Nashoba Falls To Minuteman Regional, 28-14

Just as the power flickered on and off at on Friday night, the Vikings also didn’t show much charge against the visiting Mustangs of Minuteman Regional, falling 28-14 in their 2011 home opener.

By the end of the night, Minuteman senior Anthony Carreon outrushed all the Vikings combined (81 yards to 63,) but perhaps his biggest contribution came early on as he grabbed 44 of those yards on the Mustangs’ first drive alone, topping it off with a three yard dash into the end zone.

Minuteman would grab another score off a fumble recovery deep in Nashoba Valley territory from sophomore Brandon Kerins to give the Mustangs a comfortable lead heading into halftime.

Kerins would add two more touchdowns to make it appear that the game was out of reach, but the Vikings weren’t done, getting two scores of their own in the span of less than 90 seconds late in the fourth against Minuteman’s second string.

The outcome of the game was still slightly in question, but as Nashoba Valley head coach Rob Beaudette let his squad late in the contest that the key to success was building from these positive moments.

“I told the team one thing we should focus on is getting better; each game you’re learning, getting better, “said Beaudette, who also noted that his club did get a few lucky breaks to avoid the shutout. “When the score was 28-0, I told them our chances of winning were slim and our goal was just to get better, and the kids kind of bought into it.”

Vikings quarterback James Murray tried to lead his squad down the field for what might have been a miraculous comeback, but an interception just before the two minute warning to Minuteman’s Matt Ball thwarted the underdog Vikings’ momentum once and for all.

 Murray’s late pick was his second of the night and his 26^th passing attempt overall, accounting for just under half of the Vikings’ plays on offense, something Beaudette attributed to poor field conditions and an overpowering opposing defensive line.

“Nothing was working, we were just trying a lot of different things, but they were going on all cylinders, we just weren’t doing it,” he said.

In contrast, Minuteman passer only had two aerial attempts all night: an incompletion just before halftime and an early interception to Murray.

“We felt coming in that we were going to keep it simple, that we were just going to run the ball,” said Minuteman head coach Brian Tildsey. “That was our game plan coming in, and with a few exceptions, that’s what we did tonight.”

Carreon led all rushers, followed by Minuteman sophomore Zahir Ramsey with 43 yards on 13 carries, with senior Nick Connor leading the way on the ground for Nashoba with 26 yards on nine attempts.

In the air, Tom Bavis led the way for the Vikings, gaining 72 yards on four completions.

Nashoba Valley (0-1,0-0 in the Vocational League) heads out to Turners Falls next Saturday to face Franklin County Vocational Tech while Minuteman (1-0) will look to continue the success of their first year as an independent on the road as they travel to Cambridge to face Matignon next Friday.