MANCHESTER— The Manchester Essex football team went into its game with visiting Ipswich last night not wanting to be deceived by head coach Ted Flaherty's Wing-T offense.
By the time the Hornets figured things out, it was far too late as Flaherty's Tigers roared to a 39-20 road victory.
"We really got off the ball this week and loved playing on this surface," Flaherty said of the FieldTurf at Hyland Field. "It really helps out with the offense we run with all the sharp cuts, and we were able to get off to a good start."
Ipswich improved to 3-5 on the season and remains alive in the race for the Northeastern Conference/Cape Ann League Tier 4 title. At 2-1, the Tigers trail first place Hamilton-Wenham by one game (whom they'll play Thanksgiving Day).
Bruising back Derek Chamberlain (21 carries, 123 yards, 3 TDs) plowed in on a trap from 10 yards out to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead. By the end of the first quarter Ipswich had built up a 12-0 advantage thanks to a 42-yard punt return by Louis Galanis, which set up a 4-yard TD run from Peter Moutevelis (14 carries, 134 yards, 3 TDs).
"We came out flat as can be," Hornets (3-6 overall, 0-3 Tier 4) head coach Mike Athanas said, whose team trailed 26-0 at the half. "We just didn't come ready to play. (Ipswich) has a very good team, but it was just a matter of us not executing out there."
Just 3:13 into the third quarter, however, the Hornets cut the Tigers' lead in half (26-13) due to a pair of pretty drives put together by quarterback Cory Burnham. Burnham rushed for 22, 35 and 21 yards off tackle, allowing Manchester Essex to score a pair of quick-hitting touchdowns.
An insurance touchdown run by Chamberlain from six yards out gave the Tigers a 33-13 advantage with 7:41 remaining. The Ipswich back carried the ball five times for 39 yards on the drive.
