Mistakes hamper Rams in loss to Masco

BOXFORD – If Classical contends for a CAL/NEC Tier 1 championship, it will do so from the chase position following Friday night’s mistake-filled 34-24 loss to Masconomet at Roberts Field.Leading, 14-12, league leader Masco (6-2, 2-0) seized irrevocable control of the contest with two scores 16 seconds apart to open the third quarter. Hindered by four turnovers (three fumbles) and the inability to convert after any of their four touchdowns, the Rams (5-2, 0-1) couldn’t climb all the way back despite a slight edge in total offense (345-323) and a ground game that churned out nearly eight yards per attempt.”We made mistakes and they capitalized – that was the theme of the night. The three fumbles killed us and you can’t do that against a team like that. They are just so fundamentally sound,” said Classical coach Tim Phelps, who stressed to his team not to “give up on the season or on each other” during the post-game huddle.The teams swapped counterpunches in the first quarter. Masco junior back Mackenzie Cashin covered 46 yards on a perfectly-executed screen pass from quarterback Chris Schleer and Casey Tines’ kick made it 7-0 with 4:24 left in the quarter.Classical junior Tino Fernandez returned the kickoff 74 yards to the Masco 11 and quarterback Jordan Brown rolled in from nine yards two plays later. Jalen Brown’s PAT missed, leaving the Rams a point in arrears with 3:27 to play in the quarter.The Rams caught a break early in the second when Cashin’s 17-yard TD reception was wiped out by a holding penalty and Tines’ 39-yard field goal attempt fell short. Jordan Brown’s attempt to return that kick seemed ill-advised when he was dropped at his own five – until Brad Scuzzarella’s 85-yard third-down romp to the Masco four. Devin Crayton plowed in from the one two plays later to give the Rams their only lead, 12-7.Good fortune smiled on Masco late in the half. Classical’s Romario Louidhon intercepted Schleer’s fourth-down pass at the Classical 11 but fumbled during the return and the Chieftains recovered. Dylan Mann (19 carries, 116 yards) powered in from 11 yards with 2:28 remaining in the half and Tines’ kick gave Masco a 14-12 lead.Masco dusted off the archives to open the second half as Mann rambled 41 unimpeded yards for the score on the back end of a hook-and-ladder, taking the pitch from Troy Bunker after he caught Schleer’s pass on a short curl. Tines tacked on the PAT for a 21-12 lead. Then Masco’s Adam Murphy recovered Fernandez’ fumble on the following kickoff at the Classical four and Schleer kept around the left side from four yards for the score and a 27-12 bulge.To their credit, the Rams kept plugging away, even after a lengthy drive died at the Masco one early in the fourth quarter when Crayton was stacked up short of the goal line. Jordan Brown found Scuzzarella (139 yards from scrimmage) on a 36-yard scoring strike on a deep post to make it 27-18 with 7:14 left. And Justin Avery finished off a 57-yard drive that featured two Jordan Brown keepers totaling 41 yards out from three yards to account for the 34-24 final with 1:59 to play.However, in between the Chieftains gashed the interior of the Classical defense for a 61-yard scoring march executed entirely between the tackles that was capped by Cashin’s putaway score from three yards.”We kept on playing, so that’s a positive. We should be playing hard no matter what the situation is. We just can’t make that many mistakes and we have to be more disciplined,” said Phelps.