Everett Offense Overpowers Lexington, 49-21

LEXINGTON, MA -- The Lexington high school football team's bid for a state title ended at home Friday night, as an explosive Everett offense overwhelmed the Minutemen 49-21. Everett (8-0) moves on to play Central Catholic, which beat Methuen 45-21 Friday night, in the Division I north finals next weekend.

Friday night's game started as if it was going to live up to its billing as a classic between two undefeated teams that had made it to the Division I North semifinals behind high-powered offenses. The teams took turns scoring the first four touchdowns, but once it was tied at 14, Everett's balanced attack -- which had five different players scoring its six, first-half touchdowns -- took over.

Everett put pressure on Lexington (8-1) from the get-go. The Crimson Tide took a 7-0 lead on their first possession when quarterback Jake Wilcox connected with Mike Sainristil for a 23-yard touchdown pass. The shutout was short-lived: On Lexington's very next possession, quarterback Sal Frelick ran 80 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was blocked.

Everett struck again with 5:44 left in the first quarter on a two-yard, Anthony Norcia touchdown run. Lexington tied the game less than a minute into the second quarter, with Noah Monzillo hauling in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Frelick on third and five. Lexington tied it with a two-point conversion on a Ben Quint rush.

Everett didn't wait long to reclaim the lead and the Tide's offense was starting to seem unstoppable. A 23-yard touchdown reception and ensuing extra point put Everett up 21-14 with 8:25 left in the half. Frelick threw an interception on the Minutemen's next possession, and it only took two plays and a 23-yard touchdown run by Kevin Brown to extend its lead to 28-14. It was the most Lexington had trailed in a game all season.

Everett's first half wasn't over yet. A blocked punt led to another Brown touchdown reception and a 35-14 Lexington lead with 2:59 left in the half. Jacob Miller closed out the first-half scoring for Everett with an eight-yard touchdown carry with eight seconds left in the second quarter.

Everett added another touchdown with a 98-yard drive. Jaden Mahabir's five-yard touchdown with 2:02 left in the third made it 49-14. Lexington's Frelick responded with a two-yard run with 8:58 to play, cutting Everett's lead to 49-21.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).