Salem defense makes big statement in win over Williams

SALEM – Having given up a combined total of more than 120 points through the season’s first two weeks, the Salem High and Archbishop Williams football teams both needed a defensive statement Friday night. Advantage Witches in a Bertram Field slog fest between a pair of 0-2 clubs.Salem allowed Williams a meager 62 yards net total offense and four first downs -none in the first half – while forcing four turnovers in an 18-7 victory.Senior nose tackle Stharlin Nova had a fumble recovery and four tackles for losses, including two key fourth-down stops in the first half. Sophomore Austin Connolly, junior Christian Dunston and senior Edwin Alcantara contributed interceptions. Appropriately, Nick Paine delivered several punishing hits.”The defense had a big game and that’s what we stress. Stharlin controlled the middle and had a great game, especially the two big stops on fourth down. It’s good to get the first one; we saw a lot of big things we can build on,” said Salem coach Scott Connolly of the Witches’ first victory.The offense did just enough in the sloppy conditions, Salem put the ball on the ground seven times, losing three fumbles. The Witches persevered as the quarterback Dunston rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown and passed for 119 yards and a second score. Alcantara churned out 59 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and junior wideout Ben Kapnis caught two balls for 105 yards and a score.”There are a lot of things we need to work on – we left a lot of points on the field. Playing in the rain, that’s football. We have to do a better job of securing the ball,” Connolly said.Salem’s defense turned the ball over on downs at its own 40 on Williams’ second possession of the game and Dunston rattled off a 22-yard pick-up to the Bishops’ 37. Two plays later, facing second-and-19, Dunston found Kapnis running free over the middle for a 46-yard scoring strike and a 6-0 lead with 3:52 left in the first quarter. The PAT failed.Jonathan Crimble’s kickoff pinned Williams at its own eight-yard line. When Nova stuffed Williams’ running back Kylan Philbert-Richardson for a one-yard loss on a risky fourth-and-one gamble, Salem was back in business at the 16-yard line. Alcantara knifed over from the one with 9:03 left in the half but the two-point try failed, leaving Salem’s lead at 12-0.Philbert-Richardson put Williams on the board, returning the ensuing kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown as he broke through the first wave and outran the pursuit. James Daly’s PAT cut the Salem lead to 12-7.Williams engineered its best drive of the day on its first possession of the second half, probing to the Salem 26 before turning the ball over on downs.Salem put it out of reach with a clock-eating 14-play, 90-yard scoring drive that consumed all but 1:42 of the game’s final 7:45. A 59-yard hook-up from Dunston to Kapnis on what appeared to be a broken play brought the ball to the Williams 20 and Dunston eventually swept the left side from 10 yards for the Witches’ final tally.”That was a big play. It looked like they jumped and we snapped it. Christian and Ben have a good connection with each other.Ben’s got great hands and long legs and I think he’s going to have a big year,” said Connolly.Salem takes on Revere Friday night at Bertram (7).