LEXINGTON ROLLS TO FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
By Jim Baldwin
Lexington, MA. 10/19/18. With the backfield brothers, senior quarterback Tony Bianchi and running back Mason Hatfield leading the way, Lexington High School’s high powered offense rang up over 30 points for the fourth straight week dispatching a respected Woburn club 32-7 Friday night at Harold Crumb Field.
Bianchi ran for two scores and passed for one more while Hatfield ran for two.
Meanwhile the Minuteman defense, led by some particularly jarring hits by seniors Jamie Murray and Johnny Bachman and some agile pass coverage from safety, Matt Pusatere, allowed the visitors just one big play and only one touchdown.
Lexington opened with a ten-play 67-yard drive with Hatfield accounting for half of the yardage on just three carries. The shifty sophomore capped the drive with a darting, dodging scamper of 15 yards for the night’s first score.
Woburn, who came into this contest just a game behind Lexington in third place in the Middlesex Liberty division, answered immediately with a drive of their own that, after a 43 yard heave from senior quarterback and co-captain Ryan Qualey to junior wide-out Alex Cruz, landed the Tanners on the Lexington 12. Two plays later though, disaster struck, and Woburn fumbled at the five with a host of Minuteman defenders pouncing on the ball.
A Bianchi to senior receiver Joe Tibbles aerial for 45 yards appeared to solve the Minuteman field position problem, but a holding flag, followed by a bad snap, then a quarterback sack left Lexington with a third and 35 situation at their own 30.
Enter Hatfield. On a mis-direction draw play Lexington wrong-footed the entire Tanner defense allowing Hatfield to romp 45 yards against the grain for a most unlikely first down at the Woburn 25. The play completely shifted the game’s momentum and seemed to deflate the visitors. Six plays later Bianchi arrived in the end zone from two yards out, and instead of a tie game, it was 12-0 Lexington. Woburn would never get close again.
Reflecting on his third and 35 conversion—probably the key play of the game— Hatfield said, “defenses get fooled on that play. There’s a lane, and I take it. I just ran as hard as I could and wound up getting that first down. It was a really good feeling.”
The good feeling continued for Lexington as their lead ballooned to 25-0 following a precise Bianchi to Tibbles connection on a crossing pattern for a 30-yard touchdown, and another 13 yard scoring run by Hatfield.
Bianchi finished Lexington’s final drive of 75 yards in 12 plays with a four-yard scoring run. The drive was again saved by Hatfield. On third and 13 from the 47, the diminutive running back took a Bianchi back-door screen pass 42 yards to the Woburn 5. Two plays later Bianchi scored.
Woburn’s only score came with nine minutes left, a two yard pass from Qualey to senior Ryan Ludwig, which was set up by a 64 yard Qualey to senior Tyler Parrish bomb.
The win was Lexington’s fourth straight, and second consecutive home blow-out.
“We’re getting better every week,” said Lexington coach George Peterson. “We’ll have a tough road ahead in division one north, but I’m just glad we’re peaking at the right time.”
Bianchi had what has become his usual big night completing 11 of 22 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown and ran 26 times for 117 yards and two more scores.
Tibbles led the receivers with four receptions for 87 yards and one touchdown.
Hatfield, who according to Peterson is, “coming into his own as a running back in this league,” averaged a Ben Quint-like eight yards per carry on 18 carries for 141 yards and two touchdowns along with two receptions for 46 more.
Lexington’s fourth straight win brings their season record to 5-2; 4-1 in the league. The Minutemen will await what is sure to be a challenging pairing in next week’s first round tournament game.