The Everett High School football team had its hopes for a berth in the Division 1 Super Bowl ended by Central Catholic, 33-14, in the North sectional final Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Lawrence.
Playing in its third consecutive road playoff game after two scintillating victories, the Crimson Tide (5-5) fell behind Central early and couldn’t dent a fired-up Raiders’ defense playing in front of a large homefield crowd.
Central’s Steven Jackson was again a force in the game, making nine catches for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Central scored on its first possession of the game and added three more TDs to take a 27-0 lead in the half.
Central extended the margin to 33-0 before junior quarterback Jordan McAfee threw touchdown passes to Derelle Felix and Luis Cardona in the fourth quarter.
Head coach John DiBiaso was pleased about the Tide’s exciting post-season run that included victories over higher seeded teams St. John’s Prep and Peabody.
“We didn’t expect to get this far but it woul
Everett’s JJ Colimon, a senior, catches up to Central Catholic quarterback Bret Edwards (12) in the Raider’s backfield for a sack. Unfortunately, Central had more positive plays than negative ones like this, taking the game from Everett 33-14 on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Lawrence High School. The loss ended the Tide’s seemingly magic run in this year’s edition of the state playoffs. The loss concluded the season for the Tide, who finish the year 5-5.
d have been nice to take it one more step,” said DiBiaso. “The last two games were good but we would have liked to have finished it.”
Everett concludes its season with a 5-5 record. DiBiaso said Everett will again play Xaverian, St. John’s Prep, and Central Catholic in non-league games on its 2016 schedule.