By Russ Waterman
MaxPreps.com
Quarterback Josh Carter of Marlborough led Central Massachusetts to a come-from-behind, 15-14 victory over Western Massachusetts in the eighth annual Shriners Chowder Bowl Classic football game at Springfield College. The win was the fifth straight for the Central squad, which now leads the series, 6-1-1.
Carter completed 2-of-7 passes for 29 yards but ran for 69 yards on eight carries, reaching the end zone for a touchdown and two-point conversion.
Central Massachusetts capped an 11-play, 95-yard scoring drive late in the third quarter when Shrewsbury signal caller Jawad Yatim threw to wide receiver Dan Burke (Burncoat) for an 11-yard TD reception. Carter was holding for kicker Patrick Lowe (St. John's-Shrewbury) when the ball was bobbled, but the Marlboro athlete outran defenders to the end zone for a two-point conversion to trim the deficit to 14-8.
On the next kickoff, Cody Brown (Oakmont) recovered a fumble for the Central squad at the 13. Carter then easily ran in for a three-yard touchdown to tie the score and Lowe kicked the point-after for a 15-14 lead.
Western Massachusetts did all of its damage in the first seven minutes of the contest. Jon Goodwin (East Longmeadow) intercepted a pass on the first play from scrimmage and three plays later Chris Setian (East Longmeadow) ran the ball in from five yards.
A fumble recovery by Chris Rodriguez (Cathedral) led to the next Western score. Tight end Alex Frazier (Westfield) snared a 7-yard pass from Longmeadow QB Pat Donnelly for the team's second TD with Donnelly delivering his second point-after kick.
Both squads had key defensive stops. The West put up a stiff goalline stand in the second quarter and gained possession after linebacker Chris Verrilli (Frontier) stopped Larry Ard (Gardner) on fourth-and-one at the one.
Willie Shepard (North-Worcester) also intercepted a pass in the end zone to stop a Western drive late in the fourth quarter.
Central Massachusetts MVPs: Offense- Josh Carter, QB, Marlborough; Defense- Conor Devlin, DL, Millbury
Western Massachusetts MVPs: Offense- Chris Setian, FB, East Longmeadow; Defense- George Hargrove, LB, Central
Football: 30th Annual Shriners Football Classic at Bentley College
Wide receiver Jesse Sparks of Cambridge Rindge & Latin caught three passes for 177 yards, including two long touchdown receptions, to lead the North to a 19-13 victory in the 30th annual Shriners Football Classic at Bentley College.
The North scored the deciding points late in the third quarter following a fumble recovery by Patrick Noone (Nobles & Greenough) at the 35. A 14-yard pass play from Timothy Morrison (Billerica) to tight end Mark Dwyer (Woburn) was the margin of victory.
South quarterback Tyler Dow of Franklin, who completed 12-of-17 passes for 159 yards, threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Duxbury wide receiver Peter Bobseine to complete the scoring early in the fourth quarter.
The North then denied any further South attempts to score, coming up with three sacks and a fumble recovery by Reading's Michael Mavropoulos
Darren Thellen (Brockton) gave the South its only lead in the first quarter when he intercepted a pass and ran it back 42 yards.
The North struck back twice in the second quarter. On a trick play, wide receiver Tim Rich (Chelmsford) received a lateral and threw downfield to Sparks for a 72-yard touchdown. QB Michael Pierce (Andover) also connected with Sparks for a 62-yard scoring play
North MVPs: Offense- Jesse Sparks, WR, Cambridge Rindge & Latin; Defense- Craig Richardson, Malden Catholic
South MVPs: Offense- Peter Bobseine, WR, Duxbury; Defense- Derrick Doucette, DB, Plymouth South
Baseball: Big Inning Leads Connecticut Past Massachusetts
Connecticut put together a five-run fifth inning to overcome Massachusetts, 8-4, in the annual Connecticut-Massachusetts All-Star game held in Lynn, Mass.
Connecticut MVP A.J. Rataic (East Catholic) hit a two-run double and Alex Bulger (Plainville) capped the decisive fifth inning with a two-run single.
Rataic ended up with two doubles and two RBI. Dan Paolini (Bunnell-Stratford) was 2-for-3, including a solo homer, and Taylor Lewis (Montville) also had two hits for Connecticut.
Relief pitcher Will Jolin of Guilford was named Most Valuable Pitcher for Connecticut, pitching three innings, allowing no runs, one hit and a walk while striking out five. Matt Barnes (Bethel) and Matt Iannazzo (Norwalk) also pitched effectively.
For Massachusetts, Tyler Toyfair (Agawam) was selected as his squad's Most Valuable Pitcher for the second year in a row by recording five strikeouts and allowing no hits in two scoreless innings. Nate Koneski (Dighton-Rehoboth) retired all six batters he faced in two innings of relief, including three K's.
Massachusetts scored one run in each of the first two innings. In the first, Tim Holland (Georgetown) hit a triple and then scored on a Connecticut error. In the second, Steve Hopkins (Waltham) delivered an RBI single.
Massachusetts added its final runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Steve Cammuso (Wachuset) and on a groundout by Auburn’s Jon Leroux.
Hopkins, who went 1-for-2 with an RBI, was named Massachusetts’ MVP.