For a season opener, the script that played out for the Amesbury football team on Friday night was out of every coach’s dream.
No phase of the game was lacking.
Most importantly, it of course all started on the scoreboard, where the Redhawks had little issue going on the road and taking down Essex Tech, 38-14. After holding the host Hawks scoreless and building up a two-score advantage at halftime, the Redhawks pulled away with two more touchdowns in the third quarter to put their stamp on the game.
But in all three phases, there was precise execution.
Offensively, Amesbury piled up 230 rushing yards, with Joe Puleo (11-76), Justin Dube (9-57) and Joe Celia (7-56) all finishing with similar stat lines. Puleo broke off a 20-yard touchdown early in the second quarter for the team’s first points of the season, then the senior QB Dube plunged in from the 1 to make it a 16-0 game at the break following the conversion from Celia. Dube and Puleo would then both find the endzone again in the third quarter for their second scores of the game.
And defensively, Amesbury was just as dominant. The biggest highlight on that side of the field certainly came from junior Connor Scialdone, who took an interception 55 yards to the house early in the fourth quarter to make it a 38-6 game. But cornerback Ben Wood had himself a season-opening night to remember, finishing with 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.
Then even on special teams, both Celia and Scialdone had 50-plus-yard kickoff returns to set Amesbury up with great field position. It should also be noted that the Redhawks were a solid 4-for-5 on conversion attempts, with Puleo running in two, Celia taking care of one and Dube finding Scialdone on another.
Amesbury will remain on the road next week, when it travels over to play Triton on Friday night with a 6:30 p.m. scheduled kickoff. It will be a battle of two 1-0 teams, as the Vikings doubled-up Hamilton-Wenham in their opener on Friday, 36-18.
Amesbury 38, Essex Tech 14
Amesbury (1-0): 0 16 14 8 — 38
Essex Tech (0-1): 0 0 6 8 — 14
Second Quarter
A — Joe Puleo 20 run (Connor Scialdone pass from Justin Dube)
A — Dube 1 run (Joe Celia run)
Third Quarter
A — Dube 2 run (Puleo run)
A — Puleo 1 run (pass failed)
Fourth Quarter
A — Scialdone 55 interception return (Puleo run)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: AMESBURY (39-230): Joe Puleo 11-76, Justin Dube 9-57, Joe Celia 7-56, Connor Scialdone 7-24, John Taber 3-9, Ben Wood 2-8
PASSING: A — Dube 1-1-0, 7
RECEIVING: A — Taber 1-7