Whittier turns back Tyngsboro
| Whittier | 24 |
| Tyngsboro | 13 |
HAVERHILL -- Whittier's 24-13 victory over Commonwealth League rival Tyngsboro yesterday was the Wildcats' first victory over the Tigers in six years, and since Tyngsboro expects to move to the Dual County League next season, this game was possibly the last time the teams will meet.
"You just don't know where this win puts us," Whittier coach Kevin Bradley said. "I told the kids, they have one more chance, since [the Tigers are] moving up. And for a small school like us, to beat a team like that, we're just ecstatic. This is one of the greatest wins in the school's history."
The game plan for Whittier was to attack each facet of the potent Tiger offense, starting with quarterback Colin Halloran. On the first drive, the Wildcat defense kept him in check, but after a failed fourth-and-4 conversion by Whittier, Tyngsboro took over at the Wildcat 37 and brought the ball to the 4-yard line in three plays.
Whittier continued to target Halloran as he slanted right, but just as Chad Hafford and Cameron Taylor took him down, Halloran found Steve Manning in the end zone.
On Whittier's drive to open the second quarter, the Wildcats moved 71 yards in seven plays, finishing with a Jason Pena 1-yard plunge into the end zone. And since the Wildcats rarely kick, quarterback James Fournier rushed in for 2 points, putting them up, 8-7, to finish the first half.
The Tigers had their chances, after making it all the way to the Whittier 6 and 11 in consecutive drives, but missed passes and a lost fumble preserved Whittier's lead.
"That's a potent offense," Bradley said. "All week we said we had to come in, have ball control, and keep it out of Halloran's hands."
Whittier's next drive gave them ball control, and swung the momentum. Senior running back Joel Penney -- who missed the previous two games with an ankle injury -- made up for his lost time, running for six of the 10 plays of the drive.
The key play of the drive was a Penney first down on fourth and 3 on the Wildcat 43.
"I just got the ball and ran like hell," Penney said.
Six plays later, Penney -- 205 yards on 23 carries -- ran 35 yards for a score, complemented by a Thane Sanford conversion, making the score 16-7.
"That fourth down was the momentum changer," Bradley said. "We just put it in Penney's hands."
By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Tigers' defense was exhausted, and allowed Whittier its final score on a five-play, 64-yard drive, ending with a 13-yard run by Pena.
Pena had a quiet game (10 yards on five carries), but had key tackles in the secondary and snagged a Tiger onside kick in the fourth.
Tyngsboro relied on Shawn Miller for the running game, and amassed about 70 yards, but his highlight came from a 54-yard touchdown pass from Halloran, the Tigers' final score.
Halloran was 13 for 25, for 200 yards, and two touchdowns. After a failed rush, and as the game clock ran out, the 2005 Technical School Champions -- who had more than 300 rushing yards -- beat their league rival for the first time in six years, and perhaps the last time.
Pending an MIAA decision, Tyngsboro will be a member of the Dual County League of Division 1.
"The season's not over, and I got to get them back to earth on Monday, and myself too," Bradley said.
Lifting his hands high, Bradley said, "But this win puts us up here. When you knock off the giant, it feels good." 