Football: Belmont Downed by Epic Medford Comeback, 36-29, in Final Home Game

Just when you thought the Belmont High School Football season couldn't have any more disappointments, the emotional nether of the season was breached under the Friday night lights as visiting Medford High School drew up a historic comeback by scoring 30 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes to stun the Marauders, 36-29, in what for more than two-and-a-half quarters Belmont played their finest football for the entire year.

The final of Medford's four touchdown explosion came when senior QB Reggie Thelemaque's pass found senior WR Rudy Louis all alone at the 10 yard line – there was no defenders within 15 yards of the receiver – due to blown coverage by Belmont's secondary for a 29-yard TD reception with 55 seconds remaining in the game to give the Mustangs their first lead, 34-29, of the game. Medford then converted on the two-point PAT for the final score in Belmont's final home game of a hard rock candy season.

"I'm just so proud how our team fought," said an emotional interim Head Coach Dean Sacca. "They gave it all they had and even more tonight," he said.  

It was a devastating loss in a game that for 30 of the 44 minutes was a career game for Belmont's all league JD Niles. The senior RB and return specialist ran and caught for well over 250 yards in a display of football mastery which included a 90-yard run down the left sideline on Belmont's second play of the game leading to a TE/RB/LB Barrett Lyon TD catch from freshman QB Chris Christofori to give Belmont an 8-0 lead early in the first quarter (Belmont faked the PAT kick as junior RB Max Jones ran in for two points). 

The third quarter was all Niles' as the senior scored three touchdowns in five minutes with runs of 11 yards (on Belmont's first drive of the half at 6:07) and 16 yards (after the Marauders recovered a fumbled kickoff at 4:43) culminating with an outstanding 75-yard kick-off return for a touchdown in which Niles reversed direction twice and outran the Mustang defenders as the student section chanted "MVP! MVP!"

Nor was Niles a one-man team; the Marauder defense played its best game of the season, preventing Medford from gaining any momentum in the first half with sacks by Wagner, Lyons and Lutz frustrating the Medford offensive line. The highlight was its goal line stance as the first half came to an end when the entire defensive line stopped short Thelemaque's quarterback dive from three yards out as time expired. 

But with the game seemingly in hand, the Marauders – in which many players play both offense and defense – began to tire entering the fourth quarter.

A Jose Lopes touchdown reception from Thelemaque with a minute remaining in the third quarter brought the score to 29-14. And despite driving to the Medford 14, Belmont could not convert a fourth and four and turned the ball over the Mustangs who drove the ball down the field behind the running of their senior QB.

Medford's senior RB and co-captain Malik McLaren scored with 6:51 remaining making the score 29-20 but the PAT was blocked which would require the Mustangs to score twice to take the lead. 

After getting a first down with a 15 yard pass from Christofori to Lyons to Belmont's 45 yard line, Niles lost the ball and turned over the ball to the Mustangs with 5:17 left. After converting on a critical 3rd down and 10 at Belmont's 43, Thelemaque found senior WR Lopes on a sideline pass to Belmont's 7 and then Thelemaque took it in for the touchdown with 3:37 remaining. With the two-point PAT to junior Damien Antonie, the Mustangs narrowed the Belmont lead to one, 29-28.

After Belmont converted a third and one with a Jones three-yard gain with 2:09 left, it appeared Belmont might hang on to their first win of the season. But an incomplete pass on a third and 5 at the Belmont 31 followed by a six-yard punt gave Medford the ball at Belmont's 37. Two plays later, Louis crossed into the end zone with the go-ahead score. 

Belmont has two games remaining in their season; this Friday, Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. vs Boston Latin at White Stadium at Franklin Park on the Roxbury/Jamaica Plain neighborhood line in Boston and the annual Thanksgiving game at rival Watertown High School on Nov. 28 at 10:30 a.m.