Upper Cape Tech Football Headed For Super Bowl

By: Dan Crowley
Published: 11/22/12

Four years ago they were a dream. Three years ago they played a junior varsity schedule. Now, in just their second varsity season, the Upper Cape Tech Rams (9-1) sit atop the Mayflower League Small and are headed to the Division 5 Super Bowl on December 1 against Boston South champion Dorchester (10-0).

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Day, UCT put the winning touches on their championship season with a 42-18 victory over Cape Cod Tech, claiming the Golden Wrench Trophy for the first time.

“We’re going to enjoy this one today,” Coach Mike Hernon smiled. “Tomorrow we’ll start working toward Dorchester. We have such a special group of guys. It’s our third year now and they have worked so hard. We’ve been through so much together. Today is such a great feeling.”

The Rams took a 6-0 lead on their first possession of the game, finding the end zone on a 9-yard run by Liam Kanaley. The Crusaders followed with a long drive, but fumbled the ball in the red zone, giving it back to the Rams. It took just two plays and Kanaley was back in the end zone, going 27-yards up the middle for a 12-0 lead.

A punt again by the Crusaders put the ball back in the hands of the Rams, who gave it to Dylan Derby for a 39-yard run around the left end, and another touchdown, pushing the lead to 20-0. With 2:40 left in the half, Greg Hill plunged into the end zone from 5-yards out and Nick Strawn added the point after. Before the end of the first half the Rams capitalized on a CCT fumble recovery, by Edgar Eldredge, and another touchdown run by Derby. Strawn topped it off with the PAT for a 34-0 lead at the half.

The Crusaders came out ready to play in the second half with quarterback Greg Horan hitting Miguel Cardona for a touchdown. CCT then recovered an onside kick on the Ram 41-yard line and Horan once again found Cardona over the middle for another score. Again the 2-point conversion failed, leaving the Crusaders trailing 34-12. Having scored twice in the first four minutes of the third quarter, the Crusaders again went with an onside kick, recovering the ball at midfield. A long pass from Cardona to Bobby Askew put the ball on the 10-yard line from where Horan floated the ball into the left side of the endzone for Cardona for the third Crusader TD in just over four minutes.

Ryan Semple picked off Horan at midfield early in the final quarter as the Rams regained the momentum. Kanaley ran the ball up the middle from 46-yards out for a touchdown and Derby ran in the conversion, as UCT pulled out to a 42-18 lead.

The Crusaders tried to keep their next drive alive on a fourth and 24 play with a fake punt, but it didn’t fool Brian Murphy and Eldredge, who tackled the kicker before he got the kick off forcing a turnover on downs. A nice run by Matt Kelley put the Rams inside the 10-yard line in the final minutes, but a fumble allowed the Crusaders one final shot. A long pass from Horan then landed in the outstretched arms of Isaac Cardoso allowing UCT to run out the clock.

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