RallyNorth.net

MANCHESTER — There were two bits of bad news for the Georgetown High football team yesterday.

First, unbeaten Manchester Essex blitzed the Royals 40-21 in a showdown boasting two of the most acclaimed quarterbacks in Eastern Massachusetts.

Then, Georgetown needed some help to win the Cape Ann League Small title and qualify for the EMass playoffs but it wasn’t in the cards as Amesbury manhandled Newburyport, 22-7, to earn the berth.

The Royals needed Amesbury to beat Newburyport and the Clippers had to score over 26 points.

The hosts led just 26-21 at the half but the second half was all Hornets.

Senior quarterback Pat Orlando (11-for-19, 269 yards, 3 touchdowns; 69 yards rushing, 2 TDs) accounted for five of the six Manchester Essex TDs.

In the final game of his spectacular career, Georgetown’s Joe Esposito ran for 97 yards and three touchdowns but was held to 3-for-11 and 56 yards passing with an interception.

The turnover battle was the statistic of the game as Manchester Essex forced three fumbles and had an interception while the Royals forced just one turnover.

"The turnovers made us lose that game," admitted Georgetown head coach Matt Bouchard. "They’re a great offense and we had a hard time stopping them but we had our opportunities. You can’t win a game against a team like that with four turnovers. We came into the game with three turnovers (2 interceptions and 1 fumble) this entire season."

Even though the Hornets had already clinched a Commonwealth Small title and a playoff spot, the game was far from meaningless for the hosts.

"People didn’t think it meant anything but it meant a lot," said Orlando, who also engineered a win over the Royals last Thanksgiving, when Georgetown was still in the Commonwealth Conference and a playoff berth was on the line. "It was a pride game for us."

Things began well for the visitors, who forced a three and out on Manchester to start the game. But two plays later, Brian Ciccone picked off a pass and the highest scoring offense in Eastern Mass. was ready to roll.

Ciccone finished what he started as he took a sweep 44 yards for a touchdown around the right edge. Georgetown sophomore Jaymie Spears blocked the extra point and almost ran it back for two points but Orlando made the saving tackle.

The Royals shot themselves in the foot again as Esposito fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Ciccone recovered at the Georgetown 42.

Four plays later, on third-and-inches, Orlando took it in from 14 yards after sprinting around the left end. The 2-point conversion failed but Manchester Essex led 12-0.

Esposito wouldn’t let his team quit. He ran for 24 yards, completed a 29-yard pass to Spears and had a quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line for a score. Esposito’s point-after cut it to 12-7.

The teams traded punts and then the Hornets went up by two touchdowns again thanks to Orlando’s 7-yard run. Ciccone converted the two-point attempt with a run.

That started a flurry of four straight touchdowns (two by each team) in the second quarter. Esposito ran for a 48-yard score to make it 20-13 Manchester Essex.

Orlando found junior running back Ben Kekeisen (9 carries, 73 yards rushing; 6 catches, 132 yards receiving) with a 27-yard completion. On the next play, Orlando hit a wide open Doug Kenerson (3 catches, 61 yards) for a 46-yard touchdown.

With five seconds left in the second quarter, Esposito scored what turned out to be the Royals’ last touchdown (a 6-yard run). Manchester Essex led the shootout 26-21 at the break.

Neither team scored in the third quarter but the Hornets put it away with an 11-play, 54-yard drive that was capped off by a 12-yard touchdown catch from Orlando to Kenerson.