Friday, May 24, 2013
By MARK JEANNERET Special to the Press Herald
PORTLAND - There's really only one way to describe Deering's first football win of the season -- sweet.
Kenny Sweet threw two touchdown passes, rushed for 136 yards and picked off a pair of passes to lead the Rams (1-4) to a 28-9 win over Biddeford in a Western Class A game Friday night at Deering's Memorial Field.
"I didn't want to go 0-5 in my senior year," Sweet said after what he thought was the best all-around performance of his football career.
"We've been so close all year and we made it clear in the locker room tonight that we weren't losing this week."
Sweet led by example and provided a glimpse of what was to come to start the game.
The senior quarterback returned the opening kickoff 37 yards, leaving the Rams at Biddeford's 34.
He gained another 21 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Two plays later, Dominic Lauture scored on a 9-yard run to make it 7-0 one minute into the game.
The quick start injected some much need confidence for the Rams.
"That was good and it was about time," said Lauture.
The Tigers (1-4) scored following a 52-yard punt by Corey Creeger that pinned the Rams on their 5.
A high snap to Sweet in shotgun formation forced Sweet into the end zone. The miscue gave Biddeford's defense plenty of time to swarm Sweet for a safety to cut Deering's lead to 7-2.
The Rams increased their lead to 14-2 early in the second quarter when Sweet found Ricardo Delgado wide open for a 50-yard touchdown.
"Kenny is a three-year player and we challenged him, as well as everybody else tonight, to go out and make plays," said Deering Coach Jon Gallant.
"He's a great leader and he really gets us going on how hard he plays. He runs the ball hard and he is usually good for a couple of big hits each game."
Biddeford cut the lead to five midway through the second quarter when it went 70 yards for a score.
Nick Leblond's 23-yard run on a key fourth-and-3 at midfield and then his 16-yard touchdown pass to Matt Cote highlighted the drive that made 14-9 at the half.
Deering started quickly in the second half.
The Rams restored a 12-point lead less than a minute into the third quarter when Dan Marzilli picked off a Leblond pass and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. The score gave the Rams a 21-9 lead.
Sweet, who registered his two interceptions in the second half, completed the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown pass to James Doyle with just over a minute left in the game.
"We knew they were a better football team than their record indicated," said Biddeford Coach Scott Descoteaux.
"We had to come in here and play a good football game to have a chance.
"When it mattered the most we weren't executing the way we needed to on either side of the ball."
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