Around the CAL Small: Week 10

Well the race is over thanks to the Generals' win Saturday, but just to be thorough, let's take a look at the other two league games this past weekend. First a look at the updated standings.



With the big Thanksgiving Day game coming up, the game of most interest to Pioneer fans occurred in North Reading where the pesky Hornets battled Amesbury tough before falling in double overtime 15-12.

Coming off their only win, the Hornets were trying to take advantage of a wounded Indian team missing quarterback Tyler Lay and running back Delante Castle.  North Reading dominated the first half but kept hurting themselves with penalties and turnovers (they had three in the game) so only led 6-0 at the break.

Amesbury could manage only 94 yards against a fired up Hornet defense, but 56 of those came in the third period on a TD march that tied the score at 6-6.  That is the way regulation ended.

In the first overtime, Ian McLaughlin bulled in from the five to give Amesbury a 12-6 lead. The Indians failed on the mandatory 2 point conversion try. NR Quarterback Nick Rosano hit Carl Lipani with a 10 yard TD pass to tie it at 12-12. The Hornets also failed to convert the two pointer.

North Reading couldn't score on four tries in the second overtime and that played into the hands of Amesbury who had reliable kicker Nick Croce teed up. The Indians ran three safe plays to set up Croce who booted the 22 yard field goal for the win.

Rosano was outstanding for the Hornets, picking up 165 of NR's 173 rushing yards and throwing for 63 more. He will be a handful on the holiday morning.

NR falls to 1-8 with the loss, but it is their fourth defeat by 6 points or less.

Amesbury moves to 4-6 with the win.

Meanwhile in a game that looked big on Friday night but not so important after the General's win on Saturday, Newburyport routed Georgetown 32-14.

The Clippers smelled blood early and were not about to be upset in this one. They scored 20 points in the first quarter and 26 total in the half and cruised to the victory. They move to 6-4 heading into their holiday tilt with Amesbury.

Georgetown completes a disappointing CAL Small season at 0-6 and are 1-8 overall going into a non league Thanksgiving Day game against Manchester Essex. This will be the final year that this game is not a league game as M/E will join the Royals, Hornets, Pioneers, Generals and Tigers in the CAL/NEC 4 next season.

That's it for now. Check out my H-W game story on Wednesday and some preThanksgiving Day posts before the big game.