Spartans, Durgin win league title

LYNN – Breakthrough.After coming up just one game short over the past few seasons, St. Mary’s wrapped up a Catholic Central League (Large) title after a 32-6 drubbing of Archbishop Williams on Saturday night at Manning Field.For St. Mary’s coach Matt Durgin, his first conference title as a head coach has been a long time coming.”This year we asked for our kids to step up,” said Durgin. “This is for not just this team, but last year’s team and the teams before this. This is not for me, it’s for the program, the school. These kids knew it was their turn to step up, their turn to win, and they’ve done it.”The offensive numbers for the game stand out for the Spartans (9-1). Jordan Collier ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Collier was there all night for St. Mary’s coming up with big runs, sealing the win early in the fourth quarter with a 31-yard touchdown run.Jordan Manthorne rushed for an even 100 (all in the first half), mostly fueled by an 85-yard sprint down the middle of the field. Nobody on the field, on either coaching staff, or in the crowd was sure that he was touched at all during the run.Still, the story of the game here is the St. Mary’s defense. The first quarter was fraught with potential disaster and the defense held strong.On the opening kick, Williams dug into the New Orleans Saints’ playbook and surprised St. Mary’s with an onside kick – which was recovered by the Bishops. The St. Mary’s defense snuffed out any sense of momentum the Bishops sought as the first play from scrimmage was a pass that was promptly intercepted by Austin Harvey and returned 55 yards for a touchdown and an 8-0 lead.”We have had different guys step up all year. Tonight it was (Harvey) coming up with the big play,” said Durgin.The rest of the first quarter and the start of the second did not instill confidence to the legions of Spartan faithful in the stands. The first two offensive possessions for St. Mary’s ended in the shape of a turnover via fumble. Both times the defense stepped up and stopped Williams.”I think it was a little bit of nerves,” said Durgin of the three turnovers. “But we were able to settle down and get back on track.”Twice in the first half the Spartans defense stalled Williams drives that had goal-to-go. In the first quarter two rushing attempts by the Bishops were pushed back, once on a massive hit behind the line by Andres Rodriguez. With Williams sitting on the St. Mary’s nine-yard line on fourth down, the Spartans forced an incomplete pass.Later, as time was winding down in the first half, a 15-play drive by Williams was stopped dead when John Gaeta came up with an interception on fourth-and-goal from the five-yard line.What could have been a disastrous first half for St. Mary’s turned into big defensive stops and the offense eventually finding its footing. When both teams headed into the locker room, the Spartans held a 24-0 lead. The second half was more of a victory party than a football game, with St. Mary’s having essentially won the game before halftime.”This team has been unbelievable all season,” said Durgin. “We have not had one game where we came out flat, where we were not ready. We came out to play every week.”