RallyNorth.net

Gomez runs Reggies to first victory

Saturday, October, 04 By Conor Clancy
Correspondent

WOBURN — Even though they were playing their second game in only six days, the Greater Lawrence Tech football team showed no signs of fatigue as they pounded out their first win of the season 26-12 over Minuteman Tech(0-2).

The game was highlighted by the breakout perfomance of tailback Wadscar Gomez who finished with 193 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. Listed at only 160 pounds, the senior proved any doubters wrong and spent much of the day running hard between the tackles,

“I think we found our tailback” said coach Tony Sarkis, who had been using a committee of starting tailbacks through the first three games. “[Gomez] was in the rotation and had a few carries in the other games but today I told him “this is your game, show me what you have” and he played excellent.”

After holding the Mustangs to a three-and-out on the first series of the game, Lawrence immidietly put the ball into Gomez’s hands. He ran eight of the first nine plays and ate up nearly seven minutes of clock before he took a pitch off the right tackle in for a score from nine yards out putting the Reggies up 6-0.

The drive was highlighted by a 28-yard fourth down conversion, a pass from Gomez’s younger brother Juan Carlos(2-4 53 yards TD INT) to receiver Eric Notenboom.

Wadscar Gomez continued to be the focus of the offense running a total of 16 times in the first half including five straight times near the end of the second quarter, setting up a 25-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Orasio to put the Reggie’s up 13-6.

The ball was perfectly thrown from Juan Carlos Gomez and the sophomore quarterback drew praise from his head coach with his overall play.

“[Juan Carlos] played outstanding for a sophomore quarterback, he really played well.”

Not much changed in the second half as Gomez rushed 12 times in a row on the opening drive finishing with a another nine yard touchdown run, and contributed another 19 on the first unit’s final drive of the game which ended with a 27-yard touchdown run by fullback Marlon Orellana.

When the first unit left the game in the third quarter on Orellana’s touchdown, Gomez had been given the ball 32 of the 37 plays Lawrence ran. A true workhorse.

“We really picked up the tempo today,” added Sarkis, “the line stepped up, everyone took care of the responsibilities, it was a very good win for our team.”