Whalers rush to third straight win
BY JACK MOLLOY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Sophomore fullback Jamison Viera rushed for 71 yards and the winning three yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and the Nantucket defense held Diman to 96 rushing yards and one pass completion in a 14-6 Mayflower Small League victory on Saturday in Fall River.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent Jamison Viera, seen here scoring for the junior varsity against Blue Hills, had a big day against Diman, rushing for 68 second half yards and scoring his first varsity touchdown.

The teams played to a scoreless first quarter. In second period action, senior defensive tackle Danny Kurash rocked the Diman running back, forcing a fumble that was recovered by senior safety Jordan Ferreira. Nantucket started the drive on the Diman 29 yard line and four plays later, junior tailback Hunter Day had a two yard rush for a 6-0 lead with 2:30 elapsed into the second quarter. Sophomore tailback David Loveberry gained 17 yards on the first two carries of the drive. Day then took over for the final six yards, including the two-yard touchdown run.

The Nantucket defense stopped Diman after the Bengals took over on a first and goal from the seven with Loveberry making a sack on fourth down to end the threat. On its next possession, Diman's senior running back Cory Furtado broke free up the middle for a 30-yard scoring run to knot the score at 6.

For the second week in a row, it was a fourth quarter touchdown drive that won the game for the Whalers. After a Diman punt, Nantucket took over on its own 32-yard line. On second and nine, junior quarterback Chris Welch hit Ferreira with a 33-yard pass play. Then, on second and eight, Welch hit junior Josh Butler with a 32-yard strike that brought the ball down to the Diman six. Viera rushed for three yards then scored his first career varsity touchdown on a three yard rush up the middle. Welch connected with Ferreira for the two-point conversion that made it 14-6 midway through the fourth quarter. The Viera touchdown plunge capped a six play, 68- yard drive.

The Whalers controlled the ball for much of the second half. Viera carried the ball 15 times in the second half for 68 of his 71 total yards.

The defense shone as well, limiting Diman to 8 yards rushing in the second half and forcing four turnovers in the game. Loveberry and Tomas Smaliorius turned in fine defensive efforts, as did the entire team, with most players seeing complete game action on both sides of the ball.

With their third consecutive win, the Whalers will carry that momentum into the Island Cup game on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Martha's Vineyard, which is 8-2. Tickets for the fan boat may be purchased at the high school main office. Nantucket's record improved to 3-5 overall and the Whalers finished 3-2 in the league.

The Mayflower Small title will be decided on Thanksgiving Day, when Holbrook plays West Bridgewater.

The win was coach Capizzo's 293rd career victory. Diman Regional Vo-Tech, by the way, is

Emeril Lagasse's high school. I