English throttles Classical, but QB Kelly hurt

LYNN – After English posted a 35-0 win over Classical at Manning Field on Thanksgiving Day, the Bulldogs got some resounding answers ? but a few lingering questions.Click here for a photo gallerh of this game.The biggest question might be, who will start at quarterback in the playoffs against Everett next week? That’s because starter Jermaine Kelly injured his right knee on the second quarter and came out, reentered briefly, and then left for good with teammate Malcolm Brown Simpson taking over under center. Yet as coach Peter Holey said, “We can survive adversity.”The coach said that the Bulldogs hope Kelly can return to action to play the Crimson Tide next Tuesday, but described the team’s mindset as confident should Brown Simpson have to take the snaps instead.”(Brown Simpson) runs hard, downhill,” Holey said. “He’s vicious, physical. He runs the ball better than Jermaine.”If the Dogs have quarterback questions right now, they got a resounding answer from league MVP P.J. Dorsey in terms of who could carry the offensive load.All Dorsey did was rush for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 13 totes.”He is a fantastic football player,” Holey said. “He is the league MVP and showed it (Thursday) ? He’s got it all, shiftiness, speed, vision and toughness.”Dorsey compiled 85 yards and two scores after halftime on only four carries as the Dogs took control, outscoring the Rams 20-0 after the break.”Offensively, I couldn’t have done this without my line,” Dorsey said. “On the defensive side, we practiced hard all week. My line ? a big thanks to them. I couldn’t do it without them.”Dorsey came up big on defense too, recording about six tackles and one sack of Rams quarterback John Finnigan.”The shutout was big for us,” Dorsey said. “We pride ourselves on defense.”Dorsey got his second touchdown of the game on the opening drive of the second half. He and Brown Simpson alternated carries on the drive, which was marred by a pair of penalties on Classical, including one that led to the ejection of Malcolm Leng-KingThat put the ball on the 5-yard line, from which Dorsey took the ball in for a 21-0 advantage with 7:10 left in the third period. Chris Lessard converted the PAT and the Dogs were up 22-0.English forced a punt on the next drive and got another score soon after. Again, the Rams hurt themselves with a penalty on Josh Batista’s punt return, putting the Dogs on the Classical 39.This time it was Jevon Brown Simpson finishing the drive with a 23-yard scamper with 3:18 left in the period. Lessard’s PAT put English up 29-0.At this point, Classical nearly broke the shutout twice. The first chance came when Justin Avery broke loose for a 59-yard jaunt on which Josh Michel made a critical tackle to end the third period. That moved the chains all the way to the English 23.The second chance came when Finnigan unloaded and made a nice pass to Brad Scuzzarella in the end zone that drew a comparison to Aaron Rodgers (it helped that Classical’s colors are similar to the Green Bay Packers’). Yet a holding call nullified the play.”My guys up top said Brad made a great catch and John made a great throw,” Rams coach Tim Phelps said, adding philosophically,”You’ve got to roll with them.”On the next play it was Dorsey coming up with his sack and, one play later, Finnigan threw an incompletion to surrender the ball on downs.”Coach Greg Brotherton does a great job (with the defense),” Holey said.”Our linebackers are aggressive, very physical. They tackle all the time. It is the way they’re taught to play.”The Bulldogs got one more score when Dorsey ran around the right end and got out in the open for a 53-yard touchdown scamper that made it 35-0.English got the game off to a good start in the first quarter when Kelly threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Josh Batista at the 2:54 mark.Then it was time for a surprise, as the Dogs lined up in field-goal formation, yet freshman Lucas Harris found classmate Erik Holey for a conversion pass and an 8-0 lead.In the