English comes up with something extra in win over Masco

TOPSFIELD – The Lynn English football team now sits on the verge of clinching a playoff berth for the first time since the 1990 season.On Friday at Roberts Field, the Bulldogs put together a stirring, 34-28, win over Masconomet that saw Jermaine Kelly throw the game winning touchdown pass to Erik Holey with 7:53 remaining and the English defense stone Masco and prolific quarterback Ben Panunzio twice in the final four minutes.”My kids didn’t quit,” English coach Peter Holey said.”We made some mistakes and Masco battled back but our kids came back and were able to finish the job,” Holey said.English (7-2, 3-0 NEC/CAL Tier 1) had led 28-14 at halftime before the Chieftains began to comeback on the strong right arm of Panunzio, who threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns in the game.His five-yard bullet to Nathan Silveira on fourth-and-goal cut the lead to 28-21 with 6:43 left in the third.And then after the Masco defense stopped English inside the 25, Panunzio led the Chieftains on another drive that he capped with a 43-yard bomb to Jake Gillespie to tie the game on the second play of the fourth quarter.”We made some mistakes and they were able to capitalize on them,” Masco coach Jim Pugh said.”But we were able to come back and had chances to go ahead. We just couldn’t make the play we needed.”One of those plays came on the ensuing kick when Tim Towler recovered Eric Anastasio’s pooch kick at the English 22.But the Bulldog defense stiffened and forced a 37-yard field goal that was wide left.The Bulldogs then put together the game’s critical march.Kelly bulled over five Masco defenders for a 23 yard gain into Chieftain territory. One play later, Kelly was pressured on a blitz but was able to loft a perfect throw off his back foot to Holey for a 46-yard score and a 34-28 lead.”Erik hasn’t had the ball come his way as much as he’s probably deserved,” Holey said. “But I knew there was going to be a time when he’d make a play to win a game for us.”The pressure then shifted to the English defense, which had stoned the Chieftains in the first have via a series of well-timed blitzes that stuffed the Masco run game. In the second half, Panunzio had picked the Bulldogs apart at times.Three times in the final 7:53, Masco would have the ball and a chance to steal a win away. But each time, English was able to use its speed to shut down the Chieftains, the final stop coming with 39 seconds left when P.J. Dorsey sacked the senior quarterback for a 16 yard loss.”The kids kept after it and didn’t let down,” Holey said.”They took their lumps earlier this year because they didn’t finish games. But as a coaching staff, we’re proud to see they’ve grown from it,” Holey said.