HAVERHILL – Passing game explosions, the norm in these parts for the better part of the last decade, had been conspicuous by their absence this fall around Haverhill Stadium.
Let your anxiety be assuaged, Hillie fans.
Joining a Haverhill passing tradition that goes back 15-20 years, junior Michael Bayko enjoyed his home turf coming-out party, connecting on 14 of 21 passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns – all to classmate Jathian DeJesus – in the Hillies’ dramatic 42-35 win over Concord, N.H.
“There’s a little pressure, especially following a guy like (James Farrell). He was such a great quarterback. I feel like I can fill his shoes,” said Bayko.
Ironically, it was the Hillies’ sixth TD toss of the night – a wide receiver reverse pass from George Papanikolaou to Riley Faulkner – that ultimately proved to be the difference against a Tide team that pushed defending New Hampshire D-I state champ Pinkerton Academy to the limit just one week ago.
“Yep, we needed it,” said Haverhill coach Rob Pike. “They’re a very good team. They’ve played some tough teams and hung with them. They have talent and they are well-coached. That’s a really good win for our guys, and I’m proud of them.”
Bayko-to-DeJesus was simply poetry all night long as the two hooked up eight times for 199 yards.
“I feel like I paid my dues in the summer. You can tell who put in the work and who doesn’t. The work is going to show, no matter what,” said DeJesus. “We’re trying to bring the culture back. This is a big win. We needed some momentum going in (to the remainder of the league schedule). I feel like this is a big win against a good team.”
Bayko is thoroughly comfortable working with him, too.
“We just have great chemistry together. I knew he was going to win every rep. I just kept on feeding him,” said Bayko. “We have been playing together since seventh grade so we automatically have that chemistry. It’s great to see him do all he does with the ball in his hands.”
Their fifth TD hookup of the night, a 51-yarder, turned a 28-27 deficit into the Hillies’ first lead since 6-0 at 35-28 with 7:50 to go.
Papanikolaou and Faulkner, who connected for the two-point pass on that score, then pushed the margin to 42-28 with two minutes left with their TD.
Concord added one more touchdown to make it interesting, but Ryan Bates smothered the final-minute onside kick to end it.
Now 2-3, Haverhill hosts Everett here on Friday night.