TOPSFIELD — It's hard to call any game against a Division 1 Catholic Conference foe a tune-up.
But after Masconomet throttled Malden Catholic, 34-0, last night at Walt Roberts Field, it's safe to say that the Chieftains are tuned up better than a vintage 1967 Ford Mustang GT500.
Suffocating defense in the second half and quick strikes on offense helped the Chieftains (8-2) roll to their fourth straight win.
Their overall dominance can't be good news for Thanksgiving foe North Andover, who visit Roberts Field on the holiday morning for a contest that will decide the Cape Ann Large champion — provided the Scarlet Knights beat CAL rival Pentucket today.
"It was a great win, but the bottom line is we haven't reached our goal yet. We have to beat North Andover; that's the way you want it. It's the two best teams (in the league)," said Masconomet head coach Jim Pugh.
On a night that the Chieftains welcomed alumni and honored former players as part of the school's 50th anniversary celebration, it was fitting that Chris Splinter and Evan Bunker — who'd be in any discussion for an all-time Chieftain squad — were unstoppable. The duo combined for four of Masco's five touchdowns, with Bunker (79 yards on 11 rushes) scoring twice on the ground and Splinter scampering in once. Bunker also found Splinter on a Wildcat sprint pass from 22 yards out for the game's first points.
In addition, Splinter had an interception and a 60-yard punt return to set up Masco's second TD.
"Splinter — he's on a different planet," Pugh said. "To make plays at that speed is incredible. We wouldn't trade him for anybody."
The Lancers (3-7) opened the game with a march that took nine minutes and 55 seconds, aided by a punt bouncing off a Chieftain helmet and into a Lancer lap. But Masco's Jake Lawrence recovered a fumble just outside the end zone to swing momentum the other way.
"That was huge," said linebacker and co-captain George Alexandrou. "I was coming over the top and Jake went low. It was gang tackling — and he was able to strip the ball."
Bunker's pass to Splinter made it 6-0 shortly thereafter, and Splinter's punt return set up a 10-yard Bunker scoring run to make it 14-nil (Splinter and Bunker, of course, connected for the two-point conversion).
The Chieftains' Braden Kowalski picked off MC quarterback Tyler McVicar and took it 20 yards to the house on the first drive of the second half, and it was all Chieftains after that.
Strong linebacking by Alexandrou and Kurt Hunziker limited MC to 54 total yards after halftime, setting up short field that let Masco pile up the points.
"It was our last game under the lights (at home), and we did what we had to do," said Alexandrou. "It was a great effort, and we're thrilled to be going into Thanksgiving with a goose egg."
