Swampscott rallies to shock Winthrop

WINTHROP – With 4:01 remaining in the first half of last night’s Winthrop-Swampscott affair, the Vikings were enjoying a 21-7 edge.However, not only did the Big Blue tie the game before the end of the half, they would score on all of their remaining possessions through the rest of the game to double up on Winthrop, 55-27, at Miller Field. The win moves Swampscott to the top of the NEC Small, tied with MarbleheadSwampscott took the ball on the second half kickoff, marching 60 yards on five plays to take the lead for good. A pass interference call against Winthrop put the Big Blue (6-2, 2-0) at the Viking 45, then quarterback Matt Barbuzzi (18-23-354, five TDS teamed with receiver Randall Kelleher for 38 yards to Winthrop’s 7. Two plays later, Barbuzzi was flushed out of the pocket, and heading towards the far sidelines when he flipped a soft pass to running back Kyle Shonio for a six-yard score and a 28-21 edge.Winthrop quarterback Will Milano brought the Vikings into Big Blue territory with a 29-yard pass to receiver Mark Jenkins helping put the club at Swampscott’s 45. Yet the drive ended when Milano (12-23-5-239) was picked off at the 20.That set up another drive for the Big Blue. Barbuzzi found Peter Yasi for 37 yards to the Winthrop 43. Moments later, on second-and-15, Barbuzzi hit teammate Patrick Costin for 28 yards to the 20. After being pushed back 10 yards due to penalty, the Big Blue again worked their way towards the end zone. Two runs by Barbuzzi put the ball at the 20, then a short dump to Shonio (5-55) gave the team a first down at the 12. Barbuzzi then located receiver Arthur Lutko, who tipped the ball before securing it for a 35-21 advantage late in the third.”That turnover was big,” said Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski about the pick that set up the touchdown to give the Big Blue an insurance score. “Our offensive line picked up Winthrop’s blitzes, and Matt was able to drop the ball into the coverage.”The Vikings (3-5, 1-2) were able to get those points back. Back Nick McCarthy (14-65) ripped off 13 yards on fourth-and-2 to the Swampscott 42, then Milano found back Frank Ambrosino for a 37-yard screen down along the near sidelines to put the club at the 7. Winthrop scored on the third play of the final quarter on a 10-yard pass from Milano to McCarthy to bring Winthrop to within 35-27.Yet the Big Blue continued to be relentless. Barbuzzi teamed with Costin for 13 yards and a first down to the Swampscott 48. Two plays later, Barbuzzi found receiver A.J. Baker (6-155) for a 48-yard score, and Shonio’s two-point run improved the margin to 43-27.Milano was picked off on Winthrop’s first play, and Swampscott set up at the Vikings 49. The drive culminated when Shonio (12-121) scored on a 12-yard jaunt for a 49-27 lead.Quarterback Brian Sullivan added an 11-yard keeper to close out the scoring.The Big Blue got to within 21-14 with just less than two minutes left in the half on a 15-yard pass to receiver Baker from Barbuzzi. The two of them teamed for three scores. The key play on the drive was a 25-yard strike to receiver Peter Yasi to put the ball at the Vikings 20. Barbuzzi and Baker connected two plays later for the score.Winthrop went three-and-out on its next series, and the Big Blue took over at their 33. Passes to Baker and Shonio put the team on the Vikings 41, then Barbuzzi connected with Randall Kelleher for 28 yards to the 13. After an incompletion, Barbuzzi hit Baker over the middle for a 13-yard score to tie the game at 21 with just over 13 seconds left in the half.The Vikings took the opening kick, and put together a solid 11-play, 73-drive, lasting more than five minutes to put the game’s first points on the board. With a third-and-12 at Swampscott’s 42, Milano hit Jenkins (8-171) on a short pass that Jenkins brought to the 6. Milano went in on a keeper two plays later for a 7-0 Winthrop lead.Swampscott came right back, as Shonio plodded through a huge hole for 58 yards and the tying touchdown on the