Sports
Redmen Win Fourth Straight, 35-21 Over Dracut
Tewksbury will travel to Wilmington on Thanksgiving then to Reading for a playoff rematch.
“Respect the ‘T,’” is the slogan that was echoed at Doucette Field on Saturday after Tewksbury High beat Dracut 35-21.
Tewksbury ended its MVC Small schedule with a win that set their conference record for 2012 at a healthy 5-0.
“Tremendous accomplishment,” said Tewksbury head coach Brian Aylward of the undefeated conference record. “It wasn’t an accomplishment that was done easily. This group has earned every yard that they’ve gotten this year and every win that they’ve gotten.”
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James Sullivan had a pair of touchdown runs in the win. Eddie Matovu and Tom Casey each had a touchdown run as well, and Johnny Aylward had a 35 yard touchdown pass to Kevin Dick.
The Tewksbury offense is racking up yardage, but Aylward and his team have no time for stats.
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“We don’t even keep stats,” Aylward said.
“The only stat that counts I guess in the end is the score, and whether or not you’re going to have a chance to represent your league,” he continued.
Tewksbury has already earned a chance to represent its league in a playoff rematch against Reading.
First, however, is a Thanksgiving Day matchup against rival Wilmington. “They’re well coached; they always have been,” Aylward said of the Wildcats. The Thanksgiving Day matchup is inconsequential to the playoffs.
Saturday’s win against Dracut was all about the first half.
Eddie Matovu recovered a fumble on Dracut’s first drive of the game. On the ensuing drive, he ran in a touchdown from four yards out to make it 7-0.
Later in the first, James Sullivan broke a 59 run down the right sideline that electrified the crowd and put the Redmen up 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.
The offense continued its domination in the second quarter when Sullivan ran in his second touchdown of the day from 13 yards out to put the Redmen up 21-6.
Tom Casey would finish off another successful Redmen drive with a nine yard touchdown run that set the halftime score at 28-6.
The Redmen got the ball to start the third quarter and they put seven on the board thanks to a beautiful 39 yard touchdown pass by Johnny Aylward. He connected with Kevin Dick to put Tewksbury up 35-6.
Tewksbury had a healthy amount of second stringers in the game, and Dracut came back with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter setting the final score at 35-21.
Aylward credited Tewksbury’s offensive success this year to his exceptional offensive line.
“They’re tough as nails,” he said of the men up front.
“We’re able to do more things than we’ve ever been able to do because of all of those guys and their attention to detail,” Aylward said of his O-line.
Tewksbury improved their overall record to 6-4.
The Thanksgiving Day game will take place at 10am at Wilmington High.
The rematch of last year’s playoff game will be on November 27 at 7:45pm at Reading High School. A win would put the Redmen in a second consecutive Super Bowl.
