L-S Hands Reading A Heartbreaking Defeat

SUDBURY - A storybook finish for Reading, complete with a goat-to-hero kicker in Luke Forbes, was in the making with seconds to go at Myers Field in Sudbury Friday night.

Minutes before, Forbes had missed an extra point, leaving Reading behind Lincoln-Sudbury, 28-27, with 3:26 left in the Division 2 North semifinal. But Reading (7-2) got the ball back and went on a nine-play drive that stalled at the 1-yard line. Facing fourth down, Reading coach John Fiore sent Forbes out and the senior's kick was good from 19 yards, giving Reading a 30-28 lead with 23 seconds left.

Turns out, it was more than enough time for Braden O'Connell to ruin it for the Rockets. The L-S senior quarterback threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Cam Anderegg with 11 seconds to play and the Warriors beat Reading, 34-30. L-S will play North Andover for the North title next weekend.

"I told the kids not to give up but at that point it's a Hail Mary," said L-S coach Tom Lopez. "Those work once every 50 times. [Reading coach] John Fiore, if he has any hair, he's pulling it out."

Following the field goal and down two points, O'Connell let his prayer fly from his own 20 and hit Anderegg in stride behind the Reading defense. Anderegg stumbled into the end zone and L-S (8-1) was back on top 34-30. The Warriors conversion run was stopped.

With four seconds left, Reading tried its own Hail Mary on the last play of the game but Matt Sannella's pass was intercepted. It was one of the few things that went wrong for Sannella on a night in which he threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth.

This one was as close as it appeared with the teams tied at 7-7 after one quarter, 14-14 at the half, and 21-21 after three. Sannella scored on a 1-yard run in the first, hit Javon Nortelus for an 8-yard touchdown in the second, and again combined with Nortelus on a 49-yard scoring pass in the third. In the fourth quarter, Sannella hit Jake D'Agostino on a 28-yard pass play. After going 13-of-17 for 221 yards and running for 109 yards against L-S, Sannella has 14 touchdown passes for the fall with nine rushing touchdowns.

Reading played the second half minus Pat Conroy, who had his left arm in a sling after being hurt late in second quarter.

"It was a great high school football game, right to the last second of the game," said Fiore. "It is what it is. We played great football tonight with amazing effort and I'm so proud of our kids. We were just a little bit short and a lot of credit goes to Lincoln-Sudbury."

Reading's season continues next week against an opponent selected by the MIAA's North Scheduling Committee.

Photo by Bob Holmes