Whalers beat Cape Cod Tech, 14-12

PHOTO BY ROB BENCHLEY

Senior captain Jamison Viera in the celebration after the win and his last game for the Nantucket Whalers. PHOTO BY ROB BENCHLEY Nantucket fans witnessed a thriller on Friday night. The Whalers lost the first half 12- 0, but won the critical second half over the Cape Cod Tech Crusaders by rattling off 14 unanswered points. The 14- 12 victory capped off Coach John Aloisi's inaugural season after taking the reins from legendary coach Vito Capizzo. The stunning upset victory over the Mayflower Large Crusaders was sweet and took the sting out of not playing Martha's Vineyard for the Island Cup this weekend. Nantucket improved to a winning 6-5 record, 5-3 in the Mayflower Small, which included a stint as co-leaders of the division and in sight of a berth in the post-season.

The game would come down to the two-point conversion. The Crusaders scored in each of the first two quarters dominating Nantucket on their way to racking up 224 rushing yards by Taylor Inkley. Cape Tech scored first, marching 60 yards in 4:20. The missed conversion would prove to be pivotal. The Whalers could only muster two first downs in the period.

In the second quarter, Cape Tech continued moving at will, opening up holes in a usually impenetrable Whaler defensive line that was missing stalwart Mike Molta, who had been injured one minute into the quarter. Quarterback Jamison Viera relinquished QB duties to fill in for Molta, putting backup Taylor Hughes into the QB slot. The impact of Molta's loss was compounded by lineman Chris Santangello's exit due to injury a few minutes later.

"This week we knew we would have a very difficult time running the ball against a team that was much bigger than us," Aloisi explained. "Taylor has had enough experience in practice and games in taking a lot of snaps and allows us to still get the ball in Jamie's hands, the guy we want touching the ball the most; Taylor has an excellent arm. If we can get both guys on the field at the same time, we want to do it."

The Crusaders ate up seven minutes of the second quarter, mounting a 16-play drive that started on their own six. After Nantucket closed ranks, Viera intercepted on the Nantucket seven and ran it back to Nantucket's 20 with about a minute to go before halftime. Nantucket made a calculated risk not to take a knee to run out the clock. Instead, Hughes aired it out trying to tie it up. Nantucket was forced to punt after getting stalled on the 16. It took Cape Tech just 27 seconds and three plays to turn around and go 45 yards, aided by two costly personal fouls committed by Nantucket on the same play. However, Cape Tech could not convert again for the two. Cape Tech went into the break up 12- 0.

"In the first half, we had some chances on offense, but our defense could not get off the field," Aloisi said. "We reinforced the importance of executing the game plan as Cape Tech was doing nothing unexpected."

The second half opened with Nantucket capitalizing on first possession, continuing to go to the air after running only one play on the ground in the first half. It took Nantucket 1:11 to put six on the board on three pass plays over 57 yards, to Benson for seven, Viera for 26 and the TD to Terrel Correia. More importantly, Hughes and Correia connected for the two point conversion to make it 12- 8.

Nantucket needed a big play and got one on the Crusaders' next possession, when Andrew Benson recovered a Crusader fumble, giving Nantucket great field position on Nantucket's 41. Nantucket knocked out Cape Tech QB Mike Brigham on the play, who would return intermittently and not be very effective. The Whalers faced third and goal on the nine with less than five left in the quarter. Hughes was in trouble on the blitz as he rolled out. Viera managed to get behind the defense deep in the end zone when Hughes fired the ball into Viera's hands. The missed two point conversion left Nantucket vulnerable at 14-12.

Nantucket went into the fourth quarter protecting the paper slim lead. The Crusaders helped by coughing up the ball on the third play of the quarter when Jonathan Vollans recovered the ball on Cape Tech's 31. A personal foul moved the ball to their 16. Cape Tech eventually took over on downs but mired on its own 17. The last four minutes of the game provided excitement as Cape Tech marched down to Nantucket's 13 threatening to take the lead.

Making the first of two key plays, Tim Marsh sacked Brigham forcing a fourth and 13 with just under three minutes to go. Nantucket needed its biggest play of the game. Brigham dropped back out of the shotgun and dumped a 12-yarder to Jacob Taylor who charged towards the goal line. Viera honed in as the gap was closing and dropped Taylor just shy of pay dirt. The Whalers had taken over on downs with 1:49 to go and the Crusaders out of timeouts.

Nantucket had to make a first down in order to run out the clock. Hughes combined with Viera for three straight plays moving the ball out to the 26 and a first down with seconds left. Fittingly, sophomore Hughes stepped out as quarterback and handed the position back to senior captain Viera for his last snap as the Whaler QB. Viera took his final knee as time ran out and closed out an outstanding career as a Nantucket Whaler. Aloisi will feel the absence of Viera next fall. "The loss of Jamie will be tough. He is our leader and goto guy." Hughes went 11 for 24 for 147 passing yards on the day, while Correia tallied 3/32 (24- yard TD/2-point conversion) and Viera had 4 carries for 58 yards (9-yard TD).

"I enjoyed the first year. It is a good team of coaches and I am proud of the players for their effort and commitment," praised Aloisi. "As a coaching staff, we are so thrilled that the seniors (Viera, Santangello, Josh Sibley-Liddle, Rasheed Smith, Curren Huyser, LaMarcus Lewis and Eddie Moreau) were able to end their careers with a win. This is a program that has to continue to mature in many ways. We need to significantly improve the consistency of our commitment level and work ethic. We need to get stronger, both in mind and body. I see a program with talent and potential. The coaching staff is excited about next year." I