St. Mary’s nips Bishop Fenwick in OT

ST. MARY’S 21 BISHOP FENWICK 19

PEABODY — St. Mary’s quarterback Ali Barry is listed at 6-foot-3 in the program with a wing span to match.

The Spartans needed every single inch of it to claim victory in a Friday night Catholic Central League classic with fellow unbeaten and chief rival Bishop Fenwick.

Stymied on a two-point rush in overtime at the 3, Barry leaned forward with all he had, extending the football to the line and barely breaking the plane for the two points — the difference in the Spartans’ 21-19 overtime victory to knock Fenwick from the ranks of the unbeaten.

“I think it was like three yards away. I’ve got good length, I could see it on the way down,” said Barry, who definitely would have come up short if he was only 6-foot-2.

“It’s a good win. I’ve been hearing a lot of people doubting us, we were just out to prove people wrong.”

After a wild second half that saw each team barely miss a potential game-winning field goal — St. Mary’s coming with no time left in regulation — the Spartans took possession first in overtime at 13-13.

Derek Coulanges put St. Mary’s on top with a 2-yard score on third down, setting up Barry for the gritty, decisive two-pointer.

Of course, Fenwick got its own try from the 10, and delivered on second down with a Steven Woods bruising off-tackle run. But the Crusaders’ attempt for two, a rollout pass, went incomplete — defended by that man again, Barry — and St. Mary’s had the statement win.

“Rivalry game, came down to old-time class (football), just a great high school football atmosphere,” said Spartans coach Sean Driscoll. “I’m proud of my guys. Holding them off in overtime, that’s just a great win. Great win for us. Tonight our defense came through when it had to.”

For two teams who have racked up the points in Weeks 1-3, this one was a brawl from the opening snap.

St. Mary’s marched to the Fenwick 11 on nine straight runs to set the tone but stalled. The hosts then took over, striking first.

Per usual, Fenwick’s Woods was at the center of things, clicking on a pair of short tosses to Jason Romans, rolling for 7 more yards on the run, then catching Troy Irizary in stride on the left flat. The junior saw a crack of daylight and simply burst up the sideline 56 yards untouched for a 7-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.

It took the Spartans a little time to regroup, but they showed their own penchant for the explosive play just short of the midway point in the second when Barry busted up the gut and broke clean for 45 yards to knot things up at 7-7, numbers that would remain on the board through halftime.

Each team put up one score in the second half as well.

Coulanges ripped off an 80-yarder to give St. Mary’s a 13-7 lead early in the fourth, before Fenwick answered with just 1:17 on the clock.

Woods, in the hurry-up offense, found Romans to tie it, but the potential winning PAT kick sailed wide.