Peabody overtakesk Salem; Fenwick falls to Arlington Catholic

The Peabody High football team survived a thriller Saturday night at Bertram Field, coming from behind to take the lead over Salem, and surviving with the Witches knocking at the door as time ran out.When the dust finally settled, it was Peabody 32, Salem 28.”It was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been involved in as a coach or player,” said Peabody coach Scott Wlasuk. “(Salem) had the ball at the two-yard line with two seconds to go, but we were able to to make the stop.”Peabody, 4-4, won two games, total, the previous two season. Salem, after winning its first three games, has lost its last five.Melikke Van Alstyne, who ran for 191 yards, got Salem off to a good start, going in from a yard out to give the Witches a 6-0 lead. And when Eugene Dela Cruz ran it in from the 13 (followed by Van Alstyne’s conversion), it was 13-0 Salem.However, Peabody, thanks to the rushing of Kevin Bettencourt (6 carries, 111 yards) and Jon Balcacer (5 carries, 91 yards), came back.Justin Provencher’s 34-yard field goal in the second quarter, cut Salem’s lead to 14-3 at the break. Balcacer cut the lead to 14-11 with a touchdown run and a conversion early in the third quarter, but Van Alstyne’s 12-yarder to make it 20-11.Bettencourt sliced that lead to two (20-18) with a 46-yard scamper (with Provencher’s kick), but Van Alstyne held Peabody at bay with a one-yard plunge.But Bettencourt (53-yard run) and Balcacer (32-yard score) brought the Tanners back, and then they held on at the end.Arl. Cath. 30, Fenwick 8At Donaldson Field, Peabody, Friday, the Crusaders jumped on top early, with Chris Renzulli’s 18-yard run capping off an eight-play drive. But an untimely penalty and the loss of perhaps its best overall player -Dan Kennedy – just before halftime was too much for Fenwick to overcome.After Fenwick scored on its opening drive, the Crusaders stopped the Cougars on a three-and-out. They were driving again when a holding call wiped out a potential first down and “from there, things kind of went downhill,” coach Dave Woods said.AC’s Corey Spencer’s tw-yard TD made it 8-6, Fenwic, at the half. However, shortly before the half ended, Kennedy broke his leg, “and “it took our momentum away. We came into our lockerroom and you’d have thought we were losing.”More injuries, and people playing unfamiliar positions, didn’t help the Crusaders in the second half. Neither did the passing of Spencer, who connected on two touchdown passes to go along with his first-half TD run.