Marblehead rolls past Salem for third straight win

MARBLEHEAD ? After letting Lynn Classical back into the game in the third quarter last week, the Marblehead High football team’s coaching staff stressed coming out strong in the third quarter during practice this week.The message was received.Starting with a blocked punt that was recovered for a touchdown, the Magicians (3-0) put up 21 points in the third quarter and rolled to a 41-0 win over Salem, Friday night, at Piper Field. Ben Anderson scored two touchdowns and blocked the punt that was recovered by Brooks Tyrrell, who added another rushing touchdown in another 100-yard game.Matt Millett also ran for a touchdown and threw a 27-yard scoring pass to Brian Daly, who caught three passes for 82 yards.In its first three games, Marblehead has out-scored its opponents by a cumulative score of 126-24, including two shutouts.”We were disappointed last week that we let (Classical) come out and dominate us in the third quarter, so all week long we talked about maintaining our focus and energy for all four quarters,” Marblehead coach Jim Rudloff said. “I love the fact we responded the way we did tonight. It’s a giant step forward for us.”Despite six penalties, the Magicians carved out a 14-0 lead by halftime, but the blocked punt put them in command. After Salem (0-2) failed to pick up a first down on its first series of the second half, the snap from center on the punt was low, which allowed Anderson to snuff the punt. The ball rolled into the end zone where Tyrrell covered it just inches shy of the end line.”High school football is all about momentum and that blocked punt really gave it to them,” Salem coach Scott Connolly said. “You just can’t make mistakes like that, especially against a good team.”The Magicians scored on their next two offensive series. Millett found Daly for a 48-yard gain to set up a 6-yard quarterback keeper for the first score, while another bad snap on a punt attempt gave Marblehead the ball at Salem’s 16-yard line. Two plays later, Anderson ran into the end zone around right tackle from five yards out and Garrett Keough’s extra point kick made the score 35-0, with 3:49 left in the third quarter.Anderson’s other touchdown came at the end of a 51-yard drive in the fourth quarter.”He’s really a great player,” said Connolly, of Anderson. “He runs the ball hard, he plays a great linebacker and he blocked that punt for them.”Three runs by Tyrrell (20 carries-106 yards) helped set up Marblehead’s first touchdown of the game. Millett lobbed a pass down the left sideline to Daly, who had two steps on his defender and caught the ball in the end zone to give the Magicians a 6-0 lead with 3:11 left in the first quarter. Marblehead’s other score in the first half came on a 55-yard, 10-play drive that included three completions from Millett to Jeremy Gillis (4 catches-46 yards). Tyrrell ran in from two yards out and his 2-point conversion rush gave the Magicians a 14-0 lead with nine minutes left in the first half.Salem’s Aaron Palmer led his team with 59 yards on 13 carries, including a 30-yard run in the first quarter.