Published in the October 13, 2016 edition
HORNET QUARTERBACK Kyle Bythrow is off to the races on this 39 yard jaunt that brought the ball to Pentucket’s 14 yard line. (Bob Turosz Photo)
Published in the October 13, 2016 edition
By ANDREW MOUNTER
NORTH READING — At the end of 44 minutes, the scoreboard at Arthur Kenney Field read Hornets 42, Pentucket 20 last Friday night. But the game was so much closer than that for three full quarters that the numbers don’t tell the full story.
The NRHS football Hornets improved to 4–1 on the season with the win over the visiting Sachems but the teams were closely matched and locked in a 14–14 score at the end of the third quarter.
The game also looked like it was going to be tied at 21 – 21 with 6:35 left in regulation, looking like it would be won by whichever team had the ball last. But a Point After Touchdown for the Pentucket Sachems went wide right and the North Reading football Hornets, the team that had a slim lead, went on to score 21 unanswered points before time expired to win a game in which the final score was very misleading.
For North Reading Head Coach Jeff Wall, it was another proud moment for his program.
“I’m proud of the guys, we have a lot of older guys on this team and I know they have a lot of character and I knew they could hang in there,” said Wall. “It was too close for a long time and did seem like one of those ‘whoever has the ball last will end up winning it’ but we have some of the guys who stepped up, a lot of kids who don’t get their name in the paper stepped up. It was great all around group effort tonight.”
Wall’s crew fell behind midway through the first quarter as North Reading punter Bob O’Donnell made a beautiful punt that backed Pentucket all the way to their own 1 yard line. That did not stop the Sachems as they proceeded to go 10 plays and 99 yards in a drive that ended with Liam Sheehy’s 18-yard run into the end zone. Stevie Johanson made the extra point to give the Sachems an early 7–0 advantage.
The Green and Gold would counter with a nice drive of their own going 10 plays, 69 yards concluding with a three yard run by senior captain Matt McCarthy plus an O’Donnell extra point tied the game at 7–7 with 8:09 left in the first half.
Before that first half ended the Hornets would take their first lead of the contest, on a junior quarterback Kyle Bythrow’s 26 yard scamper to the end zone. The extra point was kicked trough the goal posts by O’Donnell to give North Reading 14–7 at the half.
Bythrow would have his best game on the ground of his career running past the century mark rushing for 105 yards on just 12 carries with two touchdowns (one from the ground and one from the air.)
The Sachems would end up tying the game at 14 for the only score the third quarter on a Robert Porter 10 yard run and a Johanson extra point with just under four minutes to play in the quarter.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
North Reading regained the lead for the second time as senior captain fullback John Merullo crossed the end zone line from the Sachems’ 4 yard line. An O’Donnell extra point gave the Hornets a 21–14 lead with 9:17 in the game.
On the next procession Pentucket tied the game again on a great pass and catch from quarterback Finn Graham to receiver Nate McGrail for a 60 yard touchdown but the Johanson extra point kick went wide and the Hornets clung to a 21–20 lead.
Graham had one the better passing performances this season against a tough Hornet defense as he threw for 234 yards and completed 11 passes on 16 attempts. No one knew it at the time but this was the high water mark of the game for Pentucket as North Reading seized control of the game from this point.
It is not known if the missed extra point demoralized Pentucket but on the first play they were on defense, McCarthy would have another special run, this time from his own 29 yard line all the way to the end zone.
On their next possession the Sachems fumbled the ball at their own 31 and the Hornets would take advantage of the good field position. Bythrow threw a 10 yard strike to Jake Bedell, who reeled in a nice catch in the end zone to increase the Green and Gold lead.
The Hornets would complete their 28 point fourth quarter performance with the third McCarthy touchdown, from 37 yards out which was set up by another Pentucket turnover, this time forced by North Reading defender Bob Donohue. O’Donnell nailed the last of three point after touchdowns to give the Hornets a 42–20 win.
The 4–1 Green and Gold (1–1 in the Cape Ann League Large Division) will be at it again tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Byfield as they will take on the always tough Triton Regional High School. North Reading won last year’s contest 14–7 but have not won on Triton turf in quite a while.
