Murphy scores three touchdowns as Vikings roll to 42-12 win

By Cary Shuman

In a dominating performance, the Winthrop High School football team scored six touchdowns in the first half on its way to a 42-12 victory over Saugus High Friday night at Miller Field. Senior captain Will Murphy accomplished football’s version of a hat trick with three touchdowns. Murphy rushed for a 57-yard touchdown on the third play from scrimmage, using some excellent blocking from Nick Cappuccio, Sean Dolen, Nick Romano, and Seth Sacco to get into the secondary. Murphy then swiftly cut across the field, with Matt Reardon running some downfield interference before Murphy raced into the end zone. Murphy also scored on a 9-yard run and a wondrously executed screen pass from quarterback Matt Noonan for a 32-yard touchdown.

Sacco also made his presence felt again in the ground game with a 57-yard run for a touchdown. Cappuccio scored on a 1-yard run following a bad snap during punt formation for the Sachems and Riley Moccio pouncing on the football near the goal line. Noonan completed the six-touchdown outburst by returning a blocked punt (by Nick Romano) to paydirt. It was Winthrop’s second blocked punt return for a score in three weeks, following up on Phil Boncore’s block/return/TD effort against Northeast Regional. “Saugus actually gave us a different look than we’ve seen all year, and we moved Nick to the right-hand side because that’s where the punter was rolling out to,” explained Cadigan. “On the first punt, Nick had come to the sidelines saying, ‘Coach, I almost got it.’’’

“So I said, then go get it next time – and he [Romano] did. It was a good adjustment and a really good play by Nick.” Romano (three tackles, 2TFLs) was also the winner of the Vikings’ Black Shirt Defensive Player of the Game award.  Phil Boncore (six tackles) and Seth Sacco (four tackles) were the stat chart toppers. Cadigan wanted his team to get the immediate edge on the visiting Sachems, and his Vikings delivered on that message. “That was the theme of the work, to dominate and not mess around,” said Cadigan. “So, I was very pleased with that performance from our varsity guys.”

Cadigan credited the defensive line and the linebackers for totally controlling the line of scrimmage. The Front Six consisted of defensive ends Gabe Grein and Matt Reardon, nose tackle Chris Messina, and linebackers Seth Sacco, Phil Boncore, and Nick Romano. Cappuccio had a leaping interception in the game, helped by Messina’s pressure on the Saugus quarterback.

Junior defensive back Steven Calla had his first career interception in the second half. Sophomore Charlie Ferrara took over the reins of the offense as quarterback in the second half. Sophomores Spinale, Cifuni are keying special teams  Sophomore placekicker Dom Spinale was 6-of-6 on points after touchdown (PATs). “I’m very pleased with Dom and how far he has come. He’s getting more confidence as you would expect with the success he’s had.

That’s a good thing,” said Cadigan. Meanwhile, sophomore safety CJ Cifuni has been a solid performer on special teams. His recovery of an onside kick versus Danvers last week did not go unnoticed by the Winthrop coaching staff. Danvers had just closed the gap to 21-7 and tried an onside kick. A recovery, and Danvers can close the gap to one score. Instead, Cifuni makes the big play, and the Vikings go on to win handily 35-7. “We have some younger skill guys on the front line,” said Cadigan. “That was one of the bigger plays of that game [by Cifuni].”

A vote for Cappuccio

It is clear for whom Saugus High head football coach Steve Cummings will be voting in the conference post-season balloting. Asked about the Vikings’ overall speed, Cummings said,

“I also coach track, so I know Nick Cappuccio. I was not surprised about their speed because I knew about their speed coming into the game. They have some guys that can go. Nick is a special talent in this league. He just didn’t end up on radar. We’ve known about him for a long time. I told him in the handshake line, ‘You have no idea how happy I am that I never have to coach against you again.’

Our defensive coordinator told our players, ‘You have to find [Number] 20.’ “Every once in a while, you get kids on teams that are generational talents. Nick Cappuccio is one of those guys for that team. He’s earned it. And Coach Cadigan does a great job. They execute to a high level.”