HAVERHILL — The first three minutes of the 2024 regular season couldn’t have been uglier for Haverhill High.
The next 45 minutes couldn’t have been much prettier.
The Hillies fell behind by two touchdowns just 2:59 into the game, thanks to a kick return and turnover, then woke up and scored touchdowns on their next four possessions, on the way to rolling past Beverly 38-21 on Friday night at Haverhill Stadium.
“That start was probably the worst start we’ve ever had,” said quarterback James Farrell. “It’s probably the worst start we could imagine. But I’m so proud of the way we responded. We never gave up our spirit. We came into the game with the confidence that we were going to win. and when that bad start happened, we just had to respond. Football games aren’t three minutes, they’re 48 minutes. So win the next 45 minutes. That’s what we did.”
The Haverhill High crowd, which began the game with so much energy, was shocked into silence as Beverly ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, then forced a fumble on the Hillies’ first play from scrimmage, and scored six plays later.
But Farrell — who finished the first half with 108 rushing yards — and his squad would not be denied.
On the following drive, Farrell set the tone with bruising runs of 12 and 13 yards, setting up a 4-yard touchdown by Javier Fabian. A possession later, he hit Zavion Alvarez for an 18-yard completion and Brandon Piraino for a 20-yard gain, before plowing in for his own 10-yard touchdown.
The true back-breaker came a possession later, when a crew led by Piraino blocked a punt, that cornerback Damonte Hiett scooped up and ran 34 yards for a touchdown.
“I was supposed to keep outside contain, but I slipped,” said Hiett. “Luckily, my great teammates blocked it. I saw the ball, I grabbed it and didn’t see anyone around. I ran, and I was out of gas, but I still made it to the end zone. I was so pumped up.”
Farrell then closed out the first half with a 4-yard touchdown run and iced the victory midway through the third quarter, connecting with Piraino on a 35-yard catch-and-run for a score.
Hiett took control on defense, earning a pair of interceptions.
“This is my first time having a pick in a game,” he said. “The first was a crosser. I had seen it on film. I knew the quarterback usually throws it short on the back shoulder, so watching him I ran in and snagged it. The second one, I knew that we were in nickel and that meant a slant was coming. I saw it in the air and made a play on it.”
Two-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star Farrell finished the game 17-for-26 passing for 196 yards and carried the ball 14 times for 114 yards. Piraino was his top target with five catches for 83 yards.
“The offensive line was opening huge holes for us,” said Farrell. “I love running the football. Running the football is just as much fun as throwing the football. I’m a football player first and a quarterback second. It was working. We’re feeling good right now. We can’t wait for next week.”
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Haverhill 38, Beverly 21
FIRST QUARTER
B — Xavier Auk 88 kickoff return (Jayden Santos kick), 11:48
B — Sean Costa (Santos kick), 8:58
H — Javier Fabian 4 run (Brandon Piraino pass from James Farrell), 6:22
H — Farrell 17 run (Farrell rush), 2:39
H — Damonte Hiett 34 blocked punt return (Farrell rush), 0:32
SECOND QUARTER
H — Farrell 4 run (Piraino pass from Farrell), 8:44
THIRD QUARTER
H — Piraino 35 pass from Farrell (rush failed), 3:27
FOURTH QUARTER
B — Charles Frost 7 run (Maverick Genest kick), 0:10
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Haverhill — James Farrell 14-144, Javier Fabian 10-76, Bryan Dos Santos 3-3; Beverly — Charles Frost 3-40, Sean Costa 11-42, Gregory White 6-26, Jayden Santos 2-5, Xavier Auk 1-4, Jonnathan Bleichwel 4-20, Danny Pierce 5-2
PASSING: Haverhill — Farrell 17-26-0, 196; Beverly — Pierce 10-22-3, 99
RECEIVING: Haverhill — Brandon Piraino 5-83, Zavion Alvarez 5-39, Parker DiNatale 5-39, Jathian DeJesus 1-37, Fabian 1-(-2); Beverly — Callan MacCay 3-39, White 4-23, Jack Consendine 1-14, Liam Timpone 2-23