A loss on a field goal with nine seconds left gives the Knights a bad taste in their mouth heading into the bye week.
The game was delayed about an hour because Longmeadow was late coming to CM; understandable, since it's about a 3-hour drive.
The delay without a doubt made the Knights sluggish as they came out and went down 14-0 in the first half. In the second quarter they seemed to wake up, with Armani Reeves '12 and John Gorman '11 both crossing the goal line and putting CM back in the game. However, a field goal at the end of the half gave them a 3 point deficit heading into the break.
Coming out of the gates for the second half was much easier for the Knights than it was to start the game. A 35-yard pass from AJ Doyle '12 to Reeves set up an 11-yard touchdown run to give CM its first lead of the night, with 9:34 to go in the third.
There weren't many defensive highlights on the night other than a hit by Josh Charles '12 that rocked a Longmeadow player's bones. The player broke a few tackles across the middle of the field before Josh came from the side and sent him down. There is a one-hundred percent chance that this hit will be in Charles' highlight video for colleges next year.
There weren't many defensive highlights on the night other than a hit by Josh Charles '12 that rocked a Longmeadow player's bones. The player broke a few tackles across the middle of the field before Josh came from the side and sent him down. There is a one-hundred percent chance that this hit will be in Charles' highlight video for colleges next year.
Running back Will Earl '12 took over during one phase of the game when he danced his way for huge gains on several plays. One of those runs was started off by a beautiful juke and ended with Earl in the endzone. That run ended the third quarter and pushed the Knights' lead to 26-17.
The wheels began to fall off the wagon early in the fourth. First, Longmeadow scored a touchdown with 8:51 left and closed the gap to 26-24.
After the ball changed hands a few times Paul Fahey '12 recovered a huge fumble for CM and gave the Knights the ball on their own 40 yard line, up two, with 2:52 left in the game.
Earl once again broke free, this time for a 35-yard gain and gave the Knights great field position. After being stopped three straight plays, the Knights went for it on fourth down. Doyle appeared to have connected with Armani Reeves in the end zone for a game clinching touchdown, but Armani was ruled out of bounds.
Longmeadow marched to ball down, deep in CM territory and after being stuffed on the goal line three times, they hit the game-winning field goal with nine seconds left.
Losing is horrible in general, but losing heading into a bye week is worse because the team is forced to think about it for two long weeks before taking the field again. It's important for the Knights to get refocused, and get ready for the Catholic Conference games which will start against Malden Catholic. Winning the Catholic Conference is what will get them into the playoffs, and that's still a very legitimate possibility.
Mike Slonina '11
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