Sailors dash CHS football’s Super Bowl hopes

Head coach Dave Bohane addresses his players prior to the sectional final vs. Scituate. (Ed McDonough photo)

Playing in a wind-driven rainstorm at Scituate High last Friday night, the CHS football Bulldogs competed hard and made some plays but ultimately met their match against a high-powered Scituate Sailors team, falling 21-0 in the Division 5 south sectional title game.

Scituate (9-1) now moves on to face north champion Swampscott in the Division 5 state semifinals with the winner earning a trip to Gillette Stadium to compete in the MIAA Super Bowl. Canton, meanwhile, falls to 8-2 overall and will close out the season against rival Stoughton on Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m. at CHS.

Both Canton and Scituate played well despite the wet conditions, but the Sailors executed their offense better and their defense contained the Bulldogs’ primary offensive weapons, runners Kyle Fitzgerald and Gersom Rivera and quarterback Johnny Hagan. The usually potent running game was limited to 134 yards, led by Hagan with 79 yards. Fitzgerald, who topped 100 yards himself in both of the Bulldogs’ playoff victories, was held to 15 yards for the game while Rivera was contained to 16 yards. Hagan completed two of seven passes for 29 yards and was intercepted twice, with a third interception called back because of a Scituate penalty.

“Give Scituate credit,” said a disappointed CHS head coach Dave Bohane after the game. “But we could not get our offense into the rhythm like we usually do. We knew the rain was coming and with our running game, we thought we would be all right. But Scituate took that away, we fell behind and had to pass. On defense, Scituate found our holes. They were well prepared for us.”

Canton has faced Scituate three times in the past few years and has lost each time.

Last week, in previewing Scituate’s offense, Bohane noted that the Sailors make frequent use of the screen pass and have good offensive weapons in quarterback Aidan Sullivan and halfback Will Sheskey. Both players excelled Friday night with Sheskey breaking several tackles en route to 200 all-purpose yards, including 135 yards on the ground. “We knew he was a good athlete, but Friday night he was impressive, a strong, fast runner and hard to bring down,” said Bohane.

Sullivan completed 10 of 15 passes for 219 yards and made great decisions and the right reads, according to Scituate head coach Herb Devine.

Scituate came into the game averaging over 40 points per contest in the playoffs, including a 57-point effort against Holliston. The Sailors also had the experience of playing in last year’s Division 5 Super Bowl, falling to Dennis-Yarmouth.

Friday’s game was relatively close with Scituate putting up 14 points by halftime and adding another touchdown in the third quarter.

On the opening drive, the Sailors came out strong and set the tone early, mounting an eight-play, 77-yard scoring drive, punctuated by a five-yard touchdown run by Sheskey. Canton stopped Scituate on its next possession and mounted its own short drive, reaching the Sailor 47-yard line before punting.

Sheskey scored again early in the second quarter on a 63-yard screen pass to put the Sailors up 14-0 with 9:47 left in the half.

Canton’s best chance to score came on its next series as Hagan’s running and a 19-yard pass to Rivera advanced the ball to the Scituate 32. The Sailors’ Jack Ruble appeared to intercept a pass, but Scituate was called for a defensive holding penalty and the Bulldogs advanced to the Sailor 22-yard line. A few plays later, however, Ruble intercepted Hagan again to end the Canton scoring threat.

The Sailors threatened to score again before the half, but a great sack by Canton linebacker Ben Seaman foiled the drive.

Scituate’s final touchdown came off a Canton turnover in the third quarter, with the Sailors’ Danie May intercepting a pass at the Canton 47-yard line. Scituate then mounted a 10-play drive, capped off by a one-yard Sullivan run on fourth down.

“Our guys were prepared, motivated, and fired up to play defense tonight,” said Devine. “We tried to take away where they wanted to go. We knew about Hagan and Fitzgerald and they are just great players so we tried to limit what they do. Our defense just played outstanding.”

To the Bulldogs’ credit, they continued to play very hard until the final snap. Defensively, Jack Connolly led the way with a season-high eight tackles, followed by Brendan Albert with six and Robbie Gallery with five. Seaman had a sack and his defensive pressure forced Sullivan out of bounds on a potential scoring drive.

Bohane said that while the players are disappointed in coming so far in the playoffs and losing Friday night, he and his coaches must prepare his team mentally and physically for Stoughton, which gave the Bulldogs a tough game earlier in the season with Canton prevailing 14-7.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Nov 17 2018. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.