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Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Michael Molta, left and Curren Huyser take down Old Colony quarterback Jeremy Solbeg on a two-point conversion attempt in the third quarter of the 36-8 loss.
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By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
Old Colony was earmarked as a winnable game on the Whalers’ schedule this season. But with as many as five regular starters sidelined and struggles on both sides of the ball, Nantucket lost its eighth straight game Saturday 36-8.
With only 13 varsity players dressed for the game, Nantucket brought four freshmen as emergency back-ups in case of injury. The Whalers lost two starters to academic ineligibility this week, two more to disciplinary suspensions and additional players to lingering injuries, leaving the remaining squad thin and relatively inexperienced at the varsity level.
“There is not much you can do with the numbers, but it is no excuse. They outplayed us on both sides of the ball,” head coach Vito Capizzo said. “We didn’t show up. You have got to play for 40 minutes and we only played 10 minutes. I was hoping they would show up like they did against Tri County. Unfortunately their minds were not in the game.”
The Cougars, who had lost eight games in a row, improved to 2-8 this season, leaving the Whalers in last place in the Mayflower Small at 0-8. Nantucket will travel to West Bridgewater (4-4) Saturday, still in search of its first win of the season.
“If we show up as a unit, it will be a close game. Otherwise it is going to be like the rest: a long afternoon,” Capizzo said.
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Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
More football action against Old Colony on Saturday. |
The trip to Old Colony got off to a rough start as the team bus went to Old Rochester in Mattapoisett instead of Old Colony in Rochester, delaying the start 40 minutes and rushing the pregame warm-ups.
Once things got underway, the Whalers failed to pick up one first down in the first half, while gaining only 11 total yards from the line of scrimmage. The Cougars, meanwhile, jumped out to the 30-0 lead before halftime. It could have been worse as Old Colony was still gunning for another touchdown as time wound down in the half, but the Whalers stopped the drive inside the 20.
“They were not very compassionate. They have been waiting a long time to beat up on Nantucket and they got their wish this year,” Capizzo said.
The offensive stats were pretty anemic for Nantucket. Chris Welch completed three of eight passes, all on one drive in the fourth quarter, for 81 yards and a touchdown to Troy Sullivan. With leading rusher Jamie Viera sidelined for the second straight week due to injury and Rasheed Smith switching to the offensive line in the second half, the Whalers rushed for only 16 yards in the game.
The Whalers fumbled twice and Welch threw one interception as Old Colony capitalized on decent field position for most of the game.
The Cougars relied mostly on a ground attack, picking up 294 yards on the turf and only 27 yards in the air. Michael Molta and DuVaughn Beckford played well defensively at linebacker and corner, respectively.
Offensive attack
Old Colony took the ball on its first possession and methodically marched 52 yards down the field on seven running plays. Jared Chongarlides capped off the drive with a one-yard rush up the middle to put the points on the board for the Cougars. Ryan Midwood added the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead.
After a four-and-out by the Whalers, Old Colony needed to drive only 36 yards for its second touchdown of the game. Midwood took the honors off-tackle three yards into the end zone with Chongarlides adding the two-point conversion rush.
The Whalers fumbled the football on their own 12-yard line on the next possession to open the second quarter. Four plays later the Cougars had a 24-0 lead. After another four-and-out, Midwood tacked on a 43-yard run on the first play from scrimmage to put Old Colony in front 30-0.
Nantucket handed the ball over again on its second fumble of the half, which set up the Cougars for another score. Old Colony drove inside the red zone, but the defense stopped two pass plays on third and fourth downs as time ran off the clock.
The Cougars added their fifth touchdown of the day on the first possession of the second half. On five plays Old Colony ran the ball 60 yards into the end zone for the 36-0 lead.
Nantucket’s only offensive play of the third quarter was an interception, which handed the ball back to the Cougars 32 yards out. Old Colony had a first-and-goal on the nine, but a penalty and two big plays from Mack McGrath and Joe Bopp kept the Cougars out of the end zone.
Old Colony turned the ball over to the Whalers on downs and the Nantucket offense clicked into gear for the first time all game. A 15-yard facemask penalty pushed the Whalers out of the shadow of the end zone and the first two completions of the game by Welch to Bopp and Sullivan put Nantucket in Cougars’ territory. Welch then connected with Sullivan, who made the leaping grab over his defender, for the 22-yard touchdown to get the Whalers on the board. Welch hit Bopp for the two-point conversion.
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