MARBLEHEAD — Thursday’s dramatic 22-16 win by Marblehead over Swampscott represented the end of the line — at least where high school football is concerned — for Marblehead’s captains.
Declan Rudloff, Tim Cronin, Devin Romain and Sean McCarthy played their final high school game for the Magicians. For Swampscott, Dylan January and Graham Inzana aim to shake off the loss in next Saturday’s Division 5 state Super Bowl against Amherst High.
Marblehead’s Sean McCarthy was ecstatic that he got to play in the game and win it, after offseason surgery, as well as an injury against Revere, made this season difficult.
“I’ve just been through so much over the last year,” he said. “It means so much to me to be able to come out here and be with my guys. They worked so hard and the way the game ended was crazy, you couldn’t write a better story.”
McCarthy was hurt during a goal-line stand against the Patriots late in their game on Oct. 18 that added his name to a lengthy injury list. All four Magician captains were banged up this year and missed time. Especially hard-hit was Rudloff, who just recently had knee surgery after he tore his ACL in the loss to Revere. Marblehead lost two starters in its win over North Andover on opening night, and it kept going downhill after that.
“It’s just amazing to win,” McCarthy said. “Good luck to Swampscott next week. It’s just crazy how the game ended. This team fought so much adversity this season, but I thought the adversity would help us, and it did.”
Thursday’s game ended when Marblehead quarterback Josh Robertson hit A. J. Russo with a touchdown pass with eight seconds left.
Rudloff, who watched the fantastic finish from the sidelines, leaning on crutches, said it was difficult watching the season unfold once he got hurt.
“It’s been very tough,” he said. “It got a little bit better as time went on. I spent a lot of time with Gresham (Bosworth) who took my place.
“I helped the coaches with the O-line and the D-line a little bit,” said Rudloff, a two-way lineman, whose father, Jim, is the team’s head coach. “The first two games of the season were highlights for me but it was hard watching.”
Devin Romain got nicked up a few times during the season, but he played against Swampscott.
“I think we were a great team at the beginning of the season,” he said. “We have amazing guys, and then people started getting injured.
“Everybody who could play kept fighting the whole way, no matter who was in or who wasn’t, that didn’t matter.” he said. “The next guy had to step up and they did. As a captain it’s hard when your fellow captains get hurt, your teammates get hurt, but you just have to hold on and be there for your teammates.”
Tim Cronin scored two touchdowns in the win over the Big Blue but he would have preferred a season where nobody missed playing time.
“This season has had its ups and downs because of the injuries, but we got a lot out of this season, and I’m super proud of all the guys,” Cronin said.
On the Swampscott side, losing on Thanksgiving was difficult. The Blue have to forget the loss by Monday, when practice resumes to get ready for next Saturday’s Super Bowl.
“This season has been a crazy ride, it’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Inzana said. “We’ve got another game next week and everyone takes things very seriously this time of year.”
“The highlight of my career has been being elected captain, people are going to look to you in tough situations,” January said. “We’ve got a tough situation coming up so we need to get ready.”
