By Mukala Kabongo

NEFJ Staff

WESTON — Catholic Memorial punched its ticket to Gillette Stadium for the fifth time in seven years after a 49-7 victory over Wellesley.

Last year Catholic Memorial had a chance to get back to the state championship game for a third straight year but those hopes came to an end at the hands of Marshfield. This season the Knights focus was getting back to the top.

The beginning of their state semifinals game did not look so good. The Knights turned the ball over three times. Quarterback Kise Flannery threw an interception on his first pass attempt of the game and the Knights found themselves down 7-0 against the underdog Raiders.

Wellesley’s confidence was high, its fans were loud and momentum seemed to be on their side.

“We’re a pretty experienced team,” said Catholic Memorial head coach John DiBiaso. “We’ve been through some big games against quality opponents.”

The Knights responded in a big way. After the Raiders touchdown, Catholic Memorial scored 49 unanswered points. Isaiah Simmons got things going with a 15-yard touchdown run. Kicker Morgan Lenehan missed the extra point to make it 7-6.

Despite that one scoring drive the Knights’ defense played outstanding the entire game. Wellesley’s offense had a hard time moving the ball on a defense that came to hit. After a three and out, the offense once again marched right down the field. This time Mehki Dodd finished the drive with a touchdown run.

“Mehki and Lasean are as good of a backfield as you’re going to see,” DiBiaso said.

The offense continued to roll after its defense once again gave the Raiders offense nothing. After David Timson intercepted Prock, Flannery connected with Gavin Brown on a deep ball that made it a two-score game.

The Knights picked off Prock once again on their next defensive possession, this time it was Orion Fernandez who gave the Knights the ball back, Fernandez returned it for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. That did not deter the Knights offense, Flannery just a few plays after the interception connected with Isaiah Simmons on short pass and Simmons did the rest by evading multiple defenders to get in the end zone for a second time.

Sharp put the game well in hand in the third quarter when he broke loose for a 97-yard touchdown run on the Knights’ first offensive possession of the second half.

Another trip to the Super Bowl for DiBiaso, who will be in his 23rd Super Bowl as a head coach, and they will be facing a familiar foe in King Phillip, who defeated Marshfield.

“We’re very familiar, they’re very familiar, and it should be a hell of a game,” DiBiaso said.

Catholic Memorial will look to capture a third state title in four years but first they have their focus on BC High on Thanksgiving. A win gives the Knights an outright Catholic Conference regular season championship.