PEABODY — There wasn’t a lot of defense in Friday night’s clash between visiting Lynn English and Peabody. But if you love big-play offenses, this one was for you as the Bulldogs defeated the Tanners, 54-32, behind 40 second-half points.
English quarterback Shane Knowlton-Simard scored five rushing touchdowns. Peabody’s Mark Mendonca scored twice – one a pick-six.
After forcing a three-and-out, Peabody started the game with good field position at its own 41. Jake Marcotullio capped the drive with a 28-yard field goal to give Peabody its first lead of the season. The Tanners converted two third-down plays to keep the drive alive: the first a 15-yard completion from Luke Maglione to Brian Collins Dixon, and second an 11-yard completion to Mendonca.
English came right back and needed just 1:40 to take the lead on a 7-yard quarterback keeper from Knowlton-Simard and extra point from Ghafour Diallo to make it 7-3.
Thanks to a 45-yard pick-six from Mendonca, the Tanners regained their lead, 10-7, with about eight minutes remaining in the second quarter.
But on English’s ensuing drive, Xavier Beauchamp capped a 14-play drive with a 9-yard scamper to make it 14-10 English.
Truth be told, the Tanners had no answers for Beauchamp. Midway through the fourth quarter, he had wriggled his way to close to 200 yards rushing on 19 carries.
Maglione connected with Mendonca from 33 yards out to retake the lead for Peabody. Jack Marcotullio converted the extra point to give the hosts a 17-14 halftime advantage.
The Bulldogs snatched their lead right back on their first possession of the third quarter, courtesy of another quarterback keeper from Knowlton-Simard – this one from 10 yards out.
Continuing the back-and-forth theme, Peabody regained its lead in just five plays, answering on a bizarre 37-yard Maglione-to-Cory Dooley connection after two English players deflected the pass right into Dooley’s waiting hands, making the score 24-20 in favor of the Tanners.
Beauchamp took charge on the Bulldogs’ next drive, picking up all 60 yards of the drive on three carries, the final a 15-yard burst off the left tackle to make it 26-24 English.
English stretched its lead to 32-24 after a 43-yard bomb from Knowlton-Simard to Jason McDonald.
Peabody’s Max Silvia then caught a 32-yard pass from Maglione, and a reverse to Joaquim Chaves on the 2-point try tied the game, 32-32.
After that, it was all English. Actually, it was all Knowlton-Simard, who put on a real show the rest of the way.
An 8-yard keeper and 2-point conversion from Simard gave English the lead for good with about six minutes to go. After an interception by English’s Kassius Chea, Knowlton-Simard exploded from 42 yards out to stretch the Bulldogs’ lead to 46-32. Then, to add insult to injury, he added another rushing touchdown and 2-point conversion to seal the game, 54-32, with about four minutes to play.
Peabody’s next game is on the road against Masconomet Friday at 7 p.m.
Lynn English hosts Revere Friday at 7:30 p.m.
