L. Sudbury hands Melrose 1st loss since 2016 at 35-13
Published in the September 21, 2018 edition
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose Red Raider football team suffered a reversal of fortune last Friday night—one week after winning an opening season rout—when they fell to Lincoln Sudbury, 35-13, at home at Fred Green Field. It ends Melrose’s 17-game winning streak and represents their first loss since a playoff defeat against Gloucester in 2016 and is the largest scoring gap since a loss in 2013. Melrose remains 1-1 on their early season and look to bounce back tonight when they start league play on the road against Watertown at 7:00 p.m.
In all fairness, the Lincoln Sudbury Warriors made their case Friday as the probable Div. 2 Super Bowl champions, nearly flawless in execution, with too many weapons on hand, including senior quarterback Braden O’Connell, who ran for over 100 yards and backs Kyle Smith, Milind Lele and James Dillion who combined for 4 touchdowns. In total, Lincoln Sudbury ran for over a massive 260 yards.
THE MELROSE Red Raider football team will look to rebound tonight on the road against Watertown after a loss last week to powerhouse Lincoln Sudbury. (Donna Larsson photo)
Scoring for Melrose in the second half to prevent the shutout were Kevin Peet and Jake Rowe.
The Warriors opened the game on a clock-draining, 11 play drive that culminated in a Kyle Smith touchdown. But Melrose had several sacks and tackles in the drive courtesy of Dylan Robertson, Kevin Peete, Josh Ventura and Nate Monges. With just three minutes left in the first period, Lincoln Sudbury was up 7-0 but Melrose wasn’t out, but any plans for a Melrose running game were smacked against a wall that was the Warrior line. Melrose was forced to punt on their first possession, and that’s pretty much how the night went.
Lincoln Sudbury’s quarterback O’Connell scored on a 64-yard run on their next possession making it 14-0. And on their third possession, Kyle Smith scored on a 58-yard touchdown run. With ten minutes still left in the half, Melrose was looking at a 21-0 deficit and the signs of their first loss in nearly two years. Melrose defense finally forced a punt and when Melrose took over the ball on the 39, Melrose quarterback Jesse Gardner threw an interception on the 49. From there, Lincoln Sudbury marched the ball down to the goal line and O’Connell trotted into the end zone to make it a 28-0 game at halftime.
After the half, matters got worse for Melrose when their punt was blocked by Lincoln Sudbury, who took over the ball at the Melrose 39. The Warriors needed only two plays for Milind Lele to find the end zone. Melrose was in a deep hole at 35-0.
Among the highlights in Melrose’s third and fourth quarter efforts was an impressive 50-yard kick off return by Chris Cusolito and a 75-yard kick off return touchdown by Kevin Peete, who broke several tackles and had fans on their feet while he ran into the end zone.
Melrose’s Brendan Fennell assumed quarterback duties and he and sophomore Jake Rowe led a charge from the Melrose 22 on a series of runs that brought the ball to the Warrior five-yard line. From there, Rowe ran into the end zone for his first varsity touchdown.
Melrose looks to get back in the winning column tonight when they travel to Watertown to take on the 1-1 Raiders in a key league game.
