English thwarts Marblehead

MARBLEHEAD – After enjoying a bye week, the English football squad did its best to rid itself of the rust that it was plagued by. It took the Bulldogs well into the second half, but the team capitalized on a few Marblehead mistakes to offset a stubborn Magicians club, 34-24, last night at Piper Field.Marblehead (3-3) took the lead early in the fourth quarter, recovering a fumble at the English 49. It only took the Magicians one play to strike. Quarterback Ian McKinley found receiver Taariq Allen (4-104) in perfect stride along the far sidelines for the go-ahead score, giving Marblehead a 24-20 lead.Yet the Bulldogs (3-3) bounced right back on the following possession. Starting at his 40, back Julio Arzu (12-71) picked up 13 on first down, then quarterback Jesse Fowler (18-66) gained three yards on third-and-3 from the 38. Fowler (8-24-1-122) hit teammate Brian Castellanos with a 20-yard strike moments later to spot the ball at the 15. After a penalty pushed the Bulldogs back to the 25, Fowler teamed with receiver Taron Seaforth, who slipped in behind the coverage to snare the pass, to give English the lead for good at 27-24.Marblehead fumbled the ball away at its own 43 on its next possession, and the Bulldogs took quick advantage. Arzu picked up a first down with a ten-yard gain on third-and-8 to the 25, then swept right two plays later down the sidelines, and into the end zone for an insurance score.”We were more disciplined in the second half, and we maintained our composure, as there was a lot of chippiness on the field,” said English coach Peter Holey. “But I think that the missed week really hurt us, and it showed in the first half, as we were in a fog. We have to learn to play consistently from the get-go.”Neither team could do a thing in the first quarter, trading possessions and punts throughout. After one Magicians possession early in the second period, punter Brandon Lee saw his kick bounce to the English 15. The Bulldogs were set to run the play, yet the snap sailed over the head of Fowler toward the English end zone. Several players attempted to pick the ball up, yet it rolled out of the back of the end zone, and the Magicians were awarded a safety as a result for a 2-0 edge.Later in the period, the Bulldogs moved the ball to their 38, but were forced to punt. The Magicians took over at their 42, but McKinley’s pass was picked off by cornerback Charles Rucker at the 40, and he ran into the end zone untouched with English’s first score.”Turnovers continue to hurt us,” said Marblehead coach Doug Chernovetz. “We shoot ourselves in the foot constantly as a result. Our kids hung in there against a very tough English team, and we did so until the last play. We put ourselves in a position to win.”Marblehead regained electricity as soon as the halves changed. Lee gathered the kickoff by Cory Burt at his 14, then broke through the coverage, racing down the field with his touchdown. Lee hit Allen with the two-point pass, and the Magicians were back in front, 10-7.”I think that last year, that (the touchdown on the kickoff return) would definitely have hurt us,” said Holey. “But we were able to bounce back, and we were able to right the ship.”English was unable to move past its 45 when it regained possession, and Marblehead couldn’t do a thing either, going three-and-out. Lee’s ensuing punt was blocked by linebacker Paul Lenzi, with teammate Ricky Williams recovering at the 26. Fowler then hooked up with receiver Travone Berry-Rogers on the next play to move the Bulldogs back in front, 14-10.Another fumble by the Magicians on the first play of their ensuing possession set up the next Bulldogs score. Linebacker Daniel Lucier recovered a botched pitch at the Marblehead 20, and Seaforth notched a 25-yard run on the team’s third play to give English a 20-10 edge midway through the quarter.Yet Marblehead received some luck of its own late in the period. A punt by Lee after the next Magicians possession gave English a first down a