TOPSFIELD - The Masconomet football team was clearly enjoying its Thanksgiving Day victory over North Andover that clinched the Cape Ann League title on Roberts Field yesterday morning. Still, the Chieftains were more than willing to take a glance ahead.
With its 40-20 victory Masco locked up its Division 2A playoff berth, and now can start focusing on doing the one thing it hasn't been able to do the last three years — advancing in the playoffs.
"We want to focus on getting to the Super Bowl," senior running back Evan Bunker said after piling up 145 yards rushing against the Scarlet Knights. "The past few years we've lost in the first round. It's either Concord-Carlisle or Bedford (Concord-Carlisle advanced with a victory yesterday) and hopefully we can beat them and move on to Gillette."
Bunker's partner in touchdowns, quarterback Chris Splinter (132 yards rushing, 3 TDs) was happy with the way his team played against North Andover, but he knows the postseason is another level of talent.
"We want to continue getting better," Splinter said. "We have to step up more to beat the winner of the Dual County Small. We want to be a more physical team in every game and try to make everything crisp.".
When the postseason calls for just a couple days of preparation, Masco doesn't get too much time to enjoy its league title.
"It's awesome (to beat North Andover for the title), but it's just the first step," senior middle linebacker and center George Alexandrou said of the win. "We have two more games hopefully."
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There were whispers from around the CAL that Masco's defense could be run on, and the Chieftains were intent on proving people wrong.
North Andover star running back Zac Iovanella managed to finish with 111 yards and three touchdowns, but only 22 of those yards came against Masco's first defense.
"From Chris Splinter (who started on defense as a freshman) to Jimmy Birchall who worked four years to get his final start on Thanksgiving, we all did our part," Alexandrou said.
Pugh also pointed to senior defensive end John Daniels and senior defensive back Braden Kowalski as having tremendous defensive games.
Sophomore linebacker Kurt Hunziker also made several plays, including an impressive diving break-up of a Brandon Walsh pass when he dropped into coverage.
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Masco seemed to get a lot of mileage out of another local newspaper predicting North Andover as an upset.
"They predicted 34-20," Alexandrou said. "We weren't going to let 34-20 happen."
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Kowalski delivered the hit of the day when he crumpled North Andover receiver David Foote just as he was about to haul in a catch on a slant.
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Masconomet's third touchdown — a 21-yard pass from Splinter to Bunker — was set up by the by 300-plus pound Yoshio Yabe's blocked punt that Alexandrou fell on at the North Andover 40-yard line.
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Masco coach Jim Pugh wasn't the slightest bit concerned that his team would overlook their Thanksgiving opponents. The main reason, of course, being his senior class.
"They're the ones that got up at six in the morning for the last four years throughout the school year to work out," Pugh said. "They lift and work hard and bond together. They've been a great class."
