NORTH READING — It wasn’t exactly gang-busters, but on a night where 2-7 Ipswich came to play, North Reading High got the job done.
The Hornets, now 8-1 and 4-0 in CAL/NEC4, will tangle with arch-rival Lynnfield, also 4-0 in conference, for the title on Thanksgiving morning.
The swarming Tigers held Hornet steamroller Carl Lipani to just 63 yards on 24 tries, but North Reading made plays when it had to and also got a little lucky.
C.J. McCarthy plowed in for an 8-yard TD run, his second score of the night to give the Hornets a 13-7 lead in the third quarter.
North Reading’s PAT kick was blocked, and then touched by Ipswich, making the ball live.
When Evan Wade pounced on it, it made the score 15-7 North Reading, and those two points proved to be the difference.
Both teams had chances in the fourth, and Ipswich had the Hornets on their heels in the waning moments.
But John Fortes stymied the drive with a huge sack, and Wade put it on ice with a final interception at the Hornet 1-yard line with 11 seconds left.
agateHed:North Reading 15, Ipswich 13
Ipswich (2-8): 0 7 6 — 13
North Reading (8-1): 0 7 8 — 15
Second Quarter
NR — C.J. McCarthy 69 pass from Jackson Kellogg (Mike Disanto kick)
I — Peter Moutevelous 6 run (Peter Smith kick)
Third Quarter
NR — McCarthy 8 run (Evan Wade conversion)
I — Moutevelous 84 run (rush failed)
NORTH READING LEADERS
RUSHING: NR — Carl Lipani 24-63, C.J. McCarthy 11-22, Mike Cresta 4-31, Scott McDonough 1-2, Jackson Kellogg 1-0
PASSING: NR — Kellogg 1-1, 69
RECEIVING: NR — McCarthy 1-69
Lunch Break: What to do with the Phillies?
Bottalico thinks Pettibone's fate is not set in stone
McCarthy and Wheeler recap Phillies' 10-5 loss in Colorado
Does prolonging the selection of a starting QB affect the Eagles?
Isenhour and Sigel recap the second round of the U.S. Open
Fay says Merion members and neighbors are the real winners this week
Thursday U.S. Open Highlights
What's Brewing: U.S. Open starts; Phils snap skid
A wet and rough opening round at Merion
Bubba Watson on Merion: 'It's a beast'
Merion's toughness disproving naysayers
Why has Mickelson excelled on Day 1 of the U.S. Open?
Is Tiger the favorite to win the U.S. Open?
'Red-eye' flight before tournament nothing new for Mickelson
Mickelson: 'This is the best setup I've seen for a U.S. Open'
McCarthy and Wheeler recap Phillies' fifth straight loss
Alert: Round 1 of U.S. Open suspended
Feinstein is concerned wet conditions could turn the greens into 'target practice'
The history behind the iconic Hogan 1-iron photo
What will be Merion's game plan should heavy flooding return?
Globe 10.0: What's wrong with Jon Lester?
Championship Today: Fatigue is not a worry
Globe 10.0: is Doc Rivers staying or leaving?
Don Cherry on Bruins-Hawks, Rask-Thomas, and more
Dupont and Silva on why the Bruins won game 2
Jaromir Jagr did everything but score in Bruins OT thriller
Tyler Seguin on setting up the Game 2 OT winner
Julien: 'The further the game went, the better we got'
Haggerty: Anything from the third line would be welcome at this point
Julien: Horton is day-to-day
Giardi: Seguin needs to have more battle
Felger: What if that Pats choose Tebow over Mallet?
Mazz: The Red Sox are running out of pitching options
Patriots owner claims Russian president Vladimir Putin pocketed his 2005 Super Bowl ring
Kraft Discusses Tim Tebow Signing With Patriots
SportsNet Central Update: Tim Tebow is a Patriot; Bruins leave for Chicago
Fans give send-off to Boston Bruins
Tim Tebow addresses media
Curran on Tebow: 'It's a mercy signing'
