Big Blue hand Peabody a loss

SWAMPSCOTT – For all the passes that Swampscott quarterback Matt Barbuzzi Saturday, the one pass he didn’t throw was the key play.With the Big Blue leading Peabody, 14-7, in the early moments of the fourth quarter, Barbuzzi lined up for a 24-yard field goal attempt. However, the direct snap went to Kyle Shonio, who tossed the ball to A.J. Baker – who then found Randall Kelleher in the end zone for an insurance in an eventual 28-7 victory at Blocksidge Field.This was the first regular season meeting ever between the two schools.The drive began on the last play of the third period, when Barbuzzi recovered his own onside kick at Peabody’s 46. He then hit Kelleher for a 39-yard strike, putting the ball at the Tanner 7.”This was something we hadn’t used since 2005,” said Swampscott head coach Steve Dembowski of the fake field goal. “It’s been in our bag of tricks. We felt the time was right to use it, as it would either be a two-touchdown game, or they would have the ball at the 7. AJ made a great thrown to Randall.”Peabody, 1-2, came right back. A 21-yard completion by quarterback Mike O’Brien (5-7-0-73) to Jamal Abu-Hijleh brought Peabody to its 46. O’Brien then went 21 yards to the Big Blue 18 – with a Swampscott penalty moving it up to the 10. However, O’Brien was stripped on the next play, setting Swampscott up for its final drive.Barbuzzi (22-33-347) found Kelleher (8-176) on third-and-7 from the 40 for a 57-yard completion putting the ball on Peabody’s 3. Barbuzzi and Baker (11-142) connected on a four-yard score two plays later.Peabody made it to the Swampscott 24 on its first drive as, for the second straight week, Mark D’Addario ran wild (21 carries, 103 yards). But the Big Blue held from their own 24, and responded with a 12-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a three-yard score by Shonio (18-38) on fourth-and-1 near the end of the quarter. The key play was a 17-yard screen to Baker to spot the ball at Peabody’s 34.Peabody evened the game in the third. Two long runs by D’Addario set up Jason Potash for a nine-yard TD run.”We felt fortunate being down only 7-0 (at the half),” Tanners coach Scott Wlasuk said. “I didn’t think we blocked well (in the first half), and we were stalling. After their first score, we felt confident we could move the ball, but it’s tough blocking them on the perimeter.”Swampscott regained the lead (14-7) when it got the ball back, as the possession ended with a 44-yard reception by Baker before the end of the quarter.