Wayland keeps rolling

LOWELL -- Ben Sherry and Tony Torres first started running together in the second grade.

The stakes were a bit higher last night.

The two talented seniors literally carried Wayland to its first Super Bowl appearance in 31 years, teaming for five touchdowns as the unbeaten Warriors throttled Central Catholic, 34-24, in a Division 1A playoff game at Cawley Stadium.

Sherry, a bruising 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound quarterback, ran Wayland's explosive spread option attack to perfection, piling up 158 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

The Dual County League's MVP also tossed a pair of touchdowns, one capping a 21-point blitz in the second quarter.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Torres added 133 more yards on the ground, including a scintillating 64-yard sprint down the left sideline in the second quarter in which he reversed his field and picked up a key block from Sherry.

"Just by looking at Tony and Ben, they were possessed, ready to go," said Wayland coach Scott Parseghian, who is taking his 12-0 Warriors to a Super Bowl for the first time since 1975.

"Once again, they were a great 1-2 combination like they have been all season. Everyone on the offensive line did a great job against a huge [Central Catholic] offensive line; they just pushed them around."

Wayland will play Marshfield in the Division 1A Super Bowl Saturday.

Trailing, 9-7, the Warriors quickly took control in the second quarter. First, Torres broke free for a 64-yard jaunt and a 14-9 lead. After Central Catholic went three and out, Mike Mitchell's 48-yard punt return set up the Warriors on the Central Catholic 28. Two plays later, Sherry rolled right and charged into the end zone from 27 yards out and a 21-9 lead with 4:17 left.

Two minutes later, the Warriors were back at work on offense.

Sherry faked a pass and took a bootleg 20 yards. Seconds later, he lofted a 13-yard scoring strike to Dana Sharry for a 28-9 spread.

"We felt we were the better team and we just wanted to prove it," said Sherry, who finished off his night with a 28-yard jump pass on a second-and-21 call that was tipped into the arms of Wade Critides in the back of the end zone.

"The second quarter was just crazy, I wanted it to end quicker," said Central Catholic coach Chuck Adamopoulos. "They got on a roll. Sherry is a heck of a football player. He's a tailback breaking tackles."

Central Catholic's hopes for a rally ended in the third quarter when the Raiders used nine minutes of the clock in a 17-play drive but were forced to settle for a field goal.

Sherry and Torres put their quick feet on display in the game's first series, Torres bursting 34 yards down the right sideline to the 35 and Sherry following with a 30-yard rumble to the 5. Sherry then capped the six-play, 74-yard march with a 4-yard keeper.

CC (8-4) answered quickly behind its two dynamic backs, Mike Leavitt (24 carries, 107 yards) and Chris Morales (11, 54). Leavitt went on an 18-yard run, and four plays later Morales broke four tackles on his way to a 19-yard gain. Leavitt capped the 10-play, 69-yard march with a 5-yard dive into the end zone.