Marblehead football drops heartbreaker

WEST NEWBURY ? The Marblehead football team’s bid to repeat as the Northeastern Conference/South champion got off to a rocky start Saturday.The Magicians lost in heartbreaking fashion, as an errant snap sailed over the punter’s head into the end zone for a safety in the game’s final minute, which washed away a second-half comeback for Marblehead, and gave Pentucket a 29-28 victory.Pentucket29Marblehead28 “I told the guys to remember how (losing in this fashion) feels,” Marblehead coach Jim Rudloff said. “It goes to show you that you need to play until the game is over. It would have been a terrific win to come back after being physically manhandled in the first half.”Will Quigley had a monster game for the Magicians (0-1). The junior tailback accounted for all of the team’s touchdowns ? three of which came on the ground. He also scored an impressive 31-yard touchdown on a screen pass from senior quarterback Dan Colbert. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry, as he accumulated 124 yards on 17 carries. He also led the team in receiving yards with 38.”(Quigley) played very well for us,” said Rudloff. “He is a veteran starter for us, and that’s the way we need him to lead this team.”Colbert’s first go-around at the helm of the Magicians offense was successful save for three plays. He went 10-for-15 for 102 yards and the touchdown pass to Quigley.But he also threw a pair of interceptions to his counterpart, Mike Doud, at the end of the second quarter, and his fourth-quarter pitch attempt resulted in a fumble that led to Pentucket’s fourth touchdown.Doud also had a fairly strong performance, throwing for 136 yards, including an impressive 32-yard strike to Dan Cashman. However, he also was at the center of three key turnovers that helped keep Marblehead in the game.”We were fortunate that (Pentucket) had a few key turnovers in the first half,” said Rudloff. “We got some lucky bounces that gave us an opportunity to come back in the second half. Give the guys credit, though. We turned it around and I couldn’t be more pleased with how they responded in the second half.”Oliver Kim took advantage of a ball that bounced off of a Pentucket wide receiver, and returned an interception 30 yards to set up a touchdown that had put the Magicians up 28-21 at the time.”If the shoe was on the other foot I know that we would be pretty distraught right now,” Sachems coach Steve Hayden said. “(Marblehead) really took the momentum away from us in the second half and took it to us in the fourth. I’m glad that we got the win and at least we didn’t quit when it wasn’t going our way.”