This game was the coming out party for Lexington. Winning at Reading, difficult for any visitor, was something Lexington had not accomplished in years. This year would be different.
READING, MA. September 30, 2016
Last Friday night in a pivotal game for Middlesex Liberty dominance, Lexington had to travel to Reading, a longtime gridiron graveyard for the Minutemen, to face a typically strong Rocket team ranked 11th in the Globe top 20 Poll. Despite its unbeaten record, Lexington was unranked (that has changed) and, on paper, not supposed to win this game. Apparently, Sal Frelick and his mates never got the memo.
Behind a defense that shut out Reading in the second half and a spectacular offensive performance by Frelick, Lexington celebrated all the way home with a dominating 56-27 win over the perennial Middlesex League power.
Once again Frelick ran Coach George Peterson’s fast-paced and relentless spread offense to perfection. The Minutemen, never huddled once during the entire game, wearing down a strong Rocket defense and allowing the fleet Frelick an amazing 5 touchdown runs of 4, 48, 43, 79 and 8 yards.
In trying to describe Frelick Peterson said, “It’s like he’s got a fast forward button on him and everybody else is playing at regular speed. He’s a legitimate 4.4 (in the 40) guy who likes contact and there just aren’t many of those guys out there.”
Despite all the Lexington fireworks, this was a very tight game well into the third quarter featuring several surprising changes in momentum in a seesaw first half.
The Minutemen won the toss, elected to receive of course, and moved quickly to a score on their opening drive. Eschewing going for the first down on 4th and 5 from the Rocket 30, Frelick instead went for it all and found Spencer Kendall at the right pylon for the score. The spider-like Kendall was well covered on the play but outfought his defender to come down with the ball and power into the end zone.
Reading’s early problems continued when Lexington’s Sean Sullivan recovered a fumble at the Lexington 40 to end the Rocket’s first possession. 4 plays later running back Ben Quint ran right up the middle for 45 yards and a score. After just 6 and a half minutes of play the Rockets found themselves in a two score hole, a familiar place for Minuteman opponents this year, with all the momentum seemingly on the Lexington side.
All that momentum shifted suddenly when Reading Junior running back Jack Geiger responded dramatically returning the ensuing kick-off 95 yards to get the Rockets quickly back in the game. It was the first of Geiger’s 4 touchdowns.
Geiger’s return seemed to energize the Rockets. On the next possession they forced a Lexington punt, the first time an opponent had accomplished that in the last 3 games. The Rocket’s power ground game then took over as Senior quarterback Corey DiLoreto, a real load at 6’4” 195, and Geiger led two consecutive drives with Geiger scoring from 9 yards out on the first and 8 on the second. With 3 consecutive scores the Rockets had erased Lexington’s momentum and their lead.
Suddenly behind 21-13, Frelick and Kendall reclaimed the momentum. On a key 3rd and 4 from the Reading 43 Frelick found Kendall at the 20. Again the lanky receiver out-jumped his defender and just stepped out of bounds at the 4 leaving it for Frelick to score on the next play.
After the Minuteman defense forced a 3 and out on Reading’s next possession, the lightening quick offense was back in the Rocket end zone in just 3 plays including an 18 yard pass from Frelick to receiver Anthony Bianchi and Frelick’s 48 yard dash for the score which was assisted by a key downfield block from Kendall. It had taken but 5:30 for the Minutemen to reclaim the lead.
At 3 minutes left in a crazy half, Reading was still not done. With DiLoreto and Geiger carrying the load, the Rockets moved to the Lexington 30 with just over a minute left. Here the Minuteman defense stiffened and got the Rockets into a 4th and 8 situation only to see Geiger gather in a heave from DiLoreto in the Minuteman end zone. The extra point was wide, but Reading had pulled to within a point at 28-27 as the half ended to set up the drama for Frelick, Quint and the Minuteman defense in the second half.
Lexington’s defense opened the half with a strong stand forcing a Rocket punt. It took the offense just 4 plays and 90 seconds to stretch their lead. The drive featured a catch by James Lane with a defender in his shirt for 35 yards and a first down on the Reading 45 setting up yet another long run by Frelick of 43 yards for the touchdown.
On Reading’s ensuing possession, Ben Quint undercut DiLoreto’s receiver at the Lexington 30 picked off the pass and went 70 yards for the score that finally broke the Rockets’ back.
The Minutemen intended “to send a message” said Peterson, and it appears that the message has been received. Unrated before the game, Lexington is now 17th in the Globe top 20 and 3rd in the MIAA Division 1 power rankings.
Frelick put up some gaudy numbers for the game; 19 carries for 262 yards and 7 of 16 passing for 147 fpr over 300 yards of total offense. Quint, playing a stellar all around game, had 10 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown and the key 70 yard pick 6. Frelick was again helped by his receivers as Kendall, Bianchi and Lane all chipped in with difficult catches at key moments.
The defense, too, played notably shutting out Reading for the entire second half. Sean Sullivan had 5 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.
So it is on to Winchester this Saturday at 10am.