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Methuen rides Carroll to win over Haverhill

Friday, October, 16 By Jeff Hamrick

METHUEN — The Rangers of Methuen really do prefer distributing the ball among several offensive players. Against Haverhill, however, Cal Carroll played the ballhawk, which was more than enough to pick up a homecoming victory.

With its junior quarterback accounting for all but 49 of its 242 yards of total offense, Methuen stormed Haverhill 35-6 last night in the Merrimack Valley Conference small division opener for both schools.

"We're trying to distribute the ball, believe me," Methuen coach Pat Graham said. "Some of (Carroll's runs) are reads and some of it is just us trying to get him the ball. But the game plan is always for us to be balanced, and we did get some other guys involved in the second half. But obviously Cal is one of our key players and probably our most dangerous kid on offense."

Against winless Haverhill, Carroll did all the offensive work as Methuen took a 14-0 lead in the first half. Lined up in the shotgun, Carroll had all 19 of the Rangers opening-half rushes while completing four of eight pass attempts, including a 32 yarder to Raudy Minaya for a touchdown with 6:30 left in the second period.

"We were planning on running the ball a lot more than last week (in a disappointing loss to Chelmsford)," said Carroll, who also got his first start of the season on defense playing safety. "We had a great week of practice then everything seemed to fall into place in the first half."

Haverhill (0-6) managed 23 yards of offense in the first half while picking up only two first downs — one on a 15-yard Methuen penalty that set up the Hillies in Rangers' territory for the first time. Haverhill's advance was stopped four plays later, however, when Jason Doyle intercepted an Austen Cambell pass at the 32.

Methuen (4-2) put away the game in the third period on Carroll's second 1-yard touchdown run and a 17-yard fumble return for a score by Pat O'Leary. Carroll and Minaya hooked up for another touchdown reception with 8:28 left for a 35-0 lead.

"I was proud of the way the kids played the second half," Graham said. "We haven't really put a team away all year. We kind of let teams hang around. But by the fourth quarter it was pretty solidified."

Outmanned Haverhill averted the shutout on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Campbell to Blaine Joia with 2 minutes left, capping a 14-play, 67-yard drive, which accounted for the bulk of the Hillies' 140 yards total offense.

"We don't have a whole lot of guys left," Haverhill coach Tom Briggs said. "It's one of those years. We're awful thin, and we had more people get hurt this past week (in practice) ... All you can do is put all your fingers in the dyke while it's collapsing all around you. But these guys are keeping me motivated. They show up for practice and work their (butts) off. These guys are far more resillient than I am."