Around the CAL Baker: Week 3

by Tom Condardo

We finally got into some head to head action as Baker League play officially began and two surprising teams sit tied with the Pioneers for the top spot. Things are starting to take shape in the Division Four North playoff race and we'll take a look at that today as well.

We'll review the three Baker League games but first, the updated standings.



Ipswich snapped an eight game overall losing streak and a string of seven straight losses to archrival Hamilton Wenham Saturday afternoon hanging on for a 14-12 win in Hamilton. The victory was the first under new head coach Kevin Fessette.

The Tigers are running a modified flex-bone triple option similar to Saugus, but they have no problem letting quarterback Jake Long throw out of it frequently. Long scored both Tiger touchdowns on runs of 68 yards and 10 yards. He had to take on more of an offensive role because Ipswich lost lead running back Charlie Gillis who was injured playing defense.

The Generals were also without a key offensive weapon in co-quarterback Tom Rostad who reportedly suffered a concussion earlier in the week. Both offenses sputtered putting a premium on defense.

Long put the Tigers up 7-0 in the first and the Generals answered with a score of their own but Ipswich blocked the PAT to preserve a 7-6 halftime lead. The Tigers opened the second half with a TD drive to make it 14-6. The Generals scored early in the fourth quarter but the Tigers ran down a scrambling quarterback C. J. Cooper to snuff out the Generals' two point attempt.

The Tigers held on from there as the defense came up strong, picking off a pass at the goal line with just over two minutes to play and recovering a General fumble with nine seconds to play to seal the win.

Ipswich will host the Pioneers Friday night with the winner maintaining at least a share of the Baker League lead. The Generals host Manchester Essex, the third team currently holding on to a piece of first place.

The Hornets won their second game for new head coach Jeff Hutton with an impressive 34-0 win over Georgetown. M/E spread out the scoring with five different Hornets reaching the end zone. Chris Carr scored on a 21 yard run, Nick DiPietro ran from seven yards out, Jake Rich hauled in a 28 yard pass from Charlie Otterbein, Jack Hennigan blasted in from the two and Robbie Sarmanian capped the scoring with a 39 yard jaunt.

But it was the defense that stepped up again for the Hornets, posting a shutout over their Thanksgiving Day rivals. The Hornets held the Royals to under 75 yards of offense in a continuation of some strong play on that side of the ball. M/E has thrown up a pair of shutout victories and has allowed only 18 points in their 18-13 loss to Greater Lowell.

They'll try to keep their piece of first place when they travel to Hamilton-Wenham Saturday. The Royals host Amesbury in a battle between two squads looking for their first win.

Division Four North Playoff Standings
(Top Eight including 1st and 2nd Place League Finishers Qualify)



Things are starting to spread out a bit and for now, the Pioneers sit in sixth place. That would put them on the road against number three seed Watertown if the season ended today.

But it doesn't. The standings will be shaken up quite a bit in the next few weeks with several head to head battles between the current top seeds and league standings start to sort out. There are still too many variations to make any determinations at this point.

Stay tuned.

That's it for now. Check back Thursday night for my Ipswich game preview.