Marblehead can’t crack Bishop Feehan defense in Super Bowl loss

FOXBOROUGH – In a game that pitted two of the top defenses in Division 3 this season, Marblehead coach Jim Rudloff seemingly knew that whichever team had the ball last at Gillette Stadium on Saturday had a pretty good chance of winning the game.Unfortunately for the Magicians, it was Bishop Feehan that had the ball in the final moments. Zach Schweiger’s four-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left proved to be the difference as the Shamrocks picked up the hardware with a 12-6 win in the Division 3 Super Bowl on a cold and rainy afternoon.Click here to see a photo gallery from the game”Feehan had the top defense in Division 3 all season and we knew it would come down probably to who had the ball last,” Rudloff said. “I really feel for the kids because they deserved to win this game.”Marblehead (10-3) had numerous chances to push its nose in front Saturday, but each time the Shamrocks’ defense rose up and came up with a stand. The last one came with 4:29 to go in the game when it turned aside the Magicians at the Feehan 29.After that it was a steady dose of Schweiger for the Marblehead defense. The senior, who rushed for 127 yards in his final game, ripped off a 20-yard gain to the Magician 45 and then added an 18-yard run to the Marblehead seven with just over a minute to go.Two plays later, Schweiger got the call and powered over the right side for a touchdown to give the Shamrocks the lead with 13 seconds left. All that was left for Marblehead was to try and throw a Hail Mary, but Hayes Richardson’s pass to Matt Perlow fell incomplete at the gun.”We never could put any first downs together to sustain some momentum,” Rudloff said.Fittingly, in a game between two powerhouse defenses, points were at a premium from the start.After an exchange of punts in the first quarter, Feehan marched quickly inside the Marblehead 10, but the Magicians rose up and stopped the Shamrocks two yards short of the goal line to keep the game tied after one.In the second quarter, the Magicians would have excellent field position, but fail to convert on the chances. Feehan fumbled early in the second quarter, but Marblehead went three-and-out and punted again later in the quarter after starting in Shamrock territory to keep it scoreless at the break.”It really was a defensive battle,” Rudloff said. “Both teams were able to shut down the other team’s offense cause the kids came to play.”Early in the third quarter, Feehan’s swarming defense forced Richardson into his first, and most critical, mistake of the day when Nick Cataldo intercepted a pass at the Marblehead 35. Two plays later, fullback Josh Agostini rumbled 20 yards to stake the Shamrocks to a 6-0 lead.Marblehead would be forced to punt on the next series, but Mike Albert muffed the punt for Feehan and Matt Evans recovered for the Magicians at the Shamrock 13.Three snaps later, Marblehead faced fourth-and-three from the six. Richardson rolled right and found Marcel Hardmon in the end zone at the last second to tie the game at 6-6. Mike Bernato’s extra point was blocked.Late in the third, Feehan had a chance to go in front, but Marblehead stopped a fake field goal attempt with 29 seconds left. Marblehead would take the ball and drive deep into Shamrock territory before being stopped to set up the winning drive for Feehan.