Nothing about the recipe leaned in Newburyport’s favor.
On one sideline of Friday night’s game, you had a talented and experienced Bedford team fresh off a tough loss against Shawsheen Tech — the defending Division 5 State Champions. Then on the other, you had an already young Clippers team that not to long into the game was down to it’s preseason JV offensive line on the field.
And it’s not hard to imagine what happened next.
An already depleted Newburyport squad took its second tough loss to open the season, falling at Bedford, 45-13. It was a 32-0 game at halftime in favor of the Bucs, before the Clippers showed plenty of grit to get on the scoreboard in the second half.
“We have lost some guys to early illness and injury, and we were already young to start,” said Newburyport coach John Webber. “Many sophomores and even a couple freshmen had to get snaps tonight against a hungry, talented Bedford team. Our message at the half was grit: Are you going to show effort and be relentless regardless of the score? The message from the refs and others after the game was, ‘The Clippers never quit,’ and that’s something you can build from.”
Kian Markos would haul in a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jack Miller in the third quarter, before junior Owen Mongeau ran in a score midway through the fourth. The Clippers then saw Nick Garbarino kick an extra point, as well as Henry Thurston haul in two passes for 20 yards while also playing a strong defensive game battling throuugh injury the whole way.
After two tough non-league games against Masconomet and Bedford, the Clippers will finally get into CAL play when they host Essex Tech on Friday night (6:30 p.m.).
Bedford 45, Newburyport 13
Newburyport (0-2): 0 0 7 6 — 13
Bedford (1-1): 12 20 7 6 — 45
Third Quarter
N — Kian Markos pass from Jack Miller (Nick Garbarino kick)
Fourth Quarter
N — Owen Mongeau run (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: NEWBURYPORT (20-57): Jack Miller 9-26, Owen Mongeau 2-18, Braydon Fowler 3-8, Paul Suozzo 6-5
PASSING: N — Miller 7-15-1-2, 66
RECEIVING: N — Kian Markos 3-45, Henry Thurston 2-20, Buchmayr 1-6, Suozzo 1-(-5)