Minus Fitzpatrick, It's One and Done For Winchester

If you just look at the score, Winchester's 36-0 loss to Lynn English Saturday in the Division 3 North playoffs was just another case of an outmanned No. 8 seed getting blitzed by the bullies on the MIAA block.

Afterall, the night before No. 8 seeds across EMass had lost by scores like 44-0, 34-0, 35-0, and 52-0. The scoreboard after 44 minutes at Manning Field suggested more of the same.

But rather than being more ammo for the haters of the MIAA playoff system, the Sachems' loss was more about the absence of one player rather than an indictment of a system that allowed 30 teams with losing records into the playoffs, including Winchester at 2-5.

After missing practice all week, the Sachems learned Friday that they would once again be without their starting quarterback and senior captain, Liam Fitzgerald, this time because of an illness. If the Sachems had any momentum after winning two of their last three games, including a win over Reading, it was gone in an instant.

"Liam had missed practice Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because he had something going on. He came back Thursday but Friday he was told he shouldn't play this week," said coach Wally Dembowski. "Emotionally we just came out flat."

It didn't help that as the anthem played, there just 31 fans in the Winchester stands, meaning there was almost a Sachem cheerleader for each fan in attendance. Lynn English (8-0) took the opening kickoff and in their longest drive of the day went 50 yards in seven plays, with Ski Gaston running it in on fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line. They wouldn't need seven plays to score the rest of the day.

After the Sachems went three-and-out, LE began a series of quick strike scores behind quarterback Matt Severance and receiver Prince Brown that effectively ended the game at the half. It started with a 41-yard Severance to Brown pass that put the ball at the Winchester 13. Two players later Severance ran it in from 13 yards out to make it 14-0.

Winchester then went on a time-consuming 11-play drive but ultimately turned it over on downs. English took over and three plays later Brown took a handoff and went 94 yards to make it 22-0. Winchester had the ball for four more plays and had to punt. This time on the Bulldogs' first play, Severance hit Brown for a 77-yard touchdown. And just to continue the pattern, Winchester followed with a 9-play drive but fumbled the ball away. On the third English play, it was Severance to Brown again, this time covering 67 yards. For Severance, it was his 14th touchdown pass of the season and for Brown, his 11th touchdown reception.

Despite running 30 plays to Lynn English's 19, the Sachems went into the half down 36-0.

In the second half Winchester had three possessions and each ended with the Sachems turning the ball over on downs. Lynn English played mostly backups and the score never changed. Peter Gallagher finished with 43 yards rushing on 14 carries, while quarterback Tony Fiorentino was 13 of 21 for 107 yards. The Sachems (2-6) will find out Sunday who their next opponent is.

"They ran everything we thought they were going to run, we just had nothing," said Dembowski. "We had nothing emotional. Physically we were prepared but emotionally we didn't do a good enough job to get them ready to play. Give Lynn English credit, they've got some skill kids who can run. They're a talented group. We didn't do very much well. It was a little frustrating."