Watertown Football opened the season at home on Sept. 5 and lost a hard-fought game 36-22 to Whittier. Twenty-one days later the Raiders finally got to play home game number two on the schedule, and it was everything they wished for, and then some. Watertown scored on the opening drive, and on this night it would have been enough, but Watertown scored four more times on the way to a 35-0 defeat of Brookline. Watertown’s reward for moving to 2-1 on the season? The start of league play, on the road, at 3-0 Stoneham, coming off a bye week. But that’s a story for another day.
Friday night, coming off their own bye week, the Raiders looked sharp on both sides of the ball. Exhibit A … After Brookline won the toss and deferred, Watertown received the opening kick off and then proceeded to go on a 15-play drive, covering 75 yards and ending with a QB keeper for the first score of the game. The drive took almost 11 minutes, ladies and gentleman, and included six first downs, and a highlight reel of plays by Patrick McHugh both running and catching the ball. QB Coleman Keuchkarian-McKeen used his wheels effectively as well, twice keeping the drive alive with first-down runs.
Watertown’s defense tackled well all night, and limited Brookline to small gains and one first down on their first possession, but then forced them to punt. Watertown then went 63 yards on three plays to make it 14-0. A 15-yard run by Pineda, an 11-yard run by Mike Ramirez, and a 37 yard QB draw that sent Keuchkarian-McKeen to the house — it also brought down the house as a pro-Watertown crowd cheered in glee!
After another Brookline punt Watertown started at their own 33. This possession highlighted the Watertown QB’s arm. He connected with co-captain Gabe Oliveira to the tune of a 29-yard gain. Three plays later, while rolling to his weak side to avoiding a sack, CKM reared back and on his heels sent a spiral towards the corner just short of the end zone. There, Mason Lamacchia, who had lost the Brookline Defensive back, pulled in the great throw and tiptoed his way in the end zone without stepping out of bounds. Exciting stuff, and a 21-0 lead at the half.
Brookline had to make something happen, and their hope was having the ball first to start the third would do the trick. Nope. Three plays and out and Brookline had to punt. Watertown, for the only time all night, turned the ball back to Brookline on downs. But, after a couple of first downs, a Peter Pavlidis sack followed by two incomplete passes led to another Brookline punt. The snap was muffed and Watertown recovered the ball on the Brookline 10 yard line — first and goal! Three Jayden Pineda carries later the Raiders were in the end zone again.
By now Brookline was demoralized. They went three and out again, and Watertown capped a n efficient night with a 10-play drive that saw Ramirez, McHugh, Oliveira and Keuchkarian-McKeen all carry the ball, taking the Raiders from their own 39 to first and goal once again. This time McHugh finished the job with a nice cutback run to end the scoring. Five touchdowns, four on the ground and one by air, and 5 PAT kicks by Joe Wilson gave Watertown a neat and tidy and efficient and spirited 35-0 non-league win versus Brookline. It surely felt good (it sure looked good), and now the challenge will be to bring their A-Game on the road a week from Friday at Stoneham as league play begins Oct. 3.
Before the game, Watertown Football did what they are doing all season at home, and that is recognize a particular group or cause or organization. Game one was the Veterans. Friday was First Responders, and police officer Kerry Kelly was chosen to be Honorary Captain; she walked with the captains to midfield. We thank her and all her fellow officers, and all Watertown First Responders for all they do for the citizens of this city!!
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Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
1:30… Watertown 7 Brookline 0… 1 yard TD Run, Keuchkarian-McKeen, PAT Kick, Wilson
2nd Quarter
7:45… Watertown 14 Brookline 0… 37 yard TD Run, Keuchkarian-McKeen, PAT Kick, Wilson
1:40… Watertown 21 Brookline 0… 30 yard TD Pass Keuchkarian-McKeen to Lamacchia, PAT Kick, Wilson
3rd Quarter
8:15… Watertown 28 Brookline 0… 1 yard TD Run, Pineda, PAT Kick, Wilson
4th Quarter
4:20… Watertown 35 Brookline 0… 4 yard TD Run, McHugh, PAT Kick, Wilson
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1 2 3 4 F
Brookline 0 0 0 0 0
Watertown 7 14 7 7 35