Photo by Chris Seitz
Brady McCormack 50 Yard Touchdown Run
By Chris Seitz
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
What a difference a year makes. The Warriors kicked off their season against the Weston Wildcats, a repeat of last year's opener. This time, Medfield turned the tables, dramatically turning the tables from their 17-6 loss a year earlier.
Medfield received the opening kickoff and, in just three plays, drove 70 yards. Senior captain Brady McCormack capped it off with a 60-yard touchdown run and then drilled the PAT, putting Medfield up 7-0.
The Wildcats' first possession was a grind. They managed only 20 yards in 10 plays before the Warriors' stalwart defense forced a punt. Senior captain Jack Gage and junior linebacker Owen Graber combined for five tackles during the possession, with Graber landing the first of many tackles for a loss.
Pinned on their own 2-yard line by a 47-yard punt, the Warriors responded with an 11-play, 98-yard drive. Medfield rattled off five runs of over ten years, with senior Matteo Benson contributing two of them. With two yards left to go at the start of the second quarter, McCormack crossed the goal line for his second touchdown and followed it with another PAT.
Weston's next possession started on their 32-yard line but stalled after six plays. Facing a 4th and 16, they were forced to punt again after a false start penalty and a 4-yard tackle for a loss by junior Michael Twoomey.
Starting on their 49-yard line, the Warriors took seven plays to score their third touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Owen Sokolowski had a key 10-yard run, and McCormack finished with a seven-yard scamper, thanks to pancake blocks by senior linemen Joe Foscaldo and captain Gavin Seitz.
With 4:39 left in the half, Weston took possession on their 41-yard line. Senior captain Charlie Hurley dropped the Wildcats' running back four yards behind the line of scrimmage on the first play. Three plays later, senior Joe Gemski made another tackle for loss. After four minutes and eleven plays, Weston managed to score on a QB keeper but missed the PAT, making it 20-6 Medfield.
After a deep kickoff by McCormack to start the second half, Weston suffered a one-yard tackle for loss by Gemski and a fourteen-yard sack by junior Dani Chahine before punting to midfield. A play later, McCormack was off to the races, sprung by key blocks by senior fullback Charlie Bean and the left side of the offensive line.In what was his last rush of the night, McCormack ran 50 yards to paydirt and his fourth touchdown. He ended the game with eleven carries for 197 yards. Sokolowski successfully rushed for the 2-point conversion.
Weston took the last eight and a half minutes of the third quarter and another three minutes of the fourth quarter for an 18-play, 65-yard drive, ending with another touchdown and a 2-point conversion, making the score 28-14.
After recovering an onside kick, Weston suffered two tackles for losses, one by Hurley and another by Foscaldo and Gage, before a holding penalty sealed their fate. Medfield took over on downs and ran out the remaining five minutes thanks to a crushing pancake block by brothers Charlie and Liam Hurley, a 13-yard keeper by Sokolowski, and rushes by sophomores Will Keaveney and Lucas Sullivan before kneeling to secure the victory.
Medfield dominated the line of scrimmage, rushing for over 300 yards.They faced only two 3rd downs in their final possession and never faced a 4th down.
Next up, the Warriors are home against Dracut at 6pm on Friday, September 12.
