By Ethan Winter
NEFJ Correspondent
DUDLEY — After going just 3-8 a year ago, the Carver High football team is heading to Gillette Stadium.
Thanks to three touchdowns from senior running back Jameson Helms and a pair of TD passes from senior quarterback Tyler Lennox, the Crusaders rolled to a 44-0 blowout victory over previously unbeaten Hoosac Valley in the Division 8 semifinal at Shepherd Hill Regional High School.
Second-seeded Carver (11-0) advanced to its first statewide Super Bowl. The Crusaders previously advanced to the Div. 4 EMass. Super Bowl in 2000 where they lost 35-14 to Fairhaven.
Carver took advantage of five Hurricanes turnovers including a 30-yard scoop and score by junior Jack Balzarini that gave the Crusaders a 44-0 lead in the third quarter.
“Anytime you can reverse the field and get a short field to the endzone it helps,” Carver coach Ben Shuffain said. “I know our offense was doing whatever (they wanted), but to see the defense pitch a shutout with (five) turnovers, it’s great for the confidence, great for the team and we just look forward to moving forward.”
After the Crusaders scored a touchdown on their opening drive on a 4-yard TD run by Jameson Helms (11 carries, 80 yards, 3 TDs) to give Carver an 8-0 lead with 6:43 left in the first quarter, the Hurricanes looked to respond with a scoring drive of its own. But after the Hurricanes advanced the ball to the Carver 25-yard line, junior quarterback WIll Hakes was intercepted by senior Dylan Hurney.
The Crusaders would then go on a 92-yard scoring drive to finish the opening frame with a 25-yard TD pass from Lennox (11-for-18, 162 yards, 2 TDs) to senior wide receiver Robert Peterson as Carver took a 16-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
Hoosac again would attempt to respond with a scoring drive of its own but were stopped at the Crusaders 9-yard line, turning the ball over on downs.
“Our offensive and defensive line just absolutely dominated tonight,” Shuffain said. “The first (two) drives for Hoosac were good but we just dominated from the first play on. I’m so proud of these guys.”
Carver would then march down the field 91-yards for a touchdown capped by a 27-yard TD run by Helms – his second TD of the game – to extend the Crusaders lead to 22-0 with 2:09 remaining in the first half.
A play later Carver would get the ball again thanks to an interception by Helms, setting up a 21 yard TD pass from Lennox who would hook up with Peterson – for a score for the second time in the game – to go up 28-0 at halftime.
Another interception for Carver – this time by senior lineman Nathan Dirado – on the opening drive of the second half set up Helms’ third touchdown of the game, from four yards out to extend the Crusaders lead to 36-0 with 8:31 left in the third quarter.
“Our grade, it’s been special for Carver all our lives,” Helms said. “We’ve always been a standout class and we knew from a young age that we would do some damage when we got older and it was just a matter of time.”
The Crusaders will play the winner of Saturday’s game between top-seeded West Boylston (10-0) and No. 4 Cathedral (7-2) in the state final at Gillette Stadium (date and time to be determined).
“Whole lot of losing in our time,” Helms said. “It’s good to see some winning.”
