Swampscott rallies past Winchester

PEABODY – There were more than a few concerns regarding how the Swampscott football squad would respond in a short week (the Big Blue played this past Sunday) going into last night’s game with Winchester. Yet those concerns were resolved, and then some, as the Big Blue evened their record at 1-1 with a 33-21 triumph over the Sachems at Bishop Fenwick’s Donaldson Field.Click here to see a photo gallery from the game.”We gave the team Monday off to heal,” said Big Blue coach Steve Dembowski. “Tuesday and Wednesday we really practiced and today (Thursday) we did walk and talk on the field, going over assignments.”Winchester (1-1) took a 7-6 lead in the waning seconds of the opening period, but that only served to light a fire under Swampscott. Quarterback Matt Barbuzzi (14-19-202) connected on a 32-yard strike to teammate A.J. Baker to spot the ball at Winchester’s 28. Moments later, Barbuzzi gained the needed yardage on a fourth-and-1 to put Swampscott at the 17. Barbuzzi found receiver Randall Kelleher on the next play over the middle, and Kelleher’s score put the Big Blue ahead 13-7 early in the second quarter.Both teams traded possessions throughout the period before Swampscott added to its lead. Back Kyle Shonio (17-134) plowed through the Winchester defense for 30 yards on third-and-6 to the Sachems’ 24. Two quick passes to Kelleher (4-38) netted an additional 16 yards to the 8. Barbuzzi increased the score to 19-7 two plays later with a one-yard keeper.”Barbuzzi’s an experienced quarterback that knows the system,” said Dembowski of his signal-caller, who went 11-for-13 in the first half, good for 139 yards. “He was able to move in the pocket, and the line gave him the time to do so. And a key for us was that we had plenty of yards after catches. Against Gloucester (this past Sunday), we didn’t have any.”The Sachems had the best opportunity to score in the third. They took over at their 21 after a punt, and promptly headed downfield. Quarterback Jay Sprague connected with receiver David Thomann on a 13-yard completion on third-and-8 to Winchester’s 36. Later in the drive, Sprague picked up 12 yards on third-and-10 to the Big Blue 25. The Sachems were able to get to Swampscott’s 13, but the secondary forced two straight incompletions to end the possession.”We were able to adjust to what Winchester was doing throughout the game,” Dembowski said.Barbuzzi then directed the squad downfield with a 12-play, 87-yard drive that culminated in a 28-yard score to Patrick Costin, in which the receiver outjumped his coverage for the ball, bringing it down at the 2 before stepping into the end zone.The Big Blue added their final score on their next possession, with a two-yard run by Shonio. The Sachems scored twice in the closing minutes: a 42-yard scamper by back T.J. Hickey, and a 55-yard strike from Sprague to receiver Joey Cleary.Swampscott took a 6-0 lead on its first possession. The team had a third-and-2 at the Sachems 44, but Shonio took a handoff, and headed down the far sidelines before being brought down at the 2. He gave the Big Blue the game’s first points on the next play.Winchester gained the lead late in the quarter. Hickey (9-27-1-152) led the team into Swampscott territory on a 14-play, 79-yard drive, ending when Hickey hit receiver Will Herbert in the back of the end zone to put the Sachems in the lead, 7-6.