Sports Roundup: Whaler Football Improves To 4-0 For First Time Since 2017
David Creed •
This Whaler sports roundup includes an update on the Whaler football team after another convincing victory to improve their record to 4-0 for the first time in nearly a decade, the boys soccer team following a dominant home win, and the field hockey team following a last-minute defeat.
Lombardi’s Four Touchdowns Lead Nantucket Past Falmouth
The Whaler football team is 4-0 for the first time since 2017 following a 33-14 road win over the Falmouth Clippers Friday afternoon. Nantucket was fresh off of their bye week and showed some rust early on in the game before returning to their pre-bye form.
“We talked for the past couple of weeks not to be too comfortable and we kind of came into the game in the first half a little too comfortable and it was a huge wake up call," Nantucket head coach Coreese Everett said. "So, you know, after that halftime, we had to wake up and get back to our original selves, and that's what we did."
After a defensive stand to begin the game for Nantucket, sophomore quarterback Burke Lombardi connected with senior wide receiver Canton Jenkinson for a 53-yard touchdown on the first offensive play from scrimmage to make it 7-0 just 90 seconds into the game. After Falmouth began driving the field on the ensuing drive, quarterback TrèChaun Days mishandled the snap and it was recovered by Nantucket on their own 24 yard line.
Looking to capitalize, Lombardi looked in the direction of Jenkinson again but the throw was a bit high, went off Jenkinson's fingertips, and was intercepted, allowing Falmouth to regain possession and piece together another solid drive that ended this time with a four-yard scamper into the end zone by Days to make it 7-6 Nantucket.
Nantucket sophomore wide receiver Joao Silva returned the kickoff to their own 42, and Nantucket drove the field. With the Whalers in the red zone, Falmouth picked another ball off and took over at their own 15.
With Nantucket in need of a turnover, junior defensive end Russell Simpson gave his offense the ball back with an interception with 5:05 remaining in the first half. Following some chunk plays by senior captain Arann Hanlon and junior running back David Guillen-Taveras, Lombardi was able to extend Nantucket’s lead to 14-6 following a two-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds to go in the first half.
Falmouth attempted to catch the Whalers by surprise to begin the second half with an onside kick attempt, but the Whaler’s special teams unit – which is led by longtime coach Vaughan Machado – was up to the task and recovered it. Lombardi was sensational in the third quarter and immediately connected with Silva for a 17-yard play and then an 11-yard play. He gave Nantucket a 20-6 lead with 8:02 remaining in the third quarter after connecting with Hanlon on a beautiful 21-yard touchdown pass.
"Arann has been a leader in this program ever since he stepped foot in it," Everett said. "For a kid like him, coming off a lacrosse state championship and knowing what it feels to actually win, he's pushing these kids every single day to just fight and dream big. We don't know where we're going to end up within the next couple of weeks, and we want to treat each week like a new week and prepare for our opponents like it is the best opponent we're ever going to play. He's helping send that message.”
Another solid defensive stand got Nantucket the ball back and they immediately entered the redzone after Lombardi found wide receiver Tristan Grimes for a 42-yard connection. It set up a two-yard touchdown run for Taveras, his team-high eighth score of the season to give Nantucket a 27-6 lead.
Desperate to try to flip the momentum, Falmouth faked a punt from their own 25 yard line towards the end of the third quarter, but were stymied by the Whaler special teams unit. Lombardi was able to immediately connect with senior captain Jeremy Jenkinson for a 24-yard touchdown to give Nantucket a 33-6 lead and put them game out of reach.
Lombardi finished the third quarter a perfect five for five, 115 passing yards, and two touchdowns. On the day, he was 13 for 18 passing, had 244 yards through the air, four total touchdowns (three passing), to go along with the two interceptions – his first two of the season four games in.
Days tossed a 33-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to make it a 33-14 game, but Nantucket was still in firm control and sailed home with the victory and with their undefeated record still intact.
Up next, Nantucket will host the Nauset Warriors on Friday, October 10th at 5:30 p.m.
Boys Soccer Beats Tri-County
The boys soccer team earned a dominant 10-1 victory at home over Tri-County Regional Vocational/Technical High School Saturday afternoon - improving their record to 7-4 this season. Stoyan Popov led the way with four goals.
"It was a game that was helpful in a lot of ways," Head coach Rich Brannigan II said. "We're still unsure of ourselves. We're still trying to figure out how and who (we are), and where (guys should be playing). Today was positive for those things. It's still about them trying to find their identity but using today's game as an opportunity to do that. They did more of that in the second half, less in the first half. But that's sort of what normally happens in a game like today. You put a few goals in, take your foot off the gas, don't work as hard, which happened in the first half. But second half they improved and took some of those points to heart and did it on the field.”
The Whalers are dealing with several injuries and had just nine healthy varsity players for Saturday’s game, prompting several call-ups from the junior varsity team. Brannigan said a win like Saturday can help give younger players not only varsity experience, but confidence as well moving forward.
"Games like this, oftentimes players can find confidence in a game like today because scoring a goal makes you confident as a player," Brannigan said. "If you're in a little bit of a drought, or if you haven't scored yet this season, finding the back of the net is, 'Oh, cool.' Like you kind of as a player you're like, 'Good, this is what it feels like. I know I can do it.' So that's important today, you know, and really just about getting players experience in different positions and seeing that they can achieve and do things in an uncomfortable spot as individual players."
Nantucket will have a few days to rest up before they travel to Monomoy to play the Sharks at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8th. You can view more photos from this game here.
Field Hockey Loses Last-Minute Matchup To West Bridgewater
The Whaler field hockey team lost 3-2 to West Bridgewater on the road Friday afternoon following a last-minute goal by the Wildcats with 40 seconds remaining. Marin Mooney scored both goals for Nantucket and continues to be a dominant offensive force.
The Whalers are 6-3 but have now lost two games in a row. They will try to bounce back on Tuesday, October 7th on the road against St. John Paul II High School at 3:30 p.m.
SCHEDULE AHEAD:
Monday, October 6th:
The girls soccer team will be on the road playing Abington High School at 3:30 p.m.
The golf team will be on the road playing Monomoy High School at 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 7th:
The field hockey team will be on the road playing St. John Paul II High School at 3:30 p.m.
The golf team will be at home against Cape Cod Academy at 4 p.m.
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