Greater Lawrence repeats with win over Assabet Valley

ANDOVER — Assabet Valley showed some late magic Thursday night in the Large School Vocational Bowl championship game, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Greater Lawrence from earning its second straight voke title.

Behind big offensive days from Shamil Diaz and Maleek Dejesus, as well as a stifling defensive performance through most of the second half, the host Reggies (9-4) held on to beat the Aztecs (9-4), 36-26, for the best consolation prize a team could ask for after falling in the Div. 7 state semifinal less than two weeks ago.

Diaz scored three total touchdowns on 178 yards rushing and 90 yards passing, while Dejesus punched in a pair of second-half touchdowns.

“It’s huge, it’s great for our community,” said Greater Lawrence head coach Tony Sarkis. “Our kids really deserve it, they’ve worked hard all year. … It’s good to end (the season) this way.”

After a back-and-forth first half that saw Assabet keep it close with two of Jacob Nelson’s four touchdown catches, the Reggies defense came out firing to show how they were just one game away from playing at Gillette Stadium.

As Diaz and Dejesus each scored touchdowns to pad a 15-12 lead to a 28-12 score in the third quarter, the defense successfully limited Aztecs quarterback Connor Shurling’s options while plugging up rushing gaps with physical play. Assabet accrued just 23 yards from scrimmage in the frame as a result.

That gave the offense plenty of breathing room, as it continued its sporadic first-half success running quarterback draws and sending receivers deep to get the game out of reach.

Both units clicking in the frame proved huge, as Shurling and Nelson connected on a 17-yard touchdown with just over a minute left before hooking up again on a 42-yard TD following a successful onside kick.

“We shut them down,” Sarkis said. “Our seniors came to play … and they executed.”

Assabet head coach Ken Stukonis had expressed frustration earlier in the week with Greater Lawrence taking Blackstone Valley Tech’s original spot in the championship game, but felt no extra hard feelings for losing to the Reggies.

“We competed … that’s a damn good football team over there,” he said. “Not (any hard feelings) at all. Really, when it comes down to it, we just had to prepare to play a football game. … We prepared, and they were the better football team.”

Nelson and Jake Taylor each intercepted Diaz for Assabet in the first half, contributing to an effort that saw the Aztecs once lead 12-7. But Diaz connected with Franklyn Espinal for a 19-yard TD on fourth down to retake the lead in the second quarter, leading up to the big second half.

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