Peabody battles but falls short in Reading

READING — The No. 6 Peabody football team got off to a disastrous start Friday night against No. 3 Reading in the quarterfinals of the Division 2 North playoffs at John Hollingsworth Field.  The Tanners battled to the bitter end, but never recovered, falling to the Rockets, 35-21.

The Rockets got off a dream start, scoring on their first three possessions to build a quick 21-0 lead after one quarter while Peabody went three-and-out on its first three drives to set the tone.

Reading needed eight seconds to take a lead just two minutes into the first quarter on a trick pass play, from running back Jake D’Agostino to Pat Conroy, to take a 7-0 lead.

It went from bad to worse for Peabody on the ensuing kickoff. Intended to be a squib kick, the ball bounced off a Peabody player and was recovered by Reading’s Josh Williamson at the Reading 44. Seven plays later, Conroy ran it in from the 6-yard line to double the Rockets’ lead to 14-0.

After forcing another three-and-out, Reading needed only eight plays to drive 48 yards for its third score of the quarter, this one on an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Sannella to Domenic Masucci, and the route was on.

“You cannot have that kind of a start, falling behind 21-0, in a playoff game,” said Peabody coach Mark Bettencourt. “We dug ourselves too big a hole right off the bat, going three-and-out on our first three possessions, and had that squib kick bounce off our player so we were doomed from the beginning. They could play relaxed with that kind of lead and that’s not what you want in a playoff game.”

Trailing 28-0 with less than four minutes to go in the first half, Peabody finally found some rhythm and got on the board with seven seconds left in the half. The Tanners drove 66 yards in 13 plays, the final play being a 5-yard rush into the end zone by Colby Therrien (Austin Leggett PAT) to make it 28-7 at the half.

The Rockets started the third quarter with their foot on the gas and, still in hurry-up mode, needed less than a minute to bump the lead to 35-7 on a 9-yard rush by Conway.

Peabody gamely fought back in the fourth quarter. With 4:29 left, sophomore Kyle Maglione made it 35-14 with a 31-yard punt return. Then, after the defense forced just the second Rockets’ punt of the game, quarterback Alex DeNisco ( 3-of-7, 27 yards, TD), in for starter Matt Jandrisevits (2-of-5, 25 yards, 7 carries for 23 yards) who suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, found Declan Russell over the middle from 10 yards out to make it 35-21.

“I don’t know whether Matt got hit straight on or from the side, but he’s a tough kid and hopefully will be back next week,” said Bettencourt.

Angel Paulino was a bright spot for the Tanners, picking up 69 rushing yards on 18 carries, while Luis Guridys picked up 16 yards on three carries.

Peabody will not learn the identity of its next opponent until Sunday when the football tournament committee meets at St. John’s Prep to set up next weekend’s non-playoff pairings.