BOXFORD – With each team at 1-1 in the league and 3-3 overall, Friday’s high school football game between Danvers and Masconomet is essentially a battle to stay alive for the MIAA Tournment, starting in a couple of weeks. In a three-way tie for second place in the Dunn Division of the Northeastern Conference, Chieftains coach Gavin Monagle believes his team is ready to push for the playoffs when the Falcons visit Friday night for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
Masconomet High School football coach Gavin Monagle
From the Salem News:
MAX CONLEY
Masconomet Senior
Linebacker
First and foremost, a linebacker’s job is to make sure tackles and stop the run. Knocking down passes is something of a bonus … intercepting them and putting points on the board is like hitting the lottery.
Masconomet senior linebacker Max Conley hit the jackpot in the rain Thursday night against Salem. In the final minute of the first half, the host Witches faced third down deep in their own territory and tries to pass out of the trouble. Conley read the play, kept his eyes on the quarterback and stepped in front of Salem’s tight end to pick off the pass. He then sped from the middle of the field to the far sideline, going back 17 yards for a touchdown to give Masco a 24-0 lead they parlayed into a 38-0 victory.
“That was a super read by Max,” said head coach Gavin Monagle. “It really was one of the bigger plays in the game in that it really helped us put them away.”
Salem has a pretty good rushing attack between the tackles and Conley had a tremendous game stuffing the run in addition to his turnover heroics. Now 3-3 on the season, the Chieftains host Danvers this Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
