CJ MORICONI, of Wakefield, concluded his strong Northeast Metro Tech football career with a touchdown against Essex Tech on Thanksgiving. (Brian Cusack File Photo)
Wakefield’s Zullo, Moriconi, Day account for Golden Knight TD’s
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
DANVERS — On Nov. 10, the Northeast Metro Tech football team, which features four players from Wakefield, beat host Essex Tech, 44-26, in the State Vocational Large School semifinal game. The Knights were looking to complete a season sweep of the Hawks on Thanksgiving Day back in Danvers.
However, the hosts had other ideas as they beat the Knights, 27-18, to split the season series on a sunny, mild day
With the loss, Northeast finished the year at 3-9 overall and 1-3 in the Commonwealth Athletic Conference Large Division. The Hawks, meanwhile, ended up at 6-5 overall and 3-1 in the league.
Essex Tech struck pay-dirt on the game’s opening possession as quarterback Jacoby Tarasulk scored on a 10-yard touchdown run capping off a 51-yard drive. The point after by Colin Holden made it 7-0 with 6:06 left in the first quarter.
Northeast answered on its first series as they drove 66-yards with quarterback C.J. Moriconi of Wakefield scoring on a 4-yard run. The key play of the drive was a 31-yard halfback option pass from Wakefield’s Christopher Zullo to Kristian Cooke.
However, the two-point conversion run was no good and the Hawks led, 7-6, with 4:37 left in the first.
Essex Tech regained the lead on its next drive as Tarasulk hit Holden with a 40-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline. The kick by Holden made it 14-6 with 1:11 left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, a fumble recovery by Luke Joyce at the Hawk 45-yard line led to another Essex score. On 4th and 4, Tarasulk scored from 8-yards out with only 10 seconds left in the first half. The kick by Holden sent the hosts to the half leading 21-6.
Northeast scored on its first series of the third quarter as, on a 4th and 8, Zullo hit Wakefield’s Steven Day with a halfback option pass from 20-yards out. The two-point conversion attempt was no good again and it stayed 21-12 with 6:09 left.
That drive was 50-yards long.
The Hawks answered two plays later as Harry Lynch scored on a 50-yard run up the middle. The two-point conversion attempt was no good and it was now 27-12, with 5:54 remaining in the third.
Northeast cut the lead to nine early in the fourth quarter as Zullo finished a 66-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 10:30 left in the game as the two-point conversion try was no good again.
The Knights had two more series but turned the ball over on downs in the first one and then Holden picked off a pass on the Hawk 24-yard line to close the door.
“We were not overconfident going into the game,” said Knights head coach Don Heres, despite winning the first meeting. “They deserved to win and outplayed us. We had too many mental mistakes and they capitalized.”
Hawks head coach Dan Connors was pleased with his squad’s effort.
“We came out more intense and the kids wanted to win,” he said. “We also had an opportunity to practice on our special teams and that was a big factor.”
Lynch, a senior co-captain, ran for a game-high 117 yards while Tarasulk, a freshman, went 4 for 7 passing for 62 yards and a touchdown along with the two he ran for.
Zullo, who got injured late in the game, was 3 for 6 passing for 64 yards and the touchdown.
The Hawks did not commit a turnover while the Knights committed two.
Northeast leads the overall series 13-7 and are now 9-3 against the Hawks on Thanksgiving. This was the Hawks first win in the series since 2015.
Along with Moriconi (senior quarterback and linebacker) Zullo (junior running back and defensive back) and Day (senior tight end and linebacker), the one other Knight from Wakefield is sophomore Patrick Hudd (running back and defensive back).
