Isaac Seide’s 4 TDs help bury Burlington, 34-6

Published in the October 27, 2017 edition

THERE WAS no catching Melrose’s Isaac Seide, who scored four times for the Red Raider football team in their 34-6 win over Burlington last Friday. (Steve Karampalas photo)

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—The Melrose Red Raider football team continues to steamroll over the competition after a 34-6 home win over Burlington last Friday at Fred Green Field. Melrose’s Isaac Seide ran the show with 4 touchdowns (5 before a holding penalty called one back) and over 200 total yards for the night. 

Seide played double duty as his injured teammate Rey Guity remains sidelined. He scored Melrose’s first touchdown three minutes into the game to give the Red Raiders an early 7-0 lead. Melrose defense stepped up throughout the night, keeping the Red Devils scoreless for 3 1/2 quarters. That included junior Kevin Peete, who helped stopped Burlington’s next drive with help from a big tackle from Kemar Bynoe. 

Seide continued to steamroll. On Melrose’s next possession he covered 50 yards on a series of drives, aided by a keeper from Melrose QB Charlie Stanton, who also tossed a 25 yard complete pass to Colin Kiernan. Seide found the end zone on a four yard scamper and Melrose took a 13-0 lead at the end of the first. Melrose defense did the job again, forcing a punt on Burlington’s next possession, thanks to a sack by Melrose senior Derek DiRaffaele. With two minutes left in the half, Seide scored another touchdown, a 20 yard rush, while a Mike Calvert point-after was good, and Melrose took a 20-0 lead at the break. 

Seide never rested for Melrose. At the start of the second half, Melrose received the ball and the Red Devils could only watch as the running back blew by on a 56 yard rushing TD, Seide’s fourth of the night. Burlington was forced to once again punt on their next possession, right into the arms of Seide, who charged all the way to the Melrose end zone, his fifth touchdown of the night, but it was taken back on a holding call against Melrose.That drive stalled when Melrose fumbled the ball on the Burlington 42, but the Red Devils failed to capitalize and it was Melrose’s ball once more. 

From there, Raider Chris Cusolito and Jack Whitley were the focus of Melrose’s run game. Both ran for first downs and helped set up Melrose on the 45. From there Melrose’s Stanton launched a 30 yard bomb to DiRaffaele, who hauled it in at the 10 yard line. Two handoffs later, Cusolito found the end zone and Melrose took a 34-0 lead in the fourth quarter. The night for worse for Burlington when their QB Kyle Phena was picked off by Melrose’s Kevin Peete. Melrose was forced to punt for only the second time that night and Burlington finally found the board on a 12 play drive that culminated in a Ryan O’Halloran touchdown. A two point conversion attempt was no good, and Burlington prevented a shutout with a score of 34-6, the final tally as the night wound down. 

Melrose improves to 7-0 with the win and on Sunday, emerged as the #1 seed in the Div. 4 North bracket (see accompanying story.)