Gritty Tech drops tough one to Shawsheen

BILLERICA – The numbers on the scoreboard told a lopsided tale. But they did nothing to diminish Tech coach James Runner’s enthusiasm about his club’s effort in Saturday’s 41-6 loss to Commonwealth Large co-leader Shawsheen at Cassidy Field.Tech6Shawsheen41 “Honestly, I want to see them battling and I loved the effort today,” he said. “I thought we played well, especially the defense, which was terrific in the first half even though we were trailing 20-6.”The score really didn’t tell the story of the game, of the effort we gave,” said Runner after the Tigers dipped to 1-3 in the Commonwealth Large (1-6 overall).Perhaps no player exemplified Tech’s grit more than junior captain and running back Pedro Martinez, who accounted for 140 all-purpose yards – including a scintillating 61-yard kickoff return – and had Tech’s lone TD on a pass from quarterback Kennedy Gomes, who exited in the third quarter when he re-injured a left ankle that has hobbled him periodically.”Pedro wouldn’t quit. Games like this are when you become a better player and he really battled. And I had to make the call to keep Kennedy out for the game – he wanted to go back in,” Runner said.Some numbers couldn’t be disputed. The Rams (2-0, 6-1) ground out 262 yards rushing and 17 first downs. Their defense blew up Tech’s ground game, recording 16 negative yardage plays for minus-17 net yards – including four sacks of Gomes for minus-41 yards.”They certainly showed why they are the number one team in our league,” said Runner.Shawsheen opened with an eight-play, 65-yard drive that featured a healthy dose of Andrew Dascoli, who carried four times for 50 of his game-high total 99 yards rushing. Paul DePlacido punched in from the one and Devonn Pratt’s PAT made it 7-0.Tech countered with a 68-yard scoring march highlighted by Gomes’ 59-yard pitch to Luis Tavares to the Shawsheen 10. Pushed back to the 33 after a personal foul and two minus running plays, Gomes found Martinez open near the 20 on third down and he sidestepped two Rams with a nifty sideline move and cruised into the end zone. E.J. Ward’s PAT was blocked, leaving it at 7-6.Shawsheen answered back with another prolonged drive finished off by Dascoli’s two-yard score and carried a 14-6 lead into the second quarter.Tech’s defense excelled in the second quarter as Jorge Pimentel recovered a fumble at his own 46; Ward added an end zone interception and 23-yard return; and Joel Devaney recovered a fumble at his own five. The Rams, though, expanded the lead to 20-6 on Steve Reynolds’ four-yard plunge with 1:13 left in the half.The Rams blew it open in the first five minutes of the third quarter, sandwiching interception returns for touchdowns by Derek Bent (37 yards) and Dascoli (52 yards) around Devin Connearney’s 25-yard scoring dash.Tech is back in action Saturday at 3 p.m. at Manning Field against Commonwealth Small power Northeast Regional (6-2). Note the start time due to SAT exams that morning.