Norwood Mustangs Rout Braintree Wamps 42-6 in Dominant Bay State League Display-October 12, 1981

Braintree High School football coach Bob MacAllister didn’t mince words when describing the Norwood Mustangs.

“Big, fast, strong and smart,” MacAllister said. Or, to put it even more bluntly: “They’re awesome and we’re not.”

Entering the game averaging an astonishing 39 points per contest, the Mustangs outdid themselves on Saturday, steamrolling the Wamps 42-6 behind a staggering offensive onslaught that featured 307 yards on the ground and another 145 yards through the air.

“They are a great team,” MacAllister conceded. “And they did pretty much what they wanted.”

Ground and Air Dominance

The only minor speed bump for Norwood occurred on their opening possession when Braintree’s Paul Doherty intercepted a Mike Conti pass and returned it to the Norwood eight-yard line. But the Wamps were pushed back, and a subsequent 23-yard field goal attempt was blocked, letting the Mustangs off the hook.

That defensive stand ignited the Norwood machine. On their very next possession, the Mustangs marched 70 yards in eight plays behind standout running backs Joe Pusateri and Kevin Doherty.

Doherty led the charge early, finishing the day with 104 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries, including a one-yard plunge for Norwood’s first score. Meanwhile, Pusateri put on an absolute clinic, racking up 117 yards on seven carries and scoring three touchdowns (including one through the air).

While the ground game rolled effortlessly, Conti operated with surgical precision through the air. Backed by a stellar offensive line anchored by Paul Castonia, Gordon Grasselli, and co-captain John Cavanaugh, Conti had so much time in the pocket that game observers joked he had enough time to enjoy a soda and a sandwich.

Crushing Defense and Second-Half Fireworks

Norwood’s defense was equally suffocating. Braintree’s passing game was completely handcuffed by a tight secondary, and the Wamp running game was erased entirely, finishing with a meager 33 rushing yards and 56 passing yards.

• Second Quarter: After Doherty extended the lead to 14-0 with a scintillating 34-yard touchdown run—pushing kicker Thomas Cronan‘s extra-point streak to 14 straight—Dan Maguire intercepted a pass from Braintree quarterback Tim Duffy and returned it to the Wamp 30. It took just 31 seconds for Norwood to cash in, with Doherty ripping off a 16-yard run before Pusateri punched it in from 16 yards out.
• Third Quarter: Conti connected with Pusateri on a blistering 55-yard touchdown pass. Moments later, Pusateri broke loose again on a dazzling 75-yard sideline dash to make it 35-0. Braintree avoided a shutout when Dave Merrigan pounced on a Norwood fumble at the eight-yard line, allowing Duffy to hit Ken Starr with a six-yard flare pass.
• Fourth Quarter: The Mustangs capped their scoring onslaught when Dave Ringler burst through for an 11-yard touchdown run.

Game Statistics Snapshot

Metric	Norwood (N)	Braintree (B)
First Downs	13	6
Yards Rushing	307	33
Yards Passing	145	56
Yards Lost	12	4
Passes Attempted	9	16
Passes Completed	5	2
Interceptions By	2	4
Punts	0	3
Punting Average	—	34
Fumbles	2	4
Fumbles Recovered	0	6
Yards Penalized	100	65

Scoring Summary by Quarter:

• Norwood: 7 | 21 | 7 | 7 — 42
• Braintree: 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 — 6
• 1st Quarter: N — Doherty 1 run (Cronan kick good)
• 2nd Quarter: N — Doherty 34 run (Cronan kick good); N — Pusateri 14 run (Cronan kick good); N — Conti to Pusateri 55 pass (Cronan kick good)
• 3rd Quarter: N — Pusateri 75 run (Cronan kick good); B — Duffy to Starr 6 pass (kick failed)
• 4th Quarter: N — Ringler 11 run (Cronan kick good)

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger