By Bill Sones — Sports Contributor
Photos by Henry Morgan
The Concord-Carlisle Patriots lost 24-14 to longtime rival Lincoln-Sudbury on October 25 in Sudbury. The loss was the second in a row for the Patriots who, after a hot 3-0 start, have lost 3 of 4 to drop to 4-3 on the season and 2-2 in Dual County League play.
The game started fast for CC. On the Patriots’ first offensive play, freshman running back Thomas Bury broke free and outraced several Warriors defenders for an 80-yard sprint to the end zone. The point-after kick by senior Taylor Ladd put the Patriots up 7-0. The Warriors quickly responded with a strong 9-play, 81-yard drive, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7.
On the ensuing kickoff, junior John DiCesare almost single-handedly shifted the momentum back to CC with a 36-yard return that was one tackle away from another big Patriots score. That momentum was short-lived, as CC fumbled on its next offensive play, and the Warriors recovered at the CC 40-yard line. Seven plays later, the Warriors were poised to take the lead with a first and goal at the Pats’ 9-yard line, but four penalties stopped L-S, and they settled for a 38-yard field goal and a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Freshman quarterback Wes Morse tried to spark the Pats with completions to senior wide receivers Taylor Ladd and Will Hoover and sophomore tight end Alex Fivek as the Pats moved to midfield. The Warriors’ defense stiffened and forced a CC punt. It took L-S only six plays to drive 79 yards, ending with a 23-yard touchdown pass that pushed the Warriors’ lead to 17-7. Things got tougher for CC with an interception on the next possession at their own 40-yard line. The Warriors scored four plays later to extend their lead to 24-7 at the half.
The Pats started the second half by recovering an L-S fumble on the kickoff, setting themselves up deep in L-S territory. A Morse to Hoover 26-yard connection pushed CC to the L-S 1-yard line, and Bury dived in from a yard out for his second touchdown of the day to cut into the L-S’ lead. CC’s defense held the Warriors scoreless with big plays in the second half, including a stop of L-S at the CC 1-yard line. However, the Patriots never threatened again, and L-S held on for the 24-14 win.
The Patriots looked to end their losing streak with a Halloween night trip to Acton to take on a winless Colonials squad.
