Natick rolls over Bridgewater-Raynham

NATICK— Playing without standout junior quarterback Will Lederman because of injury, Natick seemed to be operating with the rest of its football senses heightened on Friday against Bridgewater-Raynham.

Junior Jalyn Aponte shredded the Trojans for 230 yards and four touchdowns on the ground and a smothering Redhawks defense did not allow a point as top-seeded Natick advanced to the Division 2 South semifinals with a 28-7 win over No. 8 B-R.

The 8-0 Redhawks will host the winner of Saturday’s contest between No. 4 Wellesley, who they edged 14-13 earlier this year, and No. 5 New Bedford.

“For the next 10 minutes, we will enjoy this one and then we will worry about Wellesley and New Bedford, because they are both great teams,” said Natick coach Mark Mortarelli. “This bracket is tough, everyone knows it, but that’s why you play, that’s why you coach, to play good teams. That’s what makes it fun.”

The Redhawks spotted the Trojans (3-5) a touchdown when Brian Merlino stepped in front pass from sophomore Colby LeBlanc and returned it 50 yards for a 7-0 lead, but Natick dominated the rest of the way.

The Redhawks got rolling on their fourth possession, powered by Aponte, who carried seven times for 61 of the 70 yards of a drive capped by his 12-yard score to tie the game at 7-7 at halftime.

It didn’t stay there long, however, as Aponte took a pitch a burst down the left sideline for 54 yards on the second play of the second half to put Natick up for good at 14-7.

As it turns out, that would have been enough thanks to a Redhawks defense that held B-R, which knocked Natick out of the postseason in 2016 and 2017, to less than 50 yards total and zero passing in the first half, and did not let them pierce the 30 until the Trojans’ final drive.

“Coach D (defensive coordinator Nick DiAntonio) prepared us as well as he can,” said Natick senior captain Josh Atwood. “He puts every second he can into giving us a scouting report and getting us ready for these guys and I think our guys just executed. We knew what we needed to do and we all went downhill and did our job and it worked perfectly.”

LeBlanc attempted just one pass in the second half, but it was a beauty, hitting Nick Ofodile perfectly in stride deep down the middle of the field for 61 yards, setting up a short plunge from Aponte for a 21-7 edge. Aponte sealed it with his fourth trip to the end zone from 40 yards out with 4:46 to play.

“We knew they were going to be physical and that they were well coached – classy team, classy coach,” said Mortarelli of B-R. “They played hard and they beat our butts two years a row, so we really wanted this win.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/33bL9b2