costabile. “Our coaching staff did a great job disguising some things and changing up the pace. We got some pressure on them and gave them multiple looks.”
Guerrier finished 7-of-21 for 122 yards and also picked off his counterpart early in the fourth quarter. Sughrue was 12-of-26 for 200 yards.