By Liam O’Brien
Managing Editor of Sports
The fourth seeded Newton South Lions (7-1) travel to top-seeded Billerica (8-0) Friday night in the Division 2 North semifinals.
Winless just four years ago, the football program has risen to new heights in 2015, garnering its first home postseason victory in school history last Saturday against Haverhill by a score of 32-27.
Behind a brilliantly coached contest by head coach Ted Dalicandro, who received New England Patriots Head Coach of the Week honors on Tuesday, the Lions recovered from an eight-point deficit in the second quarter and a three-point gap in the third quarter to earn the win.
Junior quarterback Austin Burton continued his streak of dominant performances with 429 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and one rushing score. Three of those touchdown passes went in the direction of senior wide receiver Anthony DeNitto, who racked up 180 yards on ten receptions on the day.
Burton currently leads the MIAA in passing yards (2,479) and touchdowns (28), while DeNitto is tops in receiving yards (1,166) and touchdowns (19), establishing the two as one of the state’s primary quarterback-receiver duos.
Despite the success of the passing game, continuing the offense’s supremacy will be difficult against a Billerica defense which prides itself on deriving the strengths from the offenses of its opponents.
A major proponent in the Indians earning the honor of the top seed in the division and the sixth-ranked team in the state has been their defensive mastery, having shut out four opponents so far this season.
Billerica’s defense was a major catalyst in its 44-0 thrashing of Waltham in the playoff opener last Friday night. With three interceptions, the Indians halted any sort of Hawks momentum.
Billerica closed its regular season in a 41-0 victory over Dracut and a 42-7 thumping over the Lions first-round opponent, Haverhill, a week prior.
If South wishes to win, the team must not only overcome Billerica’s stifling defense, but also must find a way to halt Billerica’s dangerous passing attack.
Quarterback Justin Beck, who finished ninth in the state in passing yards (1,356) in the regular season while throwing 13 touchdowns, continued his successful season with 226 passing yards and four touchdowns against Waltham.
The Lions’ cast of cornerbacks will be in for a daunting test as the Indians feature a talented tandem of senior wide receivers in Dean Brooks and Jeff Trainor.
In Billerica’s win over Waltham, Brooks hauled in 134 yards and a touchdown while Trainor, who is committed to play lacrosse at UMass Amherst, caught 128 receiving yards and three touchdowns, earning himself a spot on the ESPNBoston Mr. Football watch list aside Burton and DeNitto this week.
Whichever team activates its passing attack and controls the time of possession battle could prove to be the winner when the final buzzer sounds in this contest.
