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Hornets late TD shocks Austin

NORTH READING | The only completion of the game for North Reading quarterback James Campbell couldn't have come at a better time.

Campbell connected with Darren Hartwell on a 29-yard scoring strike with 11.6 remaining to lift the Hornets to a stunning 14-8 victory over local rival Austin Prep.

"This one is really special for our kids," said North Reading coach Jeff Wall after his team pulled off the shocker. "Austin had outscored us the past two years 70-20 and beat us up pretty good. Our kids played for keeps, read the keys and were flying around all day."

The heroes for the Hornets were outside linebacker John Mitton and Hartwell. After a scoreless first half, Austin was threatening to get on the scoreboard late in the third quarter as it marched to the Hornets' 9-yard-line.

The Cougars tried a pass in the right flat and Mitton stepped up with a perfect read, grabbed the ball and went 95 yards down the sideline for the interception score. The two-point conversion pass from Campbell to Joshua Robinson made the score 8-0.

After Austin had rallied and scored on a 37-yard TD pass from Steve Boghos to Patrick Delaney, and Matt Bouvier caught the conversion for the tie, the possibility of overtime loomed.

The Hornets got the ball with 1:18 to play at midfield after a short Austin punt. Two Campbell runs and a Dino Rizzo sprint gave them first and 10 at the Cougars 29. Three incomplete passes seemed to indicate that Austin had stiffened, but the stage was set for the Campbell to Hartwell winning pass.

Austin's last desperate pass to get a score with seconds left was picked off by Hornets' sophomore Robert Rosano and the team celebrated this upset opening-game victory.

Austin and North Reading have played 17 times on the gridiron since 1984 and this series among these schools from neighboring towns now stands at 9-8 in favor of Austin. But the Hornets have won three of the last five encounters.