Published in the September 20, 2018 edition
By ANDREW MOUNTER
SOUTH HAMILTON — The North Reading Hornets suffered their first loss of the young 2018 football season Saturday, 27-22, in a tough game against the Hamilton-Wenham Generals.
The visiting Hornets had two drives at the end of the game to either tie the score or take the lead, but the Generals simply made more plays on defense to win.
“I just think you have to tip your cap to Hamilton-Wenham,” said North Reading first-year head coach Eddie Blum. “They battled back from a 14-0 hole and fought the whole entire game. We just got to give it to their coaching staff as well. For us, this loss is only disappointing if we don’t respond the right way, if we don’t use this as something to help motivate us and push us towards the goals that we have for the season. That’s when it’s disappointing.”
The Green and Gold did take the lead midway through the first quarter, thanks to great field position. The first drive took only 6 plays for the Hornets to get into the end zone as sophomore running back Bill O’Leary ran it in from 4 yards out. He set that up with a nice 30-yard scamper. The extra point by senior captain Alex D’Ambrosio was blocked so it was only 6-0 nearly 7 minutes into the ballgame.
The Hornets would increase the lead on their very next offensive drive. On the first second quarter play from scrimmage senior quarterback Matt Solecki found junior wide receiver Jack Keller for a 21-yard touchdown. Keller then scored on a trick play on the two-point conversion, throwing to senior Mike Mikula in the end zone to give North Reading a 14-0 lead.
The Generals would respond on their next offensive possession, capped by quarterback Bill Whelan throwing to Sam Webber for a 12-yard touchdown. The extra point was good to cut the Green and Gold lead to 14-7.
Before the first half ended, Hamilton-Wenham would tie the game at 14, when a huge run by running back Aidan Nisti went 52 yards to the house with just 1:15 left.
The Hornets would regain the lead halfway through the third quarter on their first drive of the second half, using 9 plays to go 51 yards. Solecki threw to D’Ambrosio over the top for a 25-yard score to complete it. D’Ambrosio’s point after was blocked, making it 20-14, North Reading.
The Generals would answer right back on the very next offensive possession when another big run by Nisti went 64-yards for his second TD of the game. The extra-point went wide, so the game was tied at 21.
Nisti only had three rushes but he gained 127 yards, the game leader in yardage.
Hamilton-Wenham would take their first lead on a trick play of their own, as wide receiver Ian Coffey threw to the quarterback Whelan for a 45-yard touchdown. The point after kick went through this time and the Generals had an 27-20 advantage with 10:38 left in regulation.
North Reading had a chance to tie or take the lead with the next drive that got the Hornets as deep as the Hamilton-Wenham 2-yard line but the Generals defenders did a heck of job covering the Hornet offense, preventing a score and getting the ball back on downs.
Because the ball was so deep in their territory, the Generals and head coach Jim Pugh decided to take a safety instead of punting the ball away, which could have given North Reading a chance to either block the punt or have a nice return to help set up another Hornet touchdown. This came with 1:12 left in the game.
The Green and Gold would get one more chance to do something but again the defense for Hamilton-Wenham smothered them again on offense and they were done only after four plays. The gamble paid off for Pugh.
North Reading are now 1-1 and will be take on the Bedford Buccaneers tomorrow night at 7, at Bedford High School in a non-conference game. The two teams rarely meet as this is only the second game between them in the last 10 years.
The last was two years ago, with the Green and Gold dominating, 35-0.