WAKEFIELD and Winchester squared off last week in the only Thursday game of the season not named Thanksgiving. (Alicen Encarnacao Racca Photo)
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
WINCHESTER — The banged-up Wakefield Warriors were simply no match for Winchester when the teams collided in last Thursday night’s mid-season football game. Winchester gained comfortable separation, scoring on three of four first half possessions en route to a 34-9 final.
Wakefield, which fell to 1-4 overall with the defeat, is currently fourth of six clubs comprising the Middlesex League’s Freedom Division. Winchester, meanwhile, improved to 4-1 and trails only undefeated Reading in the Liberty Division standings.
“We just were not able to physically match up with them,” said head coach John Rafferty. “We had some positives we just couldn’t do enough to keep pace.”
The Wakefield offensive drought persists, now with 83 points scored in five outings compared to 138 points allowed. Facing Winchester, the Warriors were only able to muster a field goal and a late touchdown while facing reserves.
Winchester jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard TD rush from tailback Gianni DePrimeo to cap a 12-play, 70-yard opening possession. DePrimeo, who amassed 108-yards on 10 carries, added a 64-yarder on the next Red-and-Black series to forge ahead, 14-0.
If Winchester had an Achilles Heel, it was a chronic lack of discipline, racking up 65-yards lost on 9 penalties. But Wakefield was unable to take advantage, allowing positive yardage after each flagged setback.
Trailing by two scores as the second quarter got underway, Wakefield pieced together a decent drive, reaching the Red-and-Black 38. Sophomore QB Westin McNeilly was finding receivers, hitting Tommy DeFeo, John Fitzgerald, and Jackson Fitzpatrick to extend the series. Unfortunately for the Warriors, junior tailback Aiden Jones lost the handle, ending the threat. Credit to the Wakefield defense, which negated the turnover and forced a punt at midfield.
Wakefield snapped the shutout just prior to the break with a 20-yard field goal from junior placekicker Carter Jefferson. Despite getting on the board, there was disappointment in the Warriors camp after McNeilly had gained the red zone with a 29-yard rush only to see his offense fail to reach pay dirt on four tries from the Winchester 3-yard-line. Even more demoralizing, the Red-and-Black offense added a 26-yard TD toss from QB Ronan O’Connell to DePrimeo with 17-seconds remaining in the half.
In the third quarter, Winchester added a pair of TDs to put it away. Tailback Nicky Rotondi plunged in from the 2-yard-line and 2:19 later, O’Connell found Martin Ryan for a 35-yarder to wrap up the Red-and-Black scoring.
Wakefield, in the meantime, had three possessions, progressing to their opponent’s 40, 41, and 29. Two of the drives ended with punts, the third, a pickoff.
The MIAA mercy rule was enacted and the officials ran the fourth quarter clock unabated. Wakefield scored during this sequence, taking advantage of Winchester reserve players. McNeilly, who was 11-of-22 for 183-yards, tossed to William Forbes who then raced 70-yards, shredding several would-be tacklers along the way.
“There were certainly some bright spots offensively,” said Rafferty. “I thought this was McNeilly’s best game so far. He played well under pressure and made some key throws to four different targets.”
Wakefield’s losses have come against four opponents (Winchester, Burlington, Lynnfield, Greater Lawrence) who have a combined record of 16-4. The competition will even out the next weeks with games against smaller Freedom Division programs, Watertown (2-3) and Wilmington (0-5), who have a combined record of 2-8.
Wakefield will travel to Watertown on Friday evening at 7 p.m.
