By Jim Stout
MaxPreps.com
ÿ
Conventional wisdom says that with a 5-5 regular-season record, the Brockton High football team shouldn't be playing for the Eastern Massachusetts Division I championship on Saturday.
ÿ
Then again, 2006 has been anything but a conventional season for the Boxers, whose two-time Super Bowl title defense has been ravaged by injuries, inexperienced and other internal personnel problems.
ÿ
Nevertheless, Brockton reached the Division I semifinals last Tuesday night against Dartmouth, only to find itself down by seven points with 9:50 to play in regulation.
ÿ
That's when an unconventional series of plays led to the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion for Brockton, and landed the Boxers in Saturday's Division I Super Bowl against Everett.
ÿ
A blocked punt led to a three-yard TD drive that brought Brockton to within a point of Dartmouth, and Jamar Greene's ensuing two-point conversion off a toss fake reverse provided the difference in Brockton's 15-14 home victory over the previously defeated Indians at Marciano Stadium.
ÿ
Brockton, which qualified for the tournament by winning the championship of its three-team Big Three Conference, will face Everett in the Division 1 final at Quincy's Veterans Stadium. The last time the two teams met came in the 2004 Division 1 title game, which Brockton won by 22-21.
ÿ
In all, there will be seven divisional Super Bowl games played in Eastern Massachusetts on Saturday, with seven more scheduled for the Central/Western region. There were no semifinal play down games in the latter region.
ÿ
"We knew that play (the two-point conversion) was going to work," Brockton's Greene told the Boston Globe.
ÿ
"(PAT) kicks aren't guaranteed," Brockton coach Pete Colombo said, explaining his call and his decision to go for two points.
ÿ
In addition to pulling out the unconventional plays and points in the fourth quarter, Brockton survived the 173-yard, two-TD effort of Dartmouth running back Jordan Todman, who finished the season with 2,195 yards rushing and a Division 1-best 28 touchdowns.
ÿ
Todman twice gave Dartmouth the lead in the first half at 7-0 and 14-7, but was effectively shut down in the second half as Brockton held the Indians scoreless. Dartmouth had one final chance to win the game with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but Sean Sylvia narrowly missed a 31-yard field goal attempt that had plenty of height and distance.
ÿ
"We played hard, they played hard," Todman told the New Bedford Standard-Times. "You win some, you lose some."
ÿ
Greene scored both touchdowns for Brockton.
ÿ
At Quincy, meanwhile, junior running back Isaac Johnson carried 10 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns, made two interceptions on defense and watched a potential third interception bounce off his chest as Everett coasted to a 31-6 victory over Catholic Conference champ Xaverian in the other Eastern Mass Division 1 semifinal.
ÿ
Everett is 11-0; it had already secured a state-record fifth consecutive undefeated regular season prior to the playoffs. The Crimson Tide defense held Xaverian (8-4) to 90 yards, 27 on the ground, in the first half.
ÿ
The Tide's offense, which ran up 306 rushing yards on Xaverian Oct. 14 season in a 28-14 win, amassed 271 yards on the ground from five ball-carriers, with Johnson's 87 leading the way.
ÿ
Eastern Mass Roundup
ÿ
Division 1A Semifinals: Wayland Finally Back in Finals
ÿ
The rushing of quarterback Ben Sherry and running back Tony Torres lifted Wayland to their first Super Bowl final in 31 years Tuesday night as the undefeated Warriors beat Central Catholic, 34-24, in the Division 1A semifinals at Cawley Stadium in Lowell.
Wayland, the Dual County League champ, will play Marshfield in the final Saturday at Quincy.
ÿ
Sherry directed Wayland's option offense and racked up 158 yards individual on the ground, while throwing two TD passes. Torres rushed for 133 yards.
ÿ
At Quincy, Marshfield rode the specialty work of Wendell Chipman (one defensive touchdown, one field goal) to a 15-0 win over Weymouth.ÿ Kurt Leone scored on a 1-yard keeper with 1:18 to play to seal the victory as the Marshfield defense dominated.
ÿ
Weymouth's only drive into Marshfield territory in the second half ended with an interception.
ÿ
Division 2 Semifinals: Burlington Ends Natick Streak
ÿ
In Acton, Burlington snapped Natick's 26-game winning streak, routing the Redmen, 45-9, to advance to the Division 2 Super Bowl for the first time in school history.
ÿ
The Red Devils overcame an early 9-0 deficit behind the running of Ted Marmanidis (36-182, 3 TDs) and the passing of Dan Walsh, (7-of-11, 130 yards, 1 TD).
ÿ
At Stonehill College in Easton, Foxboro stayed hot following its Thanksgiving Day win over Mansfield as it beat Bishop Stang, 21-6. Senior running back Kevin McCarthy scored two touchdowns.
ÿ
Foxboro (9-2) advances to Saturday's Super Bowl against Burlington at Acton-Boxboro. Foxboro had lost to Natick in last year's Super Bowl, 8-3
ÿ
Division 2A Semifinals: Winthrop, Wareham Advance
ÿ
In Lowell, Winthrop's defense led the way to a 21-14 victory against Masconomet, a win that was sealed by James Fucillo's interception in the end zone. Winthrop hasn't been to the finals since 1993 and hasn't won a Super Bowl in 23 years.
ÿ
"This is unbelievable," said Fucillo. "Not just for me, but for the town, my brother, and for the people who never made it. They're real proud of us, and I'm proud of my whole team."
ÿ
Winthrop lost to Natick in last season's semis.
ÿ
In New Bedford, Wareham rolled over Hingham, 34-20, rallying from a 13-12 halftime deficit. Senior captain Darryl Foote led the way with 71 yards rushing and three touchdowns, one on a 69-yard pass from quarterback Mike Laperriere that put Wareham up 26-13.
ÿ
Winthrop and Wareham meet on Saturday at Stonehill in the Division 2A final.
ÿ
Division 3 Semifinals: Whittier Outlasts Arlington Catholic
ÿ
Whittier safety Jay Pena preserved his team's wild 48-46 win over Arlington Catholic, batting down a two-point conversion pass with under a minute to play, sending the Wildcats to the Super Bowl for the first time in school history.
ÿ
"You don't understand what this has done," said Whittier coach Kevin Bradley. "The school's never had this experience before, and right now we're on top of the world."
ÿ
At Brockton, Medfield beat Abington, 35-26, behind the play of Michael Lane.
ÿ
Whittier will play Medford on Saturday at Acton-Boxboro.
ÿ
Division 3A Semifinals: Hamilton Bails Out Cape Tech/Harwich
ÿ
Cape Cod Tech/Harwich held opponents to 5.5 points per game during the regular season. West Roxbury was not impressed in Tuesday's semifinals in New Bedford.
ÿ
CCT/Harwich, however, endured just the same with another familiar formula, the running of James Hamilton. The senior back scored five touchdowns to lead the Crusaders to a 35-27 victory, setting up a Division 3A Super Bowl match Saturday at Quincy against Ipswich. Hamilton rushed for 237 yards on 36 carries.
ÿ
In Acton, Ipswich blanked Manchester-Essex, 34-0. The Tigers will try to capture their first Super Bowl victory since 1992 against Cape Tech/Harwich.
ÿ
Division 4 Semifinals: Brighton Comeback Continues
ÿ
Just a few years removed a 0-9 regular season, Brighton beat Marian on Tuesday, 32-29, in the Division 4 semifinals at Stonehill College, sending the school to its first eastern Mass final. Brighton will play West Bridgewater, which had a semifinal bye since there were just three conference champs competing in Division 4.
ÿ
Saturday's Massachusetts Super Bowls
ÿ
Eastern Mass
ÿ
Division 1: Brockton vs. Everett at Veterans Stadium, Quincy, 1 p.m.
ÿ
Division 1A: Wayland vs. Marshfield at Quincy, 4 p.m.
ÿ
Division 2: Foxboro vs. Burlington at Acton-Boxboro, 1:30 p.m.
ÿ
Division 2A: Wareham vs. Winthrop at Stonehill College, 2 p.m.
ÿ
Division 3: Whittier vs. Medfield at Acton-Boxboro, 4:30 p.m.
ÿ
Division 3A: Ipswich vs. Cape Cod Tech at Quincy, 10 a.m.
ÿ
Division 4: Brighton vs. West Bridgewater at Stonehill College, 11 a.m.
ÿ
Central/Western Mass
ÿ
Division 1: Leominster vs. Longmeadow at Worcester State, 3 p.m.
ÿ
Division 1A: South Hadley vs. Milford at Roberts Stadium, Holyoke, 3:30 p.m.
ÿ
Division 1AA: St. John's vs. Minnechaug at Worcester State, 5:30 p.m.
ÿ
Division 2: Holy Name vs Mt. Greylock at Worcester State, 12:30 p.m.
ÿ
Division 2AA: Chicopee Comp vs. Auburn at Roberts Stadium, Holyoke, 12:30 p.m.
ÿ
Division 3: Frontier vs. Oakmont at Roberts Stadium, Holyoke, 10 a.m.
ÿ
Division 3A: South vs Dean Tech at Worcester State, 9:30 a.m.
ÿ
ÿJim Stout is the MaxPreps.com master photographer for the Massachusetts/Rhode Island region and a Northeast region columnist. He may be reached at j.stout@jmstout.org
ÿ