Corbett-frank Excels as Vikings Stay on Track for a Winning Season

Playing with the heart of a champion, the Winthrop High football team continued its quest for a winning record with a workmanlike 28-14 win over Amesbury Friday night at historic Landry Stadium.

Senior captain Jordan Corbett-Frank added to his glowing resume with a 175-yard effort on the ground as part of a huge offensive showing for the Vikings. Corbett-Frank scored two touchdowns.

Winthrop evened its record at 5-5 with one game remaining in the 2013 season. A victory over Revere on Thanksgiving would give the Vikings’ their third consecutive 6-5 season.

Corbett-Frank was immense, averaging more than 7 yards per carry while helping the Vikings consume the clock on long scoring drives. He increased his season rushing total to 1,205 yards.

“Jordan had another very good game as always,” said head coach Sean Driscoll.

Junior quarterback Dylan Driscoll was coolly efficient at the controls, rushing 13 times for 85 yards and producing 81 more yards on 8-of-10 attempts through the air. He rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass.

“We had just under 400 yards of offense,” said Winthrop coach Sean Driscoll, whose team is playing its best football of the season.

Senior fullback Justin Casilla scored his first touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run that gave Winthrop a 6-0 lead.

“Justin is one of the hardest-working kids in our program year in and year out,” said Sean Driscoll. “He’s had some injuries the last couple of years, but with a full year this season, he’s having a great year at the fullback position. He’s also an excellent student. It’s nice to see him get in the end zone for his first touchdown.”

Driscoll felt the turning point in the game when Winthrop answered an Amesbury TD late in the first half by taking the football 81 yards on a scoring drive, reaching the end zone with three seconds left in the half.

“It was a great drive – we passed the ball well and ran the ball well and scored to give us a huge momentum swing [and a 21-14 lead at the half],” said Driscoll.

The Winthrop defense held Amesbury scoreless in the second half.

Junior linebacker Alex Anzuoni submitted an excellent performance. Anzuoni now has more than 100 tackles for the season.

Linebackers Tyler Gillis and Justin Casilla and linemen Sean Gillis, James Baxter, and Dillon O’Dell also impressed Driscoll with their efforts on defense.

VIKING NOTEBOOK

Corbett-Frank received some excellent blocking from offensive linemen Brady McGrath and Jacob Lloyd, and tight ends Brendan VanDalinda, who caught two key third-down passes to keep drives going.

VanDalinda has alternated between offensive lineman and tight end this season. “He’s a big reason why we’ve gotten back on track – he’s really solidified that position,” said Driscoll.

Revere defeated Medford, 35-14, for its second win of the season. The Patriots will be looking to end a tough season on a high note versus their long-time Thankgiving rival at Miller Field. Winthrop defeated Revere earlier in the season.

We learned an interesting fact about the Revere-Wnthrop Thanksgiving rivalry. Fifty years ago Winthrop was scheduled to play Revere on Saturday, Nov. 23, 1963, the day after the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Officials canceled the game. However, Revere went on to defeat St. Mary’s of Lynn on Thanksgiving [Nov. 28, 1963].  It was believed by many that the Winthrop-Revere game has always been played on Thanksgiving morning.