NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA

Sports

Georgetown romps over Matignon

By Chuck Frye
correspondent
Published: September 14, 2008

GEORGETOWN — No two ways about it, this was an old-fashioned blowout.

With dominating line play as a foundation and successful contributions throughout its roster, Georgetown stopped Matignon's offense and couldn't be stopped when it had the ball. Scoring on their first five possessions, the Royals romped to a 41-6 opening day victory before about 250 sun-splashed fans.

Georgetown head coach Matt Bouchard explained, "At the end of last year, we were co-champs in the Commonwealth Conference but the season didn't end up exactly how we wanted. One of the things I'm proud of is that on Nov. 26 (the day after the 2007 season ended), we went right into the weight room and went to work. And (yesterday) was the culmination of that."

On a day of highlights, the Royal defense was tops. The Warriors gained zero yards against Georgetown's first defense, getting its initial first down with three minutes left in the first half and breaking into Royal territory for the first time with six minutes left in the game.

Leading the way was 6-7 defensive tackle Matt Kumph with three tackles including a sack, a tipped pass that led to a Chris Esposito interception, and a QB pressure leading to a rushed pass.

"I was playing defensive end last year and a spot opened up on the line," Kumph said. "With Mike Wooten, Dave Kenneally, they helped me prepare and we worked hard. I like playing on the line (also playing offensive tackle) and I love defense the most."

With a calm discipline most resembling NFL superstar Peyton Manning, senior Joe Esposito was the consummate leader for the Royals. His numbers (10 carries for 134 yards and four touchdowns, 5-of-10 passing for 83 more) are beyond impressive but only tell part of the story.

When the game was still in doubt early in the second quarter, Joe Esposito calmly dropped back on a fourth-and-21 call and hit Anthony Conte with a pass that garnered the Royals the first down by 6 inches. On the next play, he threaded the needle through double coverage to Andrew Bugler for 24 more yards, setting up his own determined 10-yard touchdown run six plays later to essentially salt the game away, 21-0, with 5:44 left in the first half.

Later on, the 175-pound senior got physical, bulldozing through three would-be tacklers and one of his own blockers for his third TD, a 10-yard Sportscenter special with 45 seconds left in the half. Then he gave the first-teamers the rest of the day off on the first play of the second half, surviving a botched shuffle pass with 220-pounder Jay Kenney in his face and turning that mess into a 57-yard scamper for six points.

And as icing on the cake, Joe Esposito drilled five of six extra point kicks while routinely booming high, arcing kickoffs inside the 5-yard line with one touchback.

"Joe went to camp this summer and it definitely made a difference," Bouchard said of the improved kicking. "He kicked well last year but the consistency on extra points and field goals wasn't there. But the camp and hitting the weight room made a difference."

Fullback Dave Kenneally was a blocking machine and added a 1-yard TD carry while second-string QB Jaymie Spears (10 carries, 60 yards) showed some slick moves of his own, following up a 30-yard fourth quarter burst with a nifty 20-yard TD tote off the right side with 47 seconds left in the game.

"We were waiting for a long, long time to come back out there to get something done," Bouchard concluded. "And now we face a Lynnfield team that looked good offensively (in a tight win over Matignon to open the year). It should be a great Saturday."

The contest is Georgetown's first Cape Ann League clash since its mandatory move from the CAC this year.

A better offense?

How does one improve an offense with a returning 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard passer? Make it more deceptive as Georgetown evolved its spread attack into what is now termed the "Pistol."

Multi-faceted quarterback Joe Esposito, the owner of last year's gaudy stats, has been moved up from six yards behind the center to within three yards. Fullback Dave Kenneally, once stationed beside Esposito depending on the direction of the play, now resides right behind the signal-caller. That balance doesn't tip off the defense and forces the opponent to play things a little straighter, giving the Royals more of an edge.

"It looks a little different but we have the same philosophy," Georgetown head coach Matt Bouchard explained. "Any time you can balance an offense, when they don't know if you're going right or left, it gives us a huge advantage. It gives us a couple of things we thought we were lacking last year."

The Royals averaged almost eight yards per carry in their 41-6 victory over Matignon.

By the numbers

0

Number of yards Georgetown's first-string defense allowed against Matignon (7 yards passing, minus-7 yards rushing)

Photos