Monomoy Rolls, Cape Tech Falls In Thanksgiving Showdowns

HARWICH – The Monomoy football team saved its best for last. 

The Sharks capped off their up-and-down season in dominant fashion, cruising to a 32-0 victory over rival St. John Paul II on Thanksgiving morning in Harwich. 

Senior Logan Crevier rushed for two touchdowns, while senior Dillon Chapman (143 rushing yards) and junior Sean Needham added a rushing score apiece, and senior Chase Yarletts returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown. 

 “The guys really rallied around the seniors,” Monomoy coach Rob Sliney said after his team finished its season 5-6.

 “The night before, we did our burn the boot ceremony and I think that just kind of fired the kids up. The seniors were able to talk about what the team and football has meant to them throughout their careers, and I think that’s something the other guys could really stand behind and fight for,” he said.

 While the Sharks offense had its way, the defense also stifled St. John Paul II (4-5) to preserve a shutout. The end result, according to Sliney, was the team’s best outcome of the season. 

 “That was our best all-around game,” Sliney said. “We probably had four scores taken off the board by penalties, and we were still able to win 32-0.”

 It was an especially big performance for the team’s rushing attack, with Crevier and Chapman leading the way. After battling shin splints early in the season, Crevier was able to cap off his career with a pair of rushing scores. 

 “Once he got back to full strength, he really hit his stride,” Sliney said.

 Chapman dazzled the crowd with an unselfish act on what would’ve been his second score of the game. He broke loose for what could have been a 60-yard touchdown but instead handed the ball to Needham, a guard, at the 1-yard line, allowing the offensive linemen to experience the thrill of scoring a touchdown. 

 It was an exhilarating finish to what was an up-and-down season for the Sharks. 

 “This was a tough season for us between numbers and injuries,” Sliney said. “If they focused the way they did that last week, things could’ve been a lot different. Hopefully we can really turn things around going into next year and get some good numbers.”

Despite garnering leads at the start of each half, the Cape Cod Tech football team couldn’t keep pace with Upper Cape Tech before suffering a 22-13 loss in the Battle of the Golden Wrench in Harwich.

 Senior Peyton Morris broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown that gave the Crusaders (3-8) a 13-8 lead on the first play of the second half, but the visiting Rams then scored 14 unanswered points to pull away.

 “I think it went as expected — it was a back-and-forth battle,” Cape Tech coach Calvin Castillias said. “We were able to put some drives together, but we just stalled at the end. 

“Upper Cape was unfortunately a little bit better than us, but I couldn’t be more proud of our boys for staying in it and not giving up,” he said.

It was a disappointing finish to what was a tough year for the Crusaders, who were playing without several key contributors sidelined with injuries. 

“It’s disappointing for us,” Castillias said. “We had some high expectations but suffered some pretty important injuries that hurt us on our offensive line. We had 15 seniors and lost five to injuries, four of which were season-ending.”

Sophomore Anthony Bartlett opened the scoring with a 40-yard touchdown run that gave the Crusaders a 6-0 lead in the opening quarter. The Rams answered with a long scoring drive and 2-point conversion to take an 8-6 lead before Morris scored to give the Crusaders their final lead early in the third quarter.