RallyNorth.net

LOWELL — During halftime last night, Whittier Tech head coach Kevin Bradley was visited by young sons Connor and Kevin Jr. But they were not there to simply say hello.

“My sons came to me with a play,” Bradley said with a proud smile. “They said, ‘Dad, I think this will be open and (quarterback) Dillon (Ryan) can do it.’ They are around all the time and know all the plays. They just adore the team.”

LOWELL — Following yesterday’s Division 3A semifinal, no one had more praise for Whittier Tech than Amesbury football coach Thom Connors.

“That is a great team,” said Connors. “They are in the postseason all the time, three of the last four years. The ball bounced our way, but they played tough. They are a great program.”

LOWELL — One thing jumped out at Kevin Bradley during preparations for last night’s Division 3A semifinal game — Amesbury feasts on turnovers.

“After watching several games of theirs on film, I noticed (Amesbury) forces a big fumble or interception that costs the other team the game,” the Whittier Tech head coach observed. “They have a good veteran defense and you can’t make mistakes. All season, they made teams pay the price.”

HUDSON — After yesterday's 33-0 win over Hudson Catholic, Whittier's players, coaches, parents, and cheerleaders gathered at the 30-yard line and the rallying cry was clear.

Whittier coach Kevin Bradley can’t quite gauge what his Commonwealth Conference Large Division champs will derive out of their Thanksgiving morning test at Hudson Catholic.

The one thing he hopes they won’t get out of the nonleague matchup is injuries.

LYNN — For the second time in two weeks, head coach Kevin Bradley was treated to a Gatorade shower by a few of his celebratory players.

“You know, the feeling is fantastic. It never gets old. I could take this all the time,” Bradley said.

HAVERHILL — The Whittier Regional Wildcats football team moved one step closer to earning a playoff birth for what would be the third time in the last four seasons on Saturday, as the Cats had their way with Minuteman Regional Mustangs 44-0.

“Everything went well today,” said Whittier head coach Kevin Bradley – Gatorade dripping from his shirtsleeves after being doused by his players as time expired.

“I always tell the team that you can judge how a team is doing if by this time in the year they keep getting better and better,” he continued. “Even last year, when we only had we had four or five wins, we kept getting better in the second half of the season.”

The Wildcats, now 7-2, simply outplayed the Mustangs on both sides of the ball -  controlling the clock with their running game and stopping anything and everything the Mustang offense tried to throw at them. Minuteman managed only 120 yards of total offense and moved the chains just five times, with only one first down in the entire first half.

“We knew coming in that (Whittier) was going to be tough to beat,” said Minuteman’s first-year head coach Brian Tildsley. “They’re just so much bigger than us, enrollment wise, and going up a division is tough, they’re 3A and we’re Division 4.”

Whittier jumped out to an early lead when quarterback Dillion Ryan (5-12-2 for 127 yards) connected with Damian Colman for a 15-yard touchdown pass on the fifth play of the game, setting the tone for the rest of the game, during which the Wildcats seemed to be able to score at will. It was the first of two touchdown connections for the pair, who hooked up again on a 53-yard bomb with 7:07 left in the first half.

Colman, who played extremely well on both sides of the ball, would finish with 4 receptions for 109 yards. He also registered a vicious sack on Minuteman quarterback Jarris Charley in the first quarter when he sprang free from his blocker and blindsided Charley (2-9-1 for 5 yards) for an 8-yard loss on third down, resulting in a Mustang punt.

The Wildcat’s ground game was firing on all cylinders as well, with 14 Whittier players, including lineman Corey Chabuz, who has been used in a William “The Refrigerator” Perry style in short-yardage situations this season, combined for 206 yards on 30 carries. In a testament to the depth of the Wildcat running game, the attack was led by sophomore Paul Buccos - who tallied 40 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

Running backs Carlos Candelario and Mat Burke, as well as quarterback Ryan, all found the endzone on the ground as well, rounding out Whittier’s scoring.

If there was a down point anywhere in the game for Whittier, it was when senior runningback Tyler Page came hobbling out of a pile of Minuteman defenders late in the first half. Luckily Page, who constitutes one-third of the Wildcats usual three-headed rushing attack along with Bryan Trickett and Carlos Candelario, was just a little bruised, according to Bradley.

Page was held out for the rest of the game as a precaution, along with Trickett who had a similar moment in the first quarter. Bradley said it wasn’t worth risking anything by putting either back in the game, and that both players are fine and will be ready to go next week when Whittier plays what will probably be the most important game of its season at 5-3 Lynn Tech.

A win next week will guarantee the Wildcats a spot in the playoffs.

TYNGSBORO — After a rocky first half, Whittier buckled down and played textbook football to blow past Greater Lowell 26-0.

The ‘Cats struggled early, turning the ball over four times in the first half, including a fumbled punt that led to a drive deep into Whittier territory.

HAVERHILL - With as patient an offensive gameplan as you'll find, Whittier Tech pounds you with rhythmic monotony.

There was no such patience on defense yesterday, with the Wildcats facing "the game," in the Commonwealth Large division against Shawsheen Tech.

HAVERHILL — Whittier players could be heard repeating the same line throughout yesterday’s game.

“This isn’t us.”

After grabbing an early lead, the Commonwealth Conference Large Wildcats were plagued by penalties and turnovers and struggled against the high-powered Manchester Essex passing game, falling to the CAC Small-leading Hornets 43-16.