QB Dominic Cavanagh leads unbeaten Ashland to Div. 6 football final, drilling Millbury 49-20

GRAFTON – Ashland quarterback Dominic Cavanagh erupted for six total touchdowns, including three in a big third quarter, as the Clockers overcame a slow start en route to a 49-20 toppling of Millbury in a Div. 6 state semifinal Saturday afternoon at Grafton High School.

Cavanagh (13-of-18, 203 yards, five TD passes) spread the wealth by completing at least three passes to four different receivers, while four different players also caught a TD pass. The defense found its legs, allowing just six points in the second half, helping the Clockers (11-0) advance to face Bishop Fenwick at Gillette Stadium for their first Super Bowl appearance since winning one in 1995.

“All these guys, they work hard. This is the outcome,” said Ashland head coach Andrew MacKay. “Super proud of our guys, love being around them.”

As the Clockers struggled to do much against a Woolies (9-2) defense that bottled up the run for much of the first half, the two teams traded a pair of touchdowns until Ashland’s offense finally got on track just before halftime.

Cavanagh, who frequently shifted in the pocket to buy more time for a heave or a scramble, led a 10-play drive that Eddie Braganca capped with a 3-yard run for a 21-14 lead at the break.

The offense took off from there, with big runs from Olujumi Brown (55 rushing yards) and Jake Merloni setting up Cavanagh (56 rushing yards) for a 6-yard TD keeper. The defense forced a three-and-out and blocked punt that set up the offense with great field position, which Cavanagh capitalized on with a 33-yard strike to Brandon Grover (three catches, 54 yards). A turnover-on-downs from Millbury was followed with a 32-yard TD pass to Merloni for a 42-14 lead in the third quarter, and by the time the Woolies scored again on a 1-yard Anthony Greenwich (59 rushing yards, two TDs) keeper, the game was all but sealed.

Kevin Russell (four catches, 56 yards) also caught two touchdowns for the Clockers, while Jake Lasetta’s score (three catches, 42 yards) tied the game 14-14 before Ashland’s big run. All three of Cavanagh’s pass attempts in the second half were touchdowns.

“I think that we just didn’t play our best ball early on, and once we figured it out, they’re a special talent,” MacKay said of following a 21-point first half with 21 points in the third quarter.

“We kind of slept through the first half, and we came back in the second half on a mission,” Cavanagh added. “Basically, we just had to wake up. … I think (I have) one of the best wide receiving corps in the state, and they make me look good a lot. It’s great to fall back into. They make plays for me, I’m grateful for that.”

Xzavier Robles (104 rushing yards, touchdown) gave the Ashland defense trouble on draw plays in the first half before the Clockers found a way to neutralize him. Branganca led the Clockers on the defensive side with two sacks on a day that Ashland gave Greenwich little time to find receivers.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2KRnu8W