There really isn’t much else left to say: Carl Lucy is just unbelievable.
The senior running back has already made plenty of Triton history this season, and entered this week just 235 yards shy of breaking the school record for rushing yards in a season (1,741). A mark that seemed destined to fall with the Vikings having two games left, hosting Salem in a non-playoff game on Thursday night before their annual holiday rivalry game against Pentucket.
Turns out … it only took him one.
And an historic 2,000-yard season is still very much on the table.
Lucy was the definition of unstoppable once again on Thursday night, only needing 17 carries to pile up an incredible 328 yards and four touchdowns to lead Triton to a 34-20 victory over Salem. He not only broke his own school record for rushing yards in a game (set earlier this year when he had 293 in a win over Lynnfield), but now is also the school record holder for rushing yards in a season. With only Thanksgiving Day against Pentucket left, Lucy currently sits at 1,835 yards with — another school record — 30 TDs.
Meaning, of course, that “just” 165 yards against the Panthers would make him the first 2,000-yard rusher in Triton history.
“Pentucket is very, very good,” said Triton coach Ed Melanson. “No argument from me there. They have size, speed and skill, and are a veteran team. We’ll see what we can do, but 2,000 yards would be a pretty cool mark to hit.”
Just to get it all in one space, here are the Triton records that Lucy now has:
–Rushing yards in a game: 328.
–Rushing yards in a season: 1,835 (still one game left).
–Single-season touchdowns: 30 (still one game left).
–All-time leading scorer: 262 points (still one game left).
Just absolutely historic stuff we are seeing here.
“He’s a truck, he’s no joke. I don’t think anybody that has played us would say that they enjoyed tackling him,” said Melanson earlier in the season, in what has to be a candidate for most accurate quote of the year.
During Thursday’s win over Salem, Lucy had three touchdown runs of over 60 yards … three! He broke off a 61-yarder in the first quarter, then had TD trots of 23, 83 and 60 yards in the second to power Triton (4-6) to a 27-20 lead at halftime. The Vikings buckled down on defense in the second half, and a 1-yard plunge into the end zone from Everett Romano in the fourth sealed the deal for the home team.
Newburyport wins fourth out of five
A month ago, on paper, the upcoming 102nd annual Thanksgiving Day game between rivals Amesbury and Newburyport looked like a severe mismatch.
But now … hold the phone.
On Friday night, Newburyport continued to do exactly what every coach of a young football team dreams of. The Clippers dominated visiting Lynn Classical in non-playoff action, 40-6, and have now won four of their last five games following an 0-5 start to the season. There were plenty of reasons for the Clippers to just pack it in on the year, but captains Jack Miller, Paul Souzzo and the rest of the senior class didn’t allow that to happen.
And now, Newburyport (4-6) appears more than ready for the challenge of traveling over to Amesbury (10-0) on the holiday.
“So proud of our team and happy for the seniors who lucked out with one final home game under the lights,” said Newburyport coach John Webber. “In addition to the rivalry games, you never forget that feeling of your last Friday night game at NHS under the lights. I’m just so glad that they get to take this one with them and will remember it for years to come. They will have to save the memories, however, because now it’s all about Amesbury.”
Friday night, it was over in a hurry.
Braydon Fowler returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to the house for a Newburyport touchdown, and after a defensive stop, Miller broke away from the 20-yard-line to make it a quick 14-0 game. Lynn Classical (3-7) would get on the board, but a 40-yard touchdown run from Fowler followed by an 11-yard TD from Miller bumped the lead to 26-6 at halftime. Fowler would complete the TD hat-trick with a 12-yard run in the third, and with a running clock in the fourth, Owen Mongeau would haul in a pass from Miller and take it 80 yards to the end zone.
Offensively, Newburyport only ran 19 total plays. Then defensively, both TJ Skiba and Fowler came up with interceptions.
“The Clipper defense was strong once more,” said Webber. “Skiba and Fowler both recorded interceptions, and the defensive line was strong against the power-I, double-tight look of the Rams.”
Triton 34, Salem 20
Salem (3-7): 6 14 0 0 — 20
Triton (4-6): 7 20 0 7 — 34
First Quarter
T — Carl Lucy 61 run (Oran MacDonald kick)
Second Quarter
T — Lucy 23 run (MacDonald kick)
T — Lucy 83 run (pass failed)
T — Lucy 60 run (MacDonald kick)
Fourth Quarter
T — Everett Romano 1 run (MacDonald kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: TRITON (31-337): Carl Lucy 17-328, Jake Conroy 5-4, Everett Romano 6-3, Sam Harding 2-3, Athan Eggleston 1-(-1)
PASSING: T — Harding 1-3-0-1, 28
RECEIVING: T — Royce Whitney 1-28
Newburyport 40, Lynn Classical 6
Lynn Classical (3-7): 6 0 0 0 — 6
Newburyport (4-6): 14 12 7 7 — 40
First Quarter
N — Braydon Fowler 80 kickoff return (Nick Garbarino kick)
N — Jack Miller 20 rush (Garbarino kick)
Second Quarter
N — Fowler 40 run (kick failed)
N — Miller 11 run (kick failed)
Third Quarter
N — Fowler 12 run (Garbarino kick)
Fourth Quarter
N — Owen Mongeau 80 pass from Miller (Garbarino kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: NEWBURYPORT (14-124): Jack Miller 6-53; Braydon Fowler 3-58, Owen Mongeau 4-9, Paul Suozzo 1-4
PASSING: N — Miller 2-3-1-0, 80
RECEIVING: N — Mongeau 1-80, Kian Markos 1-0