METHUEN – The bar has been raised for Methuen High football over the last half dozen years, and the 1,500 witnesses Friday night can attest … It’s not just about having an Eason on the roster anymore.
The Rangers simply ran out of responses, losing to one of the Merrimack Valley Conference’s toughest teams in 2025, Lowell High, 29-21 in the Division 1 Round of 16.
Trailing for most of the game—down 21-7 at one point in the third quarter and struggling just to earn first downs—something flipped for Methuen.
The spark came from one of the MVC’s MVP candidates, Caiden Hartley-Didio.
Thrust into the quarterback position after the Rangers’ starter broke his collarbone in mid-September (having never played the position before in his life), Hartley-Didio has shown he’s built differently.
Facing fourth and goal from the Lowell 9-yard line, he flicked a pass to Tim Dornezon in the back of the end zone. It was his longest pass of the night, but the extra point was blocked.
Lowell, 8-1, responded with a quick three-and-out, faking a run on fourth-and-2 before punting the ball to the Rangers’ 2-yard line.
Trailing 21-13, Methuen got the ball to midfield in six plays before a backward double pass—really more of a run—back to Hartley-Didio, who darted to the Lowell 22.
A 20-yard sweep by Dornezon brought Methuen to the Lowell 2, and Hartley-Didio barely scratched over the goal line to make it 21-19.
Methuen then broke out a deception play they’ve used about once a year for the past four seasons—a crowded “Tush push” look before Hartley-Didio handed off to Alex Santiago, who slipped into the end zone untouched to tie things up at 21.
The Methuen defense, leaky in the second and third quarters, forced another three-and-out with 4:54 left and all the momentum behind them.
But on the second play of the ensuing drive, Hartley-Didio’s pass from his own end zone was picked off by Lowell at the Methuen 19.
A stop for a six-yard loss and a penalty pushed Lowell back to the 31, but superstar receiver Ryan Conley soared above a Methuen defender to make a catch at the 2-yard line. On the very next play, Lowell running back Joshua Amankwaah, who finished with three touchdowns and a two-point conversion, powered it in.
Methuen’s last shot ended with three incomplete passes and a 14-yard sack.
“We didn’t play great,” said Methuen coach Ryan Dugan. “We had a lot of opportunities, especially on defense. We could’ve had three or four interceptions. We knew coming in we needed to turn the ball over on them, and we didn’t do it enough.”
But what he saw in the second half, especially the fourth quarter, reinforced what he’s seen since camp started in August.
“We never give up,” Dugan said. “Central answered against us and we responded. Andover answered and we responded. We fought until the end, but we gave them too many opportunities.”
Hartley-Didio finished with 145 yards rushing on 20 carries. He also scored two touchdowns and threw for another. He left the game for several plays but returned in the fourth quarter and nearly rallied Methuen to victory.
“We could put Caiden anywhere on the field. He’s a playmaker—quarterback, running back, wide receiver, wherever,” said Coach Dugan, whose team falls to 6-3. “He’s been special for us all year. We just fell a little short. But we have games ahead of us. We’re not done yet.”
Lowell 29, Methuen 21Nicholson Stadium, Methuen
Lowell 0-14-7-8—29
Methuen 0-7-6-8—21
Scoring
1Q
No scoring
2Q
L – Collin Christiansen 36 pass from Seth Ly (Benjamin Durkin kick), 11:48
L – Joshua Amankwaah 1 run (Durkin kick), 5:20
M – Caiden Hartley-Didio 4 run (Hicham Aboutoui kick), 0:26
3Q
L – Amankwaah 21 run (Durkin kick), 6:34
M – Tim Dornezon 9 pass from Hartley-Didio (Kick blocked), 0:50
4Q
M – Hartley-Didio 2 run (Alex Santiago rush), 6:36
L – Amankwaah 4 run (Amankwaah rush), 2:26