WOBURN — Winchester is partying prefer it’s 1990.
The Crimson and Black fought via accidents and chilly climate to safe a 28-14 Thanksgiving Day victory over Woburn that helped them seize their first outright Middlesex Liberty title since 1990.
“These youngsters are superior,” Winchester head coach Wally Dembowski stated. “The final two years we have been one sport in need of profitable it so this 12 months we needed to get it achieved. They labored their tails off to get so far, I’m tremendous happy with them.”
Winchester (11-1) entered the matchup with out the companies of star operating again Gianni DePrimeo and Harvard-bound linebacker Bryan Harrison on account of accidents suffered within the staff’s Div. 2 semifinal loss to Catholic Memorial.
“Getting right here to this sport with individuals who may go well with up was an fascinating conundrum,” Dembowski stated. “We actually couldn’t apply laborious all week; we have been so banged up from the sport earlier than. I feel we put pads on for under someday and tried to get some stuff achieved. We didn’t know what to anticipate right now.”
The Tanners began with possession, nevertheless it solely took two performs earlier than Winchester defensive again Will Bolognese broke via with an interception that set the Crimson and Black up at midfield.
Winchester capitalized shortly, with quarterback Ronan O’Connell firing a deep cross that Ted Budreski caught and took for a 44-yard landing cross to open the scoring.
Woburn was compelled to punt on its subsequent possession however pinned Winchester again at its personal three-yard line. With DePrimeo out, senior Nick Rotondi stepped into the operating again function and was capable of will the Crimson and Black out of hazard with a number of key runs.
“My mindset was to maintain pushing,” Rotondi stated. “They’re a tricky staff, they hit laborious. With Gianni taking place, I knew I needed to step up, and it wasn’t an enormous deal for me. I used to be prepared.”
Winchester doubled the lead when O’Connell floated a cross to Budreski for a 68-yard landing.
“Ted is such an important athlete,” O’Connell stated. “He at all times is aware of which approach to go. If he’s going exterior or inside, he’s at all times in that open window. If it’s a one-on-one scenario, I’m at all times choosing Ted over the contender.”
Woburn would lastly maintain a protracted drive that was capped off by a three-yard landing run by Tom Kineavy. This might be all the scoring by halftime though Winchester did advance deep into Tanner territory within the waning moments.
The Crimson and Black began with possession within the second half and O’Connell would join with Budreski for a 3rd time to increase the result in 21-7. Woburn responded with a 50-yard landing connection between Aidan Wooden and Gavin Driscoll to chop the deficit to 21-14.
Rotondi led the following drive and introduced Winchester into the crimson zone earlier than O’Connell hit Budreski for the fourth and closing landing connection of their careers.
“There are not any issues with our staff, we’re so collectively,” O’Connell stated. “We deserve this as a result of we have now labored so laborious all through the season. This feels wonderful.
Whereas that is the top of the street for this historic Winchester staff, Dembowski stated the affect of this group in town has put this system in a powerful place for the long run.
“11 wins has solely occurred two occasions at school historical past,” Dembowski stated. “We didn’t get to the Tremendous Bowl, however 11 wins is 11 wins. It is a unbelievable group of younger males.”
