By Jared Keene
NEFJ Staff

LEOMINSTER – No game in three weeks for Catholic Memorial, no problem.

After dropping a close one to Cardinal Hayes (NY) in the opening week, the Knights had a scheduled bye in week two before their week three game against St. Francis (NY) was unfortunately canceled due to illness.

But the long layoff between games didn’t seem to affect CM much at all. The Knights got six total touchdowns (four pass, two rush) from junior quarterback Kise Flannery and scored four times in the second quarter en route to a dominant 56-28 doubling up of previously unbeaten Leominster at Doyle Field on Friday.

“It feels great,” Flannery said of the win. “Our last game got canceled and we were bummed because we all wanted to play. But it feels great to come out here and get the dub for coach. We said after our first game that we’re not going to lose another one and this is a good start.”

As DiBiaso mentioned, it didn’t take long for his team to get on the board.

After a quick three-and-out by the hosts, Boston College-bound running back Mekhi Dodd took a handoff around right, made a couple moves and broke a couple tackles before heading back left and cruising in for a 60-yard score. Morgan Lenehan (8-of-8 PAT) converted the point after for a 7-0 lead just 2:05 into the game.

“I thought we got off to a good start with Mekhi busting a long one on the first play,” CM coach John DiBiaso said. “It really gave us momentum moving forward.”

CM (1-1) took a 14-6 lead into the second, which is when the visitors blew the game wide open.

It started with Flannery finding paydirt from 11 yards out. On the ensuing kick, Lenehan put some wild backspin on it and the Knights were able rush down the field and recover it deep in Leominster territory. Two plays later, Flannery hit Caleb Garrity for a 27-yard strike and it was quickly 28-6.

On the next CM possession, Flannery did a nice job of eluding pressure before finding a wide open Dodd down the right sideline for an easy 59-yard touchdown. Leominster (3-1) responded when Osiris Lopez hit Jaidis Delgado from three yards out and Ryan Ricker fell on Lopez’z fumble in the end zone for two more to make it 35-14.

But the Knights came right back, riding Flannery’s arm, as he eventually hit Isaiah Simmons on a crossing route for a 14-yard score. CM took a 42-14 lead into the half.

“We’re very blessed on the offensive side of the ball to have some great skill players,” DiBiaso said. “Our quarterback Kise Flannery did a great job distributing the ball to all the receivers and running backs, and, of course, the offensive line played great too.”

“We practice everything that we do every day in practice to perfection,” Flannery said of the offensive rhythm. “That really showed tonight. Mekhi set the tone on the first play. We just built off that energy and had a great game.”

Both teams scored twice in the second half, with Xavier Cora getting things started with a 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown before a Flannery 13-yard score.

CM’s Joshua Pena scored from a yard out early in the fourth quarter before Aramis Reyes wrapped things up fr