Raiders Rout Milton

Michael Janey simply made life miserable for the Milton High football team. The junior standout amassed for 210 total yards, while scoring three touchdowns as Wellesley handed the Wildcats a tough 37-16 defeat in Friday night's  Bay State Conference clash at Brooks Field.

With the win, the Raiders improved to 6-2 overall while the Wildcats continued to struggle, falling to 2-6 overall.

Also contributing for the Raiders was fullback Dan Elfman, who rushed for 106 yards and a score.

"We ran the ball well, and we were able to win the battles at the line of scrimmage,'' said Wellesley coach Bill Tracey. "We didn't like how we came out in the Braintree game last week, but we were able to really tighten things up here against Milton. (Janey) had a huge game for us, and he had big plays on special teams, offense and defense. Elfman ran the ball well, and I thought overall we played well as a team."

Janey not only rushed for a touchdown, but also returned a kickoff 69 yards for a score and hauled in a 26-yard interception run into the end zone.

In the losing effort, the Wildcats were guided by quarterback Matt Regan, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown while wideout Matt Lezama racked up 118 receiving yards and a TD.

"I thought our offense did a better job moving the ball in the second half,'' said Wildcat coach Jim Bowes. "We made some mental mistakes in the first half, but in the second we were able to move the ball around and a get a couple of good drives going."

In the game's opening drive, the Raiders executed a six-play 45-yard drive that spanned just 2:41. Led by Elfman and Janey, the Raiders quickly moved downfield into the red zone. Following an eight yard run by Elfman, the Raiders grabbed the 7-0 lead Janey scampered on a two-yard run into the end zone with 9:19 left in the first quarter.

"They scored off of us early, and we couldn't get our offense going in the first half,'' said Bowes. "If we were able to get a drive or two going, then maybe the outcome of the game would've changed a bit. Every time we responded, they would come right back and they did what they needed to do. It's hard to play catch-up against a great team like Wellesley."

After a pair of failed Wildcat offensive possessions, the Raiders established an eight play, 60-yard drive and grabbed a 14-0 lead. Following a series of short rushes by Janey and Eflman, the Raiders quickly drove to the Wildcat 16-yard line before Elfman barreled through with an eight yard run into the end zone. Breaking through several tacklers, Elfman dragged two Wildcat tacklers three yards before breaking the plane of the goal line with 8:14 remaining in the second quarter.

Capitalizing on a Wildcat miscue on special teams, the Raiders engineered a field goal late in the first half, extending the lead to 17-0. On a 36-yard punt, the ball, bounced on the turf before grazing a Wildcat jersey at the 26. An intense scramble ensued before a Raider pounced on the loose ball.

Despite a strong defensive Wildcat stand, the Raiders still managed to cash in on Tucker Morgan's 29-yard field goal with 2:06 left.

In the third quarter, the Raiders nearly secured the win as quarterback Brian Pini engineered a nine-play drive that spanned 48-yards. On a third and 10 from the 18, Janey, off a halfback option fired a pass that cornerback Kareem Patterson intercepted at the six.

Pinned at their own five-yard line, the Wildcats turned the tides on just one play. On a third and 11, Regan fired a screen pass to Lezama, who broke free at the 11-yard line and dashed down the right sideline. Outfoxing a pair of Raider safeties, Lezama dashed 89-yards into the end zone with 3:33 remaining. A successful bootleg run by Regan on the ensuing two-point conversion trimmed the lead within 17-8.

Only 12 seconds later, the Raiders would quickly regain momentum as Janey scooped the loose ball at the 31 on the ensuing kickoff. Spotting an opening at the middle of the field, Janey blazed down the center of the field untouched and into the end zone as the Raiders grabbed a 24-8 lead with 3:21 left.

"We get on the scoreboard, and then all of a sudden, that kickoff return for a touchdown really took the wind out of our sails,'' said Bowes. "We were playing catch-up for the entire game."

On a 12-play 89-yard drive, the Wildcats closed within 24-16 with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter. On a series of short screens by Regan to receiver Terrance Walsh, the Wildcats slashed downfield into Raider territory. On a third and one from the Raider 23, Kemani Jones scurried down to the six. Moments later, Regan, rolling out to his right, fired a seven-yard touchdown pass to Walsh.

Any hopes of a Wildcat comeback would quickly be dashed as the Red Raiders recovered the ensuing onside kick. On a first down from the Wildcat 26, Charlie Jennings would blaze through the middle of the field and scurry into the end zone with 1:36 remaining as the Rebels increased the lead to 31-16.

Janey added his third touchdown of the night in the final seconds, intercepting a Regan pass in the flat and racing down the sidelines into the end zone en route to commanding 37-16 edge.

The Raiders will host Weymouth on Saturday while the Wildcats will travel to face Brookline.