By Liam O’Brien
Managing Editor of Sports
Last season, Newton South’s hopes of a deep journey through state tournament ended at the hands of Haverhill, who thwarted the Lions on both sides of the ball en route to a 42-12 win in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs.
Now, South has an opportunity for retribution, this time at home.
After securing the chance to host a state tournament contest by finishing their regular season with a 6-1 record, the Lions will receive another crack at the formidable Hillies.
The two teams open the 2015 Division 2 playoffs with a 12:00 p.m. matchup at Joe Winkler Field on Saturday.
The Lions trampolined into this weekend’s contest with a 51-30 victory over Dual County League foe Waltham last Saturday, fueled by a sensational passing performance by junior quarterback Austin Burton, who threw for 496 yards and four touchdowns on the afternoon.
Senior captain Anthony DeNitto garnered 315 receiving yards on 13 receptions, including three touchdowns, cementing his reputation as Burton’s go-to target on the team.
The connections between the two included a 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter and a 90-yard score in the game’s latter stages.
Haverhill enters the matchup with a 4-3 record, finishing the regular season second in the Merrimack Valley Division 2 standings behind Billerica.
Contrary to the high-powered offensive attack of the Lions that averaged 32.9 points per game during the season, the Hillies have posted just 18.1 points per contest while allowing 21.0 points per game, exemplifying their typically close margin of victory.
Despite their rather low points per game average, Haverhill boasts a dynamic rushing attack. After falling to Billerica two weeks ago, the Hillies defeated Methuen 27-15 last week, a victory facilitated by their running game.
Junior running back J.C. LaGuerre rushed for 166 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, while backs Pedro Santiago and Brian McAndrews contributed to the Haverhill attack.They also won the time of possession battle as well due to their proficiency on the ground.
Stopping the running game of Haverhill will prove to be the toughest test this week for the Lions, who yielded touchdown runs of 60, 57, and 37 yards to Waltham running back Sean Turpin in last week’s victory.
If South can halt the Hillies on the ground, it will lead to more opportunities for Burton and the offense, which looks to post an output similar to that of last Saturday.
