L-S takes DCL title over Cambridge
SUDBURY — LincolnSudbury didn’t spend a lot of time in Cambridge territory during the Dual County League Championship on Friday night. Mainly because it didn’t need to.
The Warriors had seven scoring plays of more than 40 yards, including four in the first quarter, in rolling to a 49-0 rout of Cambridge to finish the DCL slate unbeaten at 6-0. L-S will go after a perfect season next week with a non-leaguer against Reading.
“Any time you go unbeaten in the DCL or any league, it’s a great accomplishment, especially in such a difficult time,” said L-S coach Jim Girard. “The kids are doing all the right things with protocol. We just want to play football and we are having a fun time doing it.”
Junior Nolan O’Brien visited the end zone three times, twice on punt returns, for the Warriors, who totaled 447 yards on touchdowns alone.
The defense was nearly as impressive, registering a shutout for the fourth time in six games this year against a Falcons team that had put up 48 points in their last game against Wayland.
“It means everything for the seniors and I wouldn’t pick a different group to do it with,” said L-S senior lineman Will Ohler, a Bucknell commit, of running the table in the DCL. “I love these guys. I’ve been playing with them since the third grade and it just means everything to win on this field.”
Gordon Gozdeck got L-S started, going 46 yards for a score on the second play from scrimmage and then 77 on the next possession. It was Jack Malone’s turn next as he busted a 75-yard TD run for a 21-0 lead.
O’Brien made it 28-0 before the first quarter was up, snatching a bouncing ball punt that appeared he might let go and taking it to the house for a 61-yard score.
L-S went into the break with a 42-0 edge after quarterback Riley O’Connell hit Jesse McCullough down the middle for a 77-yard TD and O’Brien scored on the ground with a 53-yarder.
Cambridge (2-2) had some big plays of its own as QB Ashur Carraha had completions of 64 yards to Dante Christie and 50 to Jaron Dottin, but on each occasion the
L-S defense stiffened in the red zone and turned the Falcons over on downs.
“It’s most of the same guys we played with last year and we are just a tight-knit group,” said Ohler of the defense. “We always talk about playing together and playing like family.”
O’Brien added another punt return TD, this one from 55 yards, in a second half that — much like the Warriors’ skill position players — went by very quickly, with running time throughout.
“I thought we had that potential,” said Girard of all the long scores. “We have good team speed. Our kids were making plays and blocking on the perimeter.”