Warriors earn their share of M.L. Freedom division title

WMHS football team holds off game Burlington squad, 22-12

Published in the October 17, 2016 edition.

By JIM SOUTHMAYD

WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield Memorial High football team has clinched at least a share of the Middlesex League Freedom division championship. Whether the Warriors can claim the M.L. championship outright won’t be determined until Thanksgiving.

Wakefield increased its league record to 4-0 as it held off Burlington, 22-12, on Friday night at Landrigan Field in the third of three straight home contests.

The Warriors are 4-2 overall on the season and undefeated in the league. Wakefield can do no worse than either a co-championship or a tri-championship as both Melrose and Watertown are still in the title picture. Melrose rallied for a 15-14 win over Stoneham last Friday night and Watertown blanked Wilmington, 28-0, as both have just the one league loss.

Watertown plays Stoneham this Friday night in a league contest as it seeks to stay alive. Of course, Wakefield and Melrose play each other in the final M.L. Freedom division contest on Thanksgiving.

The Warriors came up with a terrific effort against the Red Devils (1-5 overall, 0-4 league) as they scored the first 22 points and withstood a late charge by Burlington to win their fourth straight contest.

“These kids did a great job,” said Head Coach Steve Cummings. “Burlington is tough team and their quarterback can throw the ball. To hold them to 12 points, our defense played very well.”

Wakefield held Burlington to 228 yards of total offense (92 yard rushing, 136 passing). Senior QB Dylan Bonfilio completed 11 out of 26 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. But the Warriors intercepted the Red Devil signal caller three times and won the turnover battle once again, an ingredient Wakefield’s had in every game during its current win streak.

Bonfilio also gained 44 yards on 11 carries and scored a rushing TD as well.

Senior LB PJ Iannuzzi, senior LB Carmen Sorrentino, and senior DB Alex McKenna each had an interception. No pick was bigger than Iannuzzi’s as it came in the red zone.

Also, Sorrentino recovered a fumble as well as the Red Devils had four turnovers in the game.

“Our defense came up huge,” said Cummings. “Our players were in the right places to make plays.”

Meanwhile, Wakefield limited its mistakes as it had just one turnover, a fumble, which didn’t hurt as it got the ball right back several plays later.

The Warriors had 312 yards of total offense and was pretty well balanced between the run and the pass with 142 yards gained on the ground and 170 through the air.

Sophomore QB Mike Lucey completed nine out of 16 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Senior WR Pat Leary caught a 45 yard touchdown pass and McKenna had three receptions for 48 yards with one catch being a 25 yard TD reception.

On the ground, senior RB Joe Marinaccio led the way with 91 yards on 15 carries including a 42 yard TD jaunt.

“Mike Lucey threw the ball well. He keeps getting better,” said Cummings. “They also didn’t get much pressure on him. I thought our offensive line did a great job in pass protection.”

Burlington won the coin toss and deferred giving the Warriors the ball first. Wakefield made the most of the opportunity to score its first touchdown of the game. The Warriors needed seven plays to get into the end zone.

Senior RB Will Shea (36 yards on 10 carries) gained no yards on first down from the Wakefield 35 and then Sorrentino ran for four yards. A defensive holding call moved the ball to the Warrior 49. Shea had runs of four yards and three yards. On third down and three from the Red Devil 44, junior RB Ryan Fitzpatrick gained six yards to move the chains. Marinaccio gained three yards to the Burlington 35 before a holding penalty pushed the ball back to the 45.

On second down and 17, Lucey found Leary down the right sideline with a 45 yard TD pass for the score. Wakefield faked the extra point as McKenna found a wide open Dan Marinaccio for the two-point conversion as the Warriors took an 8-0 lead with 6:59 left in the first quarter.

The play was by design as the Red Devils aggressive rush was used against them. Wakefield recognized the play with the end rushing the kick and made the pass to the vacated spot.

“Getting that two point conversion gave us a little wiggle room,” said Cummings.

Burlington gave Wakefield the ball back as it fumbled the football on its second play from scrimmage. Bonfilio threw a quick pass to senior WR Julian Octavo about a yard from the line of scrimmage. Sorrentino knocked the ball out and recovered the fumble at the Red Devil 39.

Lucey was sacked for a six yard on first down by Matt Ryan to put Wakefield into long yardage. Joe Marinaccio gained seven yards on second down and Lucey had an incompletion on third down as Wakefield punted the ball and pinned Burlington deep its own end at the eight yard line.

Bonfilio lost three yards on a keeper on first down. After an incompletion, Burlington was flagged for a false start. Bonfilio gained 14 yards on third down, but it wasn’t enough for a first down as it punted the ball away.

Wakefield took over its own 49, but was unable to move the chains as it punted the ball right back to Burlington. Senior Zach Cyr returned the kick 29 yards to the Red Devil 44.

Cyr (48 yards on 11 carries), gained 11 yards and four yards. A fumbled snap resulted in no gain for Bonfilio on the final play of the first quarter. Bonfilio had incompletions on third and fourth downs to begin the second quarter as the Warriors took over on downs at their own 41.

Wakefield needed seven plays to get into the end zone once again.

Marinaccio had rushes of six yards and four yards for one first down. Marinaccio then caught a pass for no gain and then gained five yards on a run. On third down and five from the Red Devil 44, Lucey found McKenna with a 17 pass for a first down. Fitzpatrick gained two yards on first down. On second down and eight, Lucey found McKenna over the middle with a 25 yard TD strike for Wakefield’s second score of the night.

Iannuzzi added the extra point to give Wakefield a 15-0 lead with 6:52 remaining in the half.

Burlington got one first down on its next possession but eventually punted the ball away as Wakefield took over at its own 15 with 3:52 left in the second quarter.

Shea had a five yard run and then gained three yards. The Red Devils jumped offside on third down to give Wakefield a first down at its own 28. After Marinaccio lost three yards, Lucey faked a pass to the right and found junior Alex Joly with a 21 yard screen pass for a first down at the Warrior 46. After three straight incompletions, Wakefield lined up to punt the ball away. But Leary didn’t get off a good kick and actually lost a yard on the punt as Burlington took over at the Wakefield 45 with 32.9 seconds left on the clock.

The Red Devils were flagged for a false start and then two plays later were penalized for holding setting up a second down and 25 from their own 40. But a 14 yard reception by Cyr, an eight yard catch by Gianni Newman and a 15 yard catch by Cyr resulted in a first down at the Warrior 23. With just seconds left after a timeout, Burlington took a shot for the end zone but the Warriors knocked the ball down to end the half in front 15-0.

Burlington got the ball to start the second half and got great field position due to a 41 yard kickoff return by Cyr as the Red Devils began the third quarter with the ball at the Wakefield 36.

Cyr had gains of 11 yards and four yards. Bonfilio found Newman with three yard pass. Cyr then gained three yards for a first down at the Warrior 15. After no gain by Cyr, a Bonfilio pass went off the arms of the intended receiver, Newman, and into the arms of Iannuzzi as Wakefield took over at its own 5.

Wakefield capitalized on the turnover as it sustained a seven play, 95 yard scoring drive.

Iannuzzi gained four yards. After a false start and an incompletion, Sorrentino had a 16 yard catch. After a spot foul for holding on the play, Wakefield had a third down and four at the Wakefield 11. Lucey found Sorrentino with five yard pass for the first down. Marinaccio then gained seven yards before Fitzpatrick caught a 35 yard pass from Lucey for a first down at the Burlington 42. That’s when Marinaccio broke through with a 42 yard TD run.

Iannuzzi added the extra point to give Wakefield a 22-0 lead with 5:23 left in the third quarter.

Burlington answered on its next series, thanks in part to a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Wakefield which moved the ball close to midfield Bonfilio had runs of nine and four yards. After an incompletion and a 10 yard pass to Cyr, Burlington had a first down at the Warrior 31. That’s when Bonfilio found senior WR Pat O’Halloran in the left corner of the end zone.

With Wakefield in front by 16, Burlington opted to go for two points. However the pass fell incomplete as Wakefield led 22-6 with 3:05 left in the third quarter.

Wakefield gave the Red Devils the ball back three plays later as Shea fumbled at the Burlington 47. But the fumble didn’t hurt as Sorrentino intercepted the ball three plays later.

Wakefield then held onto the ball for 10 plays as it punted the ball back to Burlington with 5:31 left in the fourth quarter.

The Red Devils started at their own 18 and ran eight plays to bring the ball to the Wakefield 44. But on third down and five, a deep pass was intercepted by McKenna at the Warrior 6.

Wakefield didn’t move the chains and punted the ball away to the Red Devils from its own end zone. After a 23 yard return by Cyr and an illegal block penalty, Burlington had the ball at the Warrior 17.

After an incompletion and a one yard gain by Bonfilio, Cyr caught a 12 yard pass to set up a first and goal from the 4. Bonfilio took the ball in for the TD. The rush for two points was stopped by Marinaccio (six tackles to lead the Warriors) as Wakefield led 22-12 with 1:57 left.

Leary recovered the onside kick attempt by the Red Devils and Wakefield was able to run out the clock.

“The players were able to rally together,” said Cummings. “They count on each other to do the job and they don’t try to do too much.”

The Warriors will now prepare for a crossover game against Winchester this week and try to get as high as seed as possible for the Div. 2A playoffs which get underway the weekend of Oct. 28.