Mustangs Escape Braintree With 28-21 Victory
After navigating a brutal opening stretch of the season that included games against three teams holding a combined 16-1 record, the second half of the schedule was anticipated to be smoother for the Norwood High School football team. Instead, the Mustangs encountered rough waters on the road in Braintree before ultimately securing a hard-fought 28-21 victory over the Wamps in Saturday’s Bay State League action.
“Braintree did a terrific job preparing for this game,” Norwood head coach Joe Smith remarked after the contest. “They had a bye last week and they obviously took advantage of the extra time to prepare for us. We had to earn this win.”
Improving their record to 3-3, the Mustangs never trailed during the matchup but struggled to shake a persistent Braintree squad (2-4). The Wamps battled back to tie the game at 21-21 early in the fourth quarter following a quarterback keeper by Bob Kerrissey and a successful two-point conversion pass from Kerrissey to Greg Dunn.
Clutch Fourth-Quarter Drive Secures the Win
Responding to the pressure, Norwood engineered a decisive 65-yard scoring drive over the span of five minutes. The clutch possession culminated in a dramatic fourth-and-nine touchdown pass, with quarterback Kevin Griffin connecting with Mike Pedroli for a 16-yard score. The Norwood defense then slammed the door on any potential comeback, coming up with two critical sacks in the closing moments to preserve the lead.
Norwood had opened the game aggressively on its very first possession, striking paydirt on a 28-yard rushing burst by standout running back Jamie Mahoney, who finished the game with an impressive 154 yards on 32 carries. Braintree answered immediately when Paul O’Keefe hit Steve Devine for a 45-yard touchdown pass. The Mustangs reclaimed a 14-7 lead before halftime on a four-yard touchdown run by Tyrone Wilson, which was set up by Wilson’s own explosive 32-yard run earlier in the drive.
Special Teams and Ground Control Seal the Victory
Early in the second half, Braintree struck quickly again when Tony Petryko broke loose for a 44-yard counter touchdown. Although a mishandled snap on the extra-point attempt kept Norwood ahead 14-13, Wilson electrified the sidelines on the ensuing kickoff, returning it 86 yards for a touchdown. Griffin’s successful point-after kick pushed the Mustang lead to 21-13.
As the clock wound down, Norwood’s offense controlled the final two minutes of regulation, aided by a gutsy fourth-and-one conversion run by Mahoney that gained three yards with under a minute remaining, cementing the hard-earned road victory.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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