By Bill Sones — Sports Contributor
A tough Westford Academy squad defeated the Concord-Carlisle football team 35-0 last Friday night at CCHS, dropping the Patriots to 2-1 in the Dual County League and 4-2 overall.
The Grey Ghosts (2-0 DCL, 4-2 overall) started fast, taking the opening kickoff and marching 68 yards in 9 plays (including a fourth and 1 conversion at the CC 26) that resulted in an 18-yard touchdown run. The drive ate up almost half of the opening quarter and put Westford up 7-0 after the extra point. The teams traded possessions for the rest of the quarter as senior quarterback Matthew Carleton had a couple of nice runs, and the Pats defense stiffened to stop a Westford drive.
The second quarter opened with the Pats still down by only 7. CC’s offense benefitted from runs by freshman running back Thomas Bury and Carleton and completions to senior wide receiver Will Hoover and senior running back Connor Sones as the Pats ran a 15-play drive deep into Westford territory. But the Grey Ghosts’ defense came up with key stops, and the Pats turned the ball over on downs late in the quarter. The Westford offense executed an 8-play, 94-yard drive that pushed the lead to 14-0 at the half.
The third quarter was all Grey Ghosts as turnovers became a problem for the Patriots for the first time this season.
First, after Carleton left the game with an injury, a CC fumble gave Westford the ball at CC’s 15-yard line. Two plays later, the Grey Ghosts ran the ball in from 10 yards out to push the score to 21-0. Then, as the Pats offense moved into Westford territory to try to get back into the game, a hard hit by Westford’s defense caused a fumble, and the Grey Ghosts pounced on it at their own 30-yard line.
Westford then drove 70 yards on eight plays but were stopped at the 1-yard line by a stubborn CC defense. However, another turnover caused havoc as, with the team’s regular punter (Carleton) out of the game, the Grey Ghosts blocked and recovered a CC punt in the end zone to go up 28-0. A fourth-quarter 62-yard interception return for Westford closed out the scoring at 35-0.
The Patriots were to travel to Lincoln-Sudbury (1-1 DCL, 2-4 overall) Friday to face their longtime DCL rivals.
