Concord-Carlisle ended its season on a high note, shutting out Lexington, 32-0, in the nightcap of a Thanksgiving eve tripleheader at Fenway Park.
There was no “shot heard round the world” – a distinction that belongs to the Battles of Lexington and Concord from 250 years ago – but there was plenty of firepower from the Concord-Carlisle offense. And at the conclusion of the 103rd meeting between the schools, Concord-Carlisle now leads the series, 54-42-7, extending its winning streak to six.
Right from the start, the Concord-Carlisle defense created opportunities for its offense. After forcing a turnover on downs to open the game, Concord-Carlisle (5-6) scored on its opening drive. Operating out of the wildcat formation, senior Lewis Simon seized the moment, finding a hole courtesy of outstanding blocking and making a 63-yard dash to the end zone.
“I let loose,” said Simon (five carries, 111 yards, 2 TDs). “I’m happy to play in this stadium, and I’m happy to do it with my guys. This all means a lot. I couldn’t let this game get away from me.”
An extra point from Jack Garofalo put the Patriots ahead, 7-0, with 35 seconds remaining in the first. Both teams had opportunities to score before the half, yet neither capitalized.
Lexington’s Kian Millett missed a 38-yard field goal attempt wide left just before the midway point of the second quarter, and quarterback Ethan Hatch came close on a couple of deep balls. Concord-Carlisle nearly added to the lead when sophomore quarterback Ryan Duffy attempted to engineer a 54-yard scoring drive in the half’s closing moments, but he fell 15 yards short when Lexington defensive back Griffin Leahy made a ferocious sack as time expired.
But Duffy wouldn’t be denied for long.
During Concord-Carlisle’s first possession of the third quarter, the Patriots used the run effectively before Duffy sent a perfect spiral 17 yards to tight end Alex Fivek in the end zone. That put Concord-Carlisle ahead, 14-0, with eight minutes to play in the quarter.
“It’s real easy when you have a strong defense behind you,” said Duffy. “No matter what we did, they had our back. And I love my O-line. They protect me every day. That’s the backbone of our offense.”
Eight seconds into the fourth quarter, Concord-Carlisle added onto the lead with a 25-yard run from junior running back Sawyer Carnes. Following a missed extra point, that gave the Patriots had a commanding 20-0 lead.
On the final run of his high school career, Simon scored his second touchdown for Concord-Carlisle with 8:10 remaining in the game. Breaking tackles and deftly avoiding others on a 35-yard power sprint past the goal line, he put Concord-Carlisle ahead 26-0. The Patriots would tack on another touchdown with two minutes to play when senior Christian Meyer pounded the ball in from the two-yard line, making it 32-0.
A stingy defensive effort from Concord-Carlisle kept Lexington scoreless. There was an emphasis on stopping the Lexington run, limiting the Minutemen to only 14 yards on the ground in the third quarter.
“Our defense came prepared,” said Concord-Carlisle coach Josh Reed. “Coach (Derek) Robbins had a great plan for us, and the boys really responded. Our offensive line did a tremendous job up front, and our backs did a great job blocking.”
Despite only trailing by a touchdown at the half, Lexington (2-8) struggled to make stops or create scoring opportunities in the second half. While Lexington coach John DeLuca was disappointed with the outcome, he was extremely proud of his senior captains – James Moehring, Matheo Gomes, John Lilley, and Alex Manson – for all their contributions to the program.
“We’re definitely going to be pointing to those guys in the future as the example, not only as football players, but as people,” said DeLuca. “They’re fantastic role models, and they put their heart and soul into this team.”
For Concord-Carlisle, that second half is one that they will remember all off-season. Reed was asked whether he said anything particularly inspiring at the half, which drew a smile on his face.
“It was a colorful speech for them to understand their full potential,” said Reed. “We started a little sluggish, but they responded. And it’s more than just one game. Playing at Fenway Park, it’s surreal. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, and these guys deserved it.”
