Dynamic duo keeps Needham perfect
NEEDHAM - The combination of running back Kevin Cray and quarterback Kevin Brennan overwhelmed Weymouth (5-2) as Needham (7-0) remained unbeaten with an 18-8 victory over the Wildcats last night at Memorial Field.
Brennan tallied 162 all-purpose yards, 99 rushing and 63 passing. Cray scored all three Rockets touchdowns.
Both teams struggled in the first quarter, but Needham took control after a Weymouth fumble at the Rockets 41-yard line. After sophomore running back Mike Vespa set Needham up at its 42, Brennan sent the ball soaring 58 yards to Cray for a touchdown.
The Rockets added another score two minutes later when Cray skirted the Weymouth sideline and took a punt return 70 yards into the end zone.
“He’s looking for the big play every time,’’ said Needham coach David Duffy about Cray. “Sometimes he’ll lose yardage but most of the time he comes up huge. He’s got great hands, catches everything in sight, got a lot of wheels, and he just wants to win.’’
Weymouth coach Kevin Mackin prepared for Cray’s punt returning this week in practice.
“We talked all week about not kicking it to him and kicking it out of bounds,’’ Mackin said. “We did that twice, and the one time we didn’t, [Cray] hurt us. He’s a great player, we’ve been watching him all year.’’
The Rockets would push the lead to 18-0 after scoring a third touchdown with less than four minutes left in the first half. After a Weymouth punt, Needham took possession at its 28-yard line. The Rockets marched downfield in 16 plays, culminating in Brennan throwing a 12-yard touchdown strike to Cray.
The mistakes piled up for the Wildcats in the second half. Weymouth quarterback Dylan Colarusso threw an interception on an option pass to Needham’s Ross Burdett at the start of the third quarter. The Wildcats got the ball back just three plays later and managed to capture two first downs and make it to the Needham 24-yard line before turning it over.
Weymouth was intercepted again to start the fourth when Mitch Temple’s pass intended for Derek Newcomb was picked off by Needham safety Greg Angel at the Rockets 40. Needham went three-and-out and Weymouth scored on the next drive. Temple threw a 5-yard pass to Newcomb with five minutes left to get Weymouth on the board. The Wildcats then completed a Temple-to-Newcomb 2-point conversion.
Both Weymouth and Needham were without two of their top scorers. Wildcats running back P.J. Bonariggo is sidelined with a right collarbone injury. Needham wide receiver Kerry Hecker is also injured.
