Marshfield defense leads way

Dennis-Yarmouth can't find answer

WEST YARMOUTH - Dennis-Yarmouth couldn't pull off an upset last night against fellow Atlantic Coast League heavyweight Marshfield, as the 12th-ranked Rams beat the Dolphins, 28-7, in what has become a heated rivalry between two of the league's best teams.

"Marshfield vs. D-Y has started to become an unbelievable rivalry," Marshfield coach Lou Silva said. "The past three games we've played them it's just been smashmouth and they're a very good team.

"We were nervous for the longest time."

Rams defensive back (and quarterback) Stephen Souza picked off a Bryan Burch pass late in the first quarter to set up the Rams at the D-Y 15.

After three rushes, Brendan Meehan scored from the 1 to give the Rams (4-1) a 7-0 lead with 21 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Halfway through the second quarter, Brandon Fleming scored on a 77-yard play off of a glorious pass from Souza, who rotated at quarterback with Jonathan Mullin throughout the game.

D-Y (2-2) rebounded to make it 14-7 three minutes later when Stephan Davis carried it in from 7 yards.

Both defenses kept the third quarter quiet, but the Dolphins couldn't hold back Marshfield.

With less than eight minutes remaining, Bob MacNeil carried the ball into the end zone from the 10.

And the Rams piled on when Mathew DiGrigoli intercepted a pass at the D-Y 35 and ran it into the end zone with a minute left in the game.

Both teams suffered injuries to key players.

Marshfield's Sean Griffith, a triple threat through the first quarter, at running back, defensive back, and kicker, had to leave the game.

Burch was replaced in the fourth quarter by junior Mike Sullivan, who completed several passes.

Both coaches acknowledged the fact that despite the final score, each of their defenses gave it everything they had.

"Our defense came to play, our offense didn't," Silva said.

"I thought we gave everything we had," D-Y coach Paul Funk said.

Last season, the Rams and Dolphins tied for the Atlantic Coast League title but Marshfield advanced to the postseason by virtue of winning the head-to-head matchup, 21-13. Marshfield lost to Chelmsford in the Division 1A Super Bowl.

The Rams still have much work to do with Plymouth North and South coming to Marshfield the next two weeks.