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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The Westwood Wolverines (5-2, 3-0) and Medfield Warriors (4-2, 0-2) squared off on Friday night under the lights at Westwood High School in a battle of premiere TVL talent, as both teams entered the game as two of the highest ranked teams in D2A South (Westwood-2, Medfield-5).
The Wolverines got out to an early lead thanks to the loud play of Robbie and Jake Antonucci and were able to hold off a furious rally by the Warriors to prevail 36-20 on Senior Night.
The Wolverines jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks Robbie Antonucci’s dash to the end zone midway through the first. The Warriors responded with a score of their own from Mitchell Gonser to knot the game at seven before Jake Antonucci gave the Wolverines back the lead with a long touchdown late in the second quarter, capped off by a successful two-point try from brother, Robbie.
Following Jake Antonucci’s touchdown, Medfield’s Mason Giunta returned the ensuing kickoff 69 yards for a touchdown, James Voss added a two-point conversion via quarterback Ryan Eamer and knotted the game at 14 just before the half.
Just when you thought the scoring parade was over and that the game would enter the half tied at 14, Westwood responded, as Reed Wilson ran the two-minute drill to perfection and got Westwood in the end zone to give the Wolverines back the lead right before the half. Robbie Antonucci added the two-point conversion on a direct snap Wildcat play.
Westwood added another score on their first drive of the second half to go up 28-14 (two-point try unsuccessful) with 9:24 to play in the third quarter.
The Medfield offense stalled on its next possession and was forced to punt the ball back to Westwood. However, the Warrior defense stood up to the challenge and got Medfield back to within a single score when free safety Liam O’Toole jumped the route and picked off Reed Wilson, returning it 35 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to eight (PAT blocked) with just under two minutes to play in the third.
The Wolverines went into full-on clock kill mode and ran a long 12-play drive on their next possession, capped off by a 29-yard Brendan Delaney touchdown run on a fourth down and one off a direct snap to put Westwood back up by two scores at 36-20 midway through the fourth (two-point attempt successful).
The Warriors were unable to find the end zone on their final two possessions and the deficit proved to be too much to overcome as Westwood held on for the 16-point victory.
Medfield will travel to Hopkinton on Friday night in a must-win game, while Westwood will travel to Norton and look to continue their ability to control their own destiny for a postseason birth with their unbeaten conference record.
