Big Blue win a classic in OT

It’s hard to anoint a “game of the year” in week three, but Friday’s Swampscott/Peabody thriller will be tough to top.Click here for a photo gallery.The Big Blue stopped Peabody’s Aaron McGill six inches short of the goal line on a 2-point conversion in overtime to hold off the Tanners, 30-28, at Coley Lee Field. Philip Larkin scored on a 4-yard run in overtime and A.J. Baker caught the conversion to give Swampscott (2-1) the lead, and Brian DeAngelis caught a 6-yard pass from Jason Hiou on fourth down on Peabody’s overtime possession. The Tanners fell to 1-2.Swampscott30Peabody28 “It was a big game for two teams that were 1-1,” Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski said. “We’re fortunate and I’m proud of our guys, but I have to give Peabody a lot of credit. They battled us all night long and never gave up.”The Big Blue led, 22-6, entering the fourth quarter mostly on the strength of two touchdown passes and a touchdown run by Michael Walsh. Peabody scored on a 17-yard pass from Hiou to Nick Allen, and then tied the game with exactly 1 minute left on Brady Doyle’s 4-yard run and a pass from Hiou to Allen for the 2-point conversion.”It’s a tough game to lose, but I’m very proud of my team,” Peabody coach Scott Wlasuk said. “Everything we’ve worked for, not just on the field but things like leadership and character ? stuff that doesn’t show up on the scoreboard, we showed that tonight.”Swampscott dominated most of the first three quarters with Walsh at the helm of the Big Blue’s passing attack. After Peabody fumbled on its opening possession of the game, Walsh connected on his first five passes, the last of which was a 12-yard throw to Peter Yasi for Swampscott’s first touchdown. The Big Blue also scored on their second possession, a 71-yard march that concluded with a 10-yard scoring pass from Walsh to Richard Sullivan. The PAT kick was missed and Swampscott led, 13-0, with 10:52 left in the first half.Peabody answered with its first points on a 56-yard drive that covered 10 plays. On fourth-and-1 from the Big Blue 2, D.J. Henrick gained just enough to move the sticks and Nathaniel Gaye went into the end zone one play later. A low snap thwarted the extra point kick.With Jermaine Kelly directing the offense, Swampscott moved to the Peabody 5 on its next drive but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Steven Page that made the score 16-6 at halftime.Swampscott looked to be in great shape when Walsh took the second half kickoff and led the Big Blue 80 yards in 11 plays, a drive that was capped off by a 4-yard run from Walsh. The PAT kick was blocked, and Swampscott led, 22-6, with 6:20 left in the third quarter.The Tanners came right back with a 70-yard drive that included three big third down conversions, and without Gaye, who left the game was an apparent leg injury and did not return. From the Swampscott 17, Hiou looked for DeAngelis near the left hash mark. The ball was tipped in the air and landed in the arms of Allen for a fortuitous touchdown. Peabody faked a kick on the try for two points and Allen found McGill in the back left corner of the end zone.The Big Blue took the ball right down the field, and Walsh made a charge for the goal line on second-and-1 from the eight, but the ball popped loose and Peabody recovered in the end zone for a touchback. The Tanners’ ensuing drive went three-and-out, but Peabody then forced Swampscott to punt without picking up a first down. The snap from center went high off Kelly’s hands, and he was tackled at the Big Blue 22 to give the Tanners great field position with 2:59 left in the game.On fourth-and-8, Hiou found Doyle, who made a spectacular sprawling catch at the 5-yard line. Two plays later, Doyle went around right end for a touchdown, and a conversion pass from Hiou to Allen tied the game.Swampscott’s overtime possession consisted of three plays, the last of which was Larkin’s touchdown run on an option pitch to the left. Baker took the conversion in after collecting a bubble scree