BOXFORD — For the 12 days leading up to yesterday's showdown with Masconomet, North Andover was riding the excitement of playing for the school's first playoff spot since 2005.
But that excitement came to a crashing halt early as North Andover found out just how tough it is to stop Chris Splinter and Evan Bunker.
"We had some good plans coming in but we just didn't execute today," said sophomore quarterback Brandon Walsh following North Andover's 40-20 loss in the Cape Ann League Large winner-take-all showdown.
Masconomet, behind a combined 277 yards from Splinter and Bunker, won the title for the fourth straight year and moves into Tuesday's Division 2A playoff semifinals.
"We had our opportunities but we just didn't take it," said Walsh, who was harassed into an uncharacteristic 6-of-22 passing for 46 yards.
North Andover's offense never got on track and Masconomet's was never derailed.
The Chieftains (9-2, 5-0 CAL Large) made good on their first three scoring chances, which all started in North Andover territory (43, 45 and 40). A 1-yard sneak from Splinter was followed by a 26-yard TD dash from Bunker before the first quarter was over.
Early in the second quarter, the duo hooked-up on a 22-yard pass to put the Knights (8-3, 3-2 CAL Large) in an 18-0 hole.
"We really just didn't come to play today. We just didn't have it," said Scarlet Knights back Jack Murphy.
A Splinter interception gave North Andover an opportunity to make a game of it. Sophomore Bobby Trickett took the second-quarter interception to the Masconomet 2, setting up a TD run from Zac Iovanella.
In his final game as a Knight, Iovanella rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns.
But Bunker and 16th-ranked Masco quickly defused North Andover's comeback attempt with a three-play, 58-yard drive that culminated when Bunker scored from 35 yards out.
"Trickett made a great play and hopefully we were going to gain some momentum," said Murphy. "But we couldn't do it."
Unfortunately for the Knights, the game was out of reach when Iovanella scored on runs of 18 and 4 yards late in the fourth.
Iovanella wrapped up his brilliant career with 45 TDs and 3,029 rushing yards over the last three seasons.
Masconomet 40, North Andover 20
North Andover (8-3):âÇ0âÇâÇ7âÇ0âÇ13 — 20
Masconomet (9-2):12âÇ14âÇ7âÇâÇ7 — 40
First Quarter
M — Chris Splinter 1 run (kick failed), 5:39
M — Evan Bunker 16 run (pass failed), 0:23
Second Quarter
M — Bunker 22 pass from Splinter (pass failed), 7:13
NA — Zac Iovanella 1 run (Dylan Lurvey kick), 2:39
M — Bunker 35 run (Splinter rush), 1:43
Third Quarter
M — Splinter 58 run (Bunker kick), 6:57
Fourth Quarter
M — Splinter 1 run (Bunker kick), 7:52
NA — Iovanella 18 run (kick failed), 4:24
NA — Iovanella 4 run (Lurvey kick), 2:44
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: NA (26-148) — Zac Iovanella 15-111, Jack Murphy 9-32, Brandon Walsh 2-5; Masco (35-296) — Evan Bunker 19-146, Chris Splinter 9-131, Dylan Mann 1-11, Tim Towler 2-4, Jake Lawrence 1-3, Drew Kenney 1-1, Ben Panuzio 2-0
PASSING: NA — Walsh 6-22-0, 46; Masco (6-10-2, 44) — Splinter 6-8-2, 44; Bunker 0-2-0, 0
RECEIVING: NA — Jon Swanton 2-12, David Foote 2-10, John Hufziger 1-12, Murphy 1-12; Masco — Bunker 3-33, Braden Kowalski 1-11, Lawrence 1-0
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