MHS Football Ready for Playoff Run

To win big football games, teams have to have their best players rise up, and on Thanksgiving morning, best player certainly rose to the occasion.

Senior co-captain Will Quigley powered his way to the endzone for two touchdowns and the Magicians find themselves preparing for a playoff run after on a chilly, sun-drenched Thursday.

“Amazing kid, amazing athlete, what more can you say about Will,” head coach Jim Rudloff said. “You don’t need speeches to get the kids ready for this game, Will played great, the team played great today.”

Marblehead took to the field in some sharp new red jerseys, a surprise to all the players.

“Coach pulled the captains aside and told us about the new shirts,” Quigley said. “It was awesome to have them on and come out and win on the seniors last game at Piper.”

Marblehead (8-2, 5-0 league) never let Swampscott get their passing attack moving, putting pressure on Big Blue quarterback Mike Walsh, and getting in tight on his receivers, preventing any gains off the screen passes Swampscott likes to run.

“We played in slow motion,” Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski said. “Marblehead came out and played good defense against us and kept us from doing what we like to do.”

Marblehead scored first, with 5:27 left in the second quarter, Quigley got the ball inside the five, and Ian Maag ran in from the three to put the home team up 6-0.

“What a great feeling to score a touchdown at home and win on Thanksgiving,” Maag said.

Marblehead had one of their best defensive performances of the season Thursday, shutting down Swampscott until Walsh slid in from the goal line with 4:52 left in the game. Ty Bates set the tone for the Magicians, knocking the ball out of Aidan Lang’s hands on Swampscott’s first offensive play of the game.

“These kids were great, it was like Popeye eating his spinach,” Rudloff said. “We prepared well after the Beverly game, great focus by the kids, you really don’t have to say much to get either team up for a game like this.”

Quigley put the winning score on the board as the third quarter came to a close. Maag hit John Perry for a two-point conversion and the home team was one quarter away from a playoff date with Wakefield.

“I have to give credit to the offensive line and our defense, we played great as a team today,” Quigley said. “It’s so great to win the seniors final home game at Piper Field, I'm proud of everybody.”

“Everyone in the place knows he’s (Quigley) going to get the ball and he still does what he does, the kid is an amazing athlete,” Rudloff said.

Swampscott went for it on fourth and one with the clock running and less than two minutes left in the game, trailing by seven. Walsh’s pass to Richard Sullivan bounced off the ground and Marblehead took over with 1:48 left.

Maag didn't take a knee, and Quigley didn’t waste any time, setting the march to the exits by the Swampscott fans in motion with his second touchdown of the game. Christian Flores hit the PAT for the final 21-7 score.

Swampscott’s last gasp ended on an interception by Zac Cuzner.

The Magicians will play next Tuesday night against Wakefield at Manning Field in Lynn.

The winner of the Marblehead/Wakefield game will play for the Super Bowl title on Saturday, Dec. 3.

“The kids were incredible today, the kids really rose up today and showed their true colors,” Rudloff said. “I saw kids do things today I’ve never seen them do before. It’s not X’s and O’s, it’s working hard and Marblehead certainly worked hard today.”