Curran, Wolfpack pick it up
Turnover, late TD spark win
Boston Latin senior running back Paul Curran recovered a Boston English fumble and converted the turnover into a 1-yard scoring run five plays later to catapult the underdog Wolfpack to a thrilling 20-16 victory over the Eagles yesterday at wind-swept Harvard Stadium. In the 135th edition of the oldest continuously played high school rivalry in the country, Latin leads the series, 81-38-13, including five straight wins. English (8-2) led, 16-12, following a scoreless third quarter and appeared to be in control with just over five mintes to play when senior captain Julien Soto took a handoff and scooted around the left side. Soto was met by a host of Wolfpack players and coughed up the ball as Curran came up holding the ball at the English 26. Eagles coach Ryan Conway argued that Soto had been down and vented his frustration at officials to no avail. Latin (1-10) went to work with a pair of runs by sophomore Ulysses Brenzel advancing the ball inside to the English 4-yard line. After Curran gained 3 more yards, on the next play the 17-year-old captain from Hyde Park found paydirt for the game-winning points with 2:29 left. Latin used a hook-and-ladder play from senior quarterback Devin Vasquez to wideout De’Andre Harris, who flipped to ball to senior lineman Johan Stavri, who danced across the goal line for the conversion. “The first time, I got to the half-yard line and I thought I was in. I have no words to describe this. We had a realy tough season and this makes it all the worth while,’’ said Curran, who was immense as well from his linebacker position and as emergency punter. “Thanks to my offensive line and my quarterback Devin (Vasquez).’’ Latin coach Ray Butler said the Wolfpack had other help amidst the quirky momentum swings. “That’s the football gods on Thanksgiving,’’ Butler said. “And, senior captain Curran doing what captains are supposed to do on Thanksgiving.’’ English grabbed an 8-0 lead after one frame on a 1-yard run by junior captain Michael Castro. The big play of the drive was a 59-yard scamper by junior Takahri Hobbs to Latin’s 3. Hobbs added the two points on a conversion rush with 7:04 gone. Latin got on the board at the 9:32 mark when Vasquez hit De’Andre Harris in the right corner of the end zone from a yard out. The pointafter attempt was blocked by English’s Andre Owens. Curran later recovered a botched snap of a punt at the English 16. Two plays later the Wolfpack were ahead on a weaving 16-yard run by Brenzel with 6:37 remaining before halftime. Latin went for the deuce but the pass fell incomplete. English drove to the Latin 20 late in the third quarter but Curran brought down Hobbs to halt the threat. The English defense stepped up behind junior linebacker Jenkins Idusogie and senior interior lineman Engel Pena and forced Latin sophomore Peter Datish to punt from the end zone, leading to excellent field position. The Eagles reached the BL1 and went to a ‘heavy’ formation with Pena lined up in the backfield. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Pena took the handoff and rumbled into the end zone to put English back in front with 8:36 to play. Castro bobbled the snap but picked it up and tacked on the conversion points. The Eagles were still in front and Hobbs gave them some running room after a 19-yard gain but Curran forced the key fumble leading to his go-ahead touchdown.