Swampscott Cruises 49-13 - By Chris Thomsen

Article by Chris Thomsen and photos by Robert Marra. For more of Robert's photos visit his website by clicking here.

For the first time this season, the Big Blue football squad has a winning streak.

Running back Desmond Wilhelmsen and quarterback Brendan McDonald accounted for six of Swampscott’s touchdowns, while senior Toby Hale led a strong defensive effort as the Big Blue pummeled the Ipswich Tigers, 49-13, its second victory in a row.

While the offense produced at an abnormal rate, the defensive line took care of business for Swampscott. Time after time again, the Big Blue would halt the Tiger ground attack, mainly due to the contributions of Hale, Jordan James, and Ryan Bradley.

“We played hard. The kids adjusted well. We got the run game going, we got the pass game going, and the defense finally got off the field on third down, which is nice,” said Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski.

It all began with junior Mike Faia’s 51-yard touchdown run with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter, the first points of the game. Although Ipswich responded with a touchdown of their own at the 5:09 mark in the second quarter, Swampscott’s Wilhelmsen answered with a 53-yard touchdown run a minute and a half later, giving Swampscott a 14-7 lead.

However, the true impact of the defense was found only a minute later when Hale hit Ipswich quarterback Kyle Blomster, forcing a fumble that would result in another Wilhlmsen touchdown just before the conclusion of the half.

“Hale provided plays both in the run and the pass, and his sack that got us that last touchdown was huge,” said Dembowski.

From there, it was smooth sailing. McDonald would throw two touchdowns in the second half, both to Wilhelmsen, while also running one for six as well.

On this Friday night, everything was clicking. Swampscott’s offense did not allow any turnovers, while the defense played stronger than any other performance this season. Considering the Big Blue's situation this year, that's saying something.

This season, Swampscott’s had to overcome more than ever. As Steve Dembowski has repeatedly said to the media, there are only one or two returning starters. Multiple key playmakers, such as Devin Conroy, Tyler Scaglione, and Mike McCuish, have been injured throughout the season. And this year, Swampscott’s schedule has been increasingly difficult. They’ve never been able to establish a winning streak, as Swampscott’s losses have come against teams with a combined 28-19 record.