MINUTEMEN DROWN SPY PONDERS 46-21
By Jim Baldwin
Arlington, MA. 10/5/18. The Patriots may have TB12, but Lexington High has TB7.
Minuteman quarterback Tony Bianchi, who wears number 7, shares not just the initials but some of the prolific stats of the Pats QB. The senior co-captain submitted a brilliant six touchdown performance Friday night to lead the Lexington football team to their second straight road win, a 46-21 thrashing of Arlington.
Bianchi ran 15 times for 79 yards and four touchdowns, but did much of his damage through the air completing 14 of 20 passes for 275 yards and two more scores. He had four completions of 40 yards or more and threw to an ever-growing cast of now six different, increasingly sure-handed, receivers.
Senior Joe Tibbles led the receiving corps with six catches for 144 yards, one of which was a 53-yard bomb for the final Minuteman score.
Regardless of the final outcome, though, the Minutemen always seem to find a way to make things interesting.
Leading at halftime 24 – 14, Lexington opened the second half with a Bianchi interception on their first series and followed with a second possession that ended with a punt after three penalties left them in a crazy fourth down and 23 situation.
Coach George Peterson was philosophical. “We’re a lot better, but we’re still sort of finding ourselves. We’ve got a young team, and, even Tony. He’s a four year starter, but this is really only his fifth game at quarterback.”
The Spy Ponders seemed to say, “you want to let us back into this game? We’ll take it.” Their skilled senior quarterback and co – captain Adam Bowler ran a draw on second down and nine from the Arlington 48 and weaved his way 53 yards for the touchdown. Senior Sam Swift’s point after brought Arlington within just three, 24-21, and a game that Lexington had owned was now up for grabs.
But for only 54 seconds.
That’s how long it took Bianchi and sophomore sensation Mason Hatfield to answer. Bianchi opened the lightening fast, four-play drive with a 10 yard run. Then Hatfield took over with twisting, darting runs of 25 yards, then 22 yards to bring Lexington to the Spy Ponder’s eight-yard line. Bianchi then swept around the right side for the touchdown and followed it with a two-point conversion pass to, who else, Hatfield for a decisive 32-21 Lexington lead.
“You’ve gotta give that drive to the O line, really,” Bianchi said. “They let us just pound the ball right up the middle. That drive completely turned things around, and from there we dominated.”
Hatfield was the prime benefactor of the offensive line’s dominance running 12 times for a whopping 140 yards. On a stat sheet filling night, he added three successful extra point conversion runs and four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
The entire offense looked quite different than the one that scored just two touchdowns at Reading a few weeks ago. Bianchi’s downfield accuracy has improved, and his receiver group, in addition to Tibbles and Hatfield includes legitimate threats in seniors Jack Marcin, Gabe Van Emon, Mesay Merseth and junior Justin Siri.
Merseth’s night included a sideline fingertip grab for 40 yards and two extra point conversion catches.
Bianchi now has 15 touchdowns running and five passing as he seems to be increasingly comfortable running Peterson’s varied offense.
Peterson confirmed that saying, “Our kids are way more confident now. We still have those momentary lapses, but tonight’s a good win, a good effort from our kids.”
Bowler led the Spy Ponders offense with 117 yards on the ground in just eight carries mostly on quarterback draws and scrambles outside the pocket. But the Lexington defensive secondary led by Marcin, senior safety Matt Pusatere and Van Emon playing “center field” at free safety held him to 11 of 26 passing for a meager 127 yards.
Now 3-2 on the season, Lexington finally returns home next Saturday for a 2pm visit with the Belmont Marauders.