Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2021 Sachems can’t keep pace with Magicians I By Greg Phipps t didn’t take long for the Saugus High School football team to find itself facing a deficit last Saturday afternoon at Marblehead. The host Magicians produced four consecutive first-half touchdown drives and eventually coasted to a 42-6 Northeastern Conference victory over the Sachems. Saugus was coming off the previous week’s shutout loss to Winthrop – a game in which the Sachems were short more than half their roster due to a quarantine issue caused by Law Offices of Terrence W. Kennedy 512 Broadway, Everett • Criminal Defense • Personal Injury • Medical Malpractice Tel: (617) 387-9809 Cell: (617) 308-8178 twkennedylaw@gmail.com Saugus quarterback Donovan Clark got off a pass attempt under pressure in last Saturday’s loss at Marblehead. Javi Martinez (#24) checks with the referee as he gets to the line of scrimmage. the COVID-19 pandemic. With its full complement of players against Marblehead, Saugus didn’t have an answer for stopping the Magicians’ powerful offensive attack. Marblehead made it into the end zone on its first four possessions. The Sachems put together a decent opening drive of their own before it stalled when they came up short on a fourthand-three play from about midfield. From there, things became frustrating, as the Magicians scored on a catch-andrun play from about 20 yards out on a fourth-and-20 situation. That touchdown and subsequent point-after kick made it 14-0 early in the second quarter. Marblehead then tallied on its next two possessions. One score was aided by a questionable pass interference call on Saugus, and the other was set up by an interception in Sachems’ territory. The hosts grabbed a comfortable 28-0 advantage by halftime. The one time the Magicians didn’t score in the first half was when the clock ran out after a change of possession with just over 20 seconds left. Saugus managed to score in the second half when running back Sal Franco broke through with a touchdown run. Franco finished with 43 yards on the ground while receiver Javier Martinez caught three passes for 52 yards. Quarterback Donovan Clark threw sparingly, completing four of seven pass attempts for 55 yards. SPORTS | SEE PAGE 18 Saugus defenders Sal Franco (26), Mark MacEachern and Eric Miniscalco (2) converged on a Marblehead ballcarrier in last Saturday’s loss to the Magicians. Head coach Steve Cummings giving directions to his defense during a timeout. Sal Franco (#26) avoiding a Marblehead defender.
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