FOXBORO – Scituate soccer head coach Herb Devine exclaimed “unbelievable” 5 totally different occasions in lower than two minutes to explain the Div. 4 Tremendous Bowl at Gillette Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Even perhaps 5 wasn’t sufficient.
In an all-time end that noticed 4 fourth-quarter lead modifications, together with two within the last two minutes, the top-seeded Sailors (10-2) gutted out a historic shootout in opposition to No. 2 Tewksbury with a 42-41 win to repeat as state champions.
Miller Shea’s game-winning, 15-yard landing seize with 16 seconds left was the final of 4 touchdowns senior quarterback Jonny Donovan (336 passing yards, two interceptions) tossed on the day, capping off a comeback from down two touchdowns at halftime, and down 41-36 with 1:42 left to play.
The Redmen (12-1) put up an iconic combat, totaling 478 yards and probably the most factors any staff has posted in a Tremendous Bowl loss in state historical past.
However Grayson Foley’s 205 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns paired with a clutch exhibiting in crunch time to assist Scituate produce simply sufficient for a repeat title.
“It’s simply the very best feeling on this planet,” Donovan mentioned. “There’s no different manner I’d wish to finish my highschool profession than throwing it to one in every of my greatest associates, Miller Shea, in the long run zone for a landing. It’s like a narrative ending. You actually can’t write it any higher than that.”
“We’re pleased with the youngsters,” Devine added. “What a win. They rating, we come again. Unbelievable sport. … They stored their composure. They simply knew the performs that we had been going to name are one thing we do on a regular basis. … That was an unbelievable win for us.”
Donovan dismissed the 2 occasions Tewksbury star senior Jonny Sullivan intercepted him within the first half to assist lead 14 unanswered factors within the third quarter that tied the sport at 28-28 heading into the fourth. Foley scored each touchdowns within the body and Cameron Cerussi had a key interception.
The back-and-forth from there proved iconic.
Sullivan (6 receptions, 92 yards) pulled down a 20-yard landing move from Will Harrison (12-for-20, 209 passing yards, 58 speeding yards, 2 whole touchdowns) for Tewksbury, regaining a 35-28 lead with 9:53 to go.
Donovan linked with Cerussi (6 receptions, 81 yards) for an 18-yard achieve on fourth down on Scituate’s ensuing possession, which ended with a 19-yard landing move to Cerussi with 5:55 left. Foley ran in a two-point run for a 36-35 lead.
Tewksbury ate clock utilizing an efficient operating assault largely by way of Emeka Olu (107 speeding yards, 38 receiving yards, landing). A 17-yard landing run from Ben Christopher (86 whole yards, 2 touchdowns) put it again up 41-36, after a failed two-point move, with 1:42 left.
Scituate began its final drive on the 35, and a 30-yard heave to Tyler Stelljess (3 receptions, 51 yards) flipped the sector earlier than he drew a move interference in the long run zone. Donovan wanted simply two extra performs to seek out Shea (62 yards, two touchdowns) for the winner.
“My coronary heart’s nonetheless pounding from it,” Shea mentioned. “Undoubtedly lots of adrenaline. Nice ball by (Donovan), put it proper the place I wanted it to be. I made the play, fortunately. I’m tremendous glad, tremendous grateful.”
“We’ve had these two-minute drills all 12 months lengthy,” Donovan added. “We’ve had a number of occasions we’ve needed to rating with below two minutes left. … It was fairly enjoyable simply to do it one final time at Gillette.”
Tewksbury’s protection stymied the Sailors within the second quarter whereas scoring three touchdowns to seize a 28-14 halftime lead. Nicky Desisto (71 speeding yards, landing), Olu and Harrison all ran in touchdowns whereas Olu and Sullivan starred on protection.
“I mentioned to our children at half, ‘Look, you don’t win a sport in 24 minutes, you’ve obtained to win it in 48,’ ” Devine mentioned. “Our youngsters made performs, we sort of adjusted somewhat bit within the second half.”
