NICK HITCHMAN has been a main source of target for quarterback Jack Feeney and he came up big in Melrose’s loss to Bedford last week. The team will surely utilize him during next week’s Thanksgiving game. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)
MELROSE—With Thanksgiving Day on the calendar, the Melrose High varsity football team fell to Bedford in consolation play of the Div. 4 playoffs to Bedford, 34-25, on Friday, Nov. 15 on the road in Bedford. Melrose now anticipates their season finale Thanksgiving game next Thursday against Wakefield at the 64th Annual Thanksgiving Classic held at home at Fred Green Field at 10:15 a.m.
Melrose enters the upcoming contest with the Warriors with a record of 4-6, while Bedford improves to 6-4 as they enter their holiday game against Burlington.
Melrose took an early deficit of 7-0 but tied it up at the end of the first with an 8-yard Rich Harrison touchdown. Melrose quarterback Jack Feeney topped off a long drive with this own 1-yard touchdown but Melrose would see a deficit of 13-14 on a missed point after. A Gil Garmin touchdown run put Bedford up 21-13 at the half.
Melrose was looking upward most of the game and in the third Bedford’s Ryan McGrath scored an 8-yard touchdown for the Bucs in the third to keep them up by 14.
Melrose responded right after with a huge Jack Feeney 49-yard touchdown bomb from to Melrose’s Nick Hitchman to cut the deficit. Bedford quarterback Ryan McGrath and Mekhi Volcy connected on a touchdown pass to open up a large lead, 34-19, late in the third.
Melrose didn’t give up, launching a 20-play, 80-yard drive that drained nine minutes off the clock, and they grinded out three, fourth-down conversions in it. It culminated in an 8-yard touchdown run by Rich Harrison, his second of the night. Though Melrose held the Bucs scoreless in the fourth, there wasn’t enough time to make up for the damage. A missed two-point conversion and an onside kick that landed in Bedford’s hands prevented what could have been a steady comeback.
