SOMERVILLE— Earlier this season, the Lynn Classical football team played spoiler to Northeastern Conference newcomers Medford and Malden. Friday night at Dilboy Stadium, Somerville reversed that trend.
The Highlanders, formerly of the Greater Boston League, stormed out to a 21-0 lead at halftime and kept their feet on the pedal en route to a 34-16 win over previously undefeated Classical.
Highlanders quarterback Elijah Jeffreys ran for three touchdowns to lead the way.
“We knew Somerville’s offense could put up points,” Classical coach Brian Vaughan said. “We knew that going in. We didn’t do a good job slowing them down. They have a great quarterback, a great running back and great receivers. That’s a deadly combination in high school. Our goal was to slow them down but we didn’t do a good job at that.”
Somerville raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Jeffreys scored on a 2-yard keeper and Fred Castin found the end zone on a 10-yard carry. Emerson Klemz added the PAT kicks, and the Rams were facing a two-touchdown deficit.
“We did some things on defense that we thought would work, but they didn’t work,” Vaughan said. “Somerville had a lot of momentum at that point. Their offense has great athletes and once they got going, they got going.”
Things got worse for Classical when Jeffreys scrambled his way into the end zone on a 12-yard keeper with 7:23 remaining in the second quarter. Klemz booted the PAT kick for the 21-0 advantage.
Somerville’s Klemz attempted a 50-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the quarter but the senior’s kick was short, just about the only play that went Classical’s way in the first half.
Trailing 21-0, Classical faced its first halftime deficit of the season.
“(At halftime) We talked about fixing the things we were doing and that’s all you can say,” Vaughan said. “It’s not about yelling and screaming, it’s about coaching kids up and putting them in a position to be successful. We tried to do that but sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce in your favor.”
Somerville added two touchdowns to its lead in the third quarter on a 66-yard carry by Jeffreys and a 2-yard run by Castin. Rams quarterback Keith Ridley, looking for quick gains, threw a pair of interceptions and the Highlanders were well ahead, 34-0, after three quarters.
The Rams finally struck through in the fourth quarter when Ridley tossed touchdown passes to Malcolm Best (28-yard catch) and Nashaun Butler (two-yard catch). Best and Butler added the two-point conversions but the Classical rally was too little, too late.
“Offensively we couldn’t get going,” Vaughan said. “They were doing some things on defense and we caught on late. Somerville did a good job on both sides of the ball.”
Now at 5-1 on the season, Classical hopes to regroup in time for next Friday night’s game against Salem at Manning Field.
“Another tough team,” Vaughan said of the Witches. “All of these NEC teams are tough. We have to have another great week of practice in order to be successful Friday night.”
