WESTON – For 3 quarters, the Norwell offense struggled to get going. Then the fourth quarter began, and Jack Luccarelli had his second.
The junior quarterback rushed for 3 touchdowns within the closing quarter and led the Clippers to a 21-7 comeback victory over Hudson to ship Norwell to the Div. 6 state championship sport. That is the primary time in program historical past the Clippers have reached the title sport in Div. 6.
“It’s thrilling,” Luccarelli stated. “To make historical past, to be the group to do it feels fairly particular. It’s going to be particular taking part in there and to hopefully win there.”
On Hudson’s first drive, it took the ball the size of the sector over eight minutes, with quarterback Logan Dome ending the job with a 20-yard landing run on the primary play of the second quarter.
That rating would maintain by means of the second and third quarters, with Luccarelli and Dome every tossing two interceptions throughout this era.
“The protection was wonderful,” Norwell head coach Jason Pithie stated. “Now we have scored quite a lot of factors all 12 months, so we haven’t actually been ready the place we wanted our protection to reply. As we speak, they answered.”
The Clippers tied the sport early within the fourth quarter through an eight-yard run from Luccarelli. The Hawks would punt on the following drive, and the Clippers entered goal-to-go territory through a uncommon passing connection between Luccarelli and Mathew Pantilla that went for 50 yards.
“Momentum was going our manner at that time,” Pantilla stated. “We felt prefer it was the best time to throw it and Jack trusts me, I belief in Jack, and we ended up with that massive achieve.”
One play later, Luccarelli rushed within the three-yard rating.
“My mentality is that it’s a must to cease me,” Luccarelli stated. “I’m going to attempt to get the additional yards; that’s all the time my aim. I do know my guys are going to journey behind me and push me. It was the ultimate 4; there was somewhat additional on every run.”
Trailing for the primary time, Hudson marched down into Clipper territory. Nevertheless, a sack from Colin Gerhart on first down derailed the drive and compelled a fourth-and-13 for the Hawks.
“These guys set the tone up entrance,” Pithie stated. “When the line of defense can get strain and penetrate, it makes everybody’s lives simpler.”
On the play, Dome’s cross was intercepted by Pantilla, and Norwell had possession with beneath two minutes to go.
“We had been simply clicking,” Pantilla stated of the Clippers’ secondary. “We play with quite a lot of power, or what our coaches name ‘juice.’ We scream, we play like a bunch of animals and simply have quite a lot of enjoyable.”
On the primary offensive play from the 50-yard line, Luccarelli sprang unfastened for a landing to extend the result in 14. The Clippers’ fourth interception, this one from Jameson Troy, sealed the victory.
Norwell avenged final 12 months’s semifinal loss to Hudson and now has a possibility to avenge 2023’s quarterfinal loss to Fairhaven within the championship sport.
“We needed to get payback,” Luccarelli stated. “To do it now feels so candy. We now play Fairhaven, who beat us final 12 months, so to doubtlessly get double revenge can be even higher.”
