Lee Downs Monument, Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive

LEE, Mass. -- Senior night at Lee High School ended in favor of the home team, 27-0, against rival Monument Mountain.

 

Prior to the game the Wildcats (4-4) not only were looking for a bragging rights win, but the extra points to get a chance at tournament play come the post-season.

 

"We talked to them all week, playoffs aside, whatever goes on after this, this is our biggest rivalry, this was Monument week," Lee coach Keith Thompson said. "We were just focused on them and we'll deal with the rest of it as it comes, we had a good week of practice, we saw some things that we definitely thought we could take advantage of in the passing game and we were able to do that."

 

Lee certainly executed its game plan, starting with its first drive down the field. Quarterback Cam Abderhalden threw into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown throw to Pat Finnegan. Nick Wood kicked for the extra point to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead with 5 minutes, 36 seconds to go in the first quarter.

 

On Monument's first attempt to drive up the field, the ball was intercepted at the 22-yard line by Lee's Mike Hurley, giving the Wildcats the first of three interceptions for the game.

 

"That was a big first drive, to go down the field and get a score," Thompson said. "And what can I say about our defense, two or three times they were inside the 10-yard line and came away with nothing, they did a great job."

 

On Monument's final play of the first quarter from first and goal the Wildcats were able to get a stop; leaving the score at 7-0 after one.

 

In the second quarter, the Wildcats got into the end zone twice: both touchdowns scored by Ryan Ruef; the first came on a 6-yard run and the second from the 5-yard line.

 

Casey Blair intercepted a Monument Mountain throw with 4:56 on the clock, putting the ball back in their possession, where Lee drove down the field, resulting in Ruef's second touchdown, which came with 48 seconds remaining in the half.

 

Lee led at halftime, 20-0.

 

Monument opened the third quarter driving and had a good look its first score; a Lee penalty and then a 20-yard throw from quarterback Brandon Perry put the Spartans at the 12-yard line, where Perry took a shot at the end zone. But the pass was incomplete as the Wildcat defense was there to break up the play.

 

Blair found himself making one more interception in the fourth quarter to take over on the 35-yard line; this time Monument's defense stood up, returning the favor with a Perry INT.

 

But the Wildcats answered immediately. On the next play Aberderhalden picked off Perry's pass at the 50-yard line and returned it to the red zone with less than 2 minutes on the clock.

 

Lee's final score of the game came from Omar Pichardo, running it in from the 3 yard line to secure the 27-0 victory.

 

"We have no idea until Sunday exactly what the deal is, we think we're in, but we'll wait until it's official to find out who we're playing and then we will start prepping for them," Thompson said about looking further into the post-season.

 

Monument finishes 2-5 and looks forward to two weeks of consolation games against teams to be determined.