Whalers score but can't upset West Bridgewater
BY STEVE SHEPPARD INDEPENDENT SPORTS EDITOR
The Whalers came out firing against the Wildcats, but it was the visitors who prevailed in the end, 34-6.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent The goal line pass is just beyond the fingertips of Delroy Lawrence, but Hunter Day later scored for the Whalers.

The Whalers got the ball first in the contest, and after a fourth down pass into the end zone fell incomplete and West Bridgewater took over on downs, Nantucket got the ball right back in good field position on a Troy Sullivan fumble recovery. Another fourth down pass attempt into the end zone also fell incomplete, however, and the Wildcats woke up to mount their first scoring drive.

"We had our chances in the first four minutes," coach Vito Capizzo said. "We had the ball in the red zone twice and couldn't capitalize."

Fourth year West Bridgewater quarterback Matt Nunes led the drive downfield, running for 44 yards himself, and capped it with a 29-yard touchdown pass (his only pass of the day) for the 6-0 lead. The point after attempt into the wind was no good, and Nantucket controlled the ball from there into the second period.

The Whalers marched into Wildcat territory on the legs of running back Hunter Day - who picked up 76 yards on 19 carries - and a nice pass from quarterback Chris Welch to Jordan Ferreira. Another fourth down pass to Josh Butler was no good, however, and the Wildcats got the ball back. West Bridgewater picked up 5 first downs before captain Brian Flaherty run it in from the two-yard line for the score. Nantucket denied the conversion toss and the Wildcats led 12-0 as the half ended.

The second half wasn't kind to the Whalers as West Bridgewater scored two touchdowns within a minute of each other, one on a 46- yard scoring run by Flaherty and the other on a quarterback keeper by Nunes after West Bridgewater recovered a fumble on the Nantucket four yard line.

The Whalers were down but not out, as Nantucket scored in the fourth quarter. Nice catches by Delroy Lawrence and Evan Hourihan, and a first down run by Jamison Viera gave Nantucket a first and goal at the six-yard line. Day then found daylight on second down, giving the Whalers a lift and their first touchdown since the second period of the season opener against Southeastern.

West Bridgewater now leads the Mayflower Small division with a 3-0 league record, and 4-1 overall.

Nantucket travels to Holbrook this week to take on the Bulldogs, winners of two in a row: a 14-12 victory over Cape Cod Tech and a 14-0 shutout of Tri-County. Holbrook and West Bridgewater both sit atop the Mayflower Small with 4-1 overall records, but Holbrook is 2-1 in league play, with its loss coming in an earlier game against Tri-County. Holbrook has yet to lose at home

this season, going 3-0 so far. I