Westwood Knocks Off Medfield, 28-7 for First TVL Large Win

Leading 28-7 with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the ball at its own goal line, Westwood could have easily given up a meaningless touchdown and left Medfield with a win Thursday night.

But as the Warriors learned, nothing comes easy against the Wolverines football team.

Westwood senior defensive back Matt Cannon showed the type of effort and attitude head coach Ed Mantie expects from his football team.

“Matt Cannon made all three plays,” Mantie said of his team’s defensive stand on the goal line to end the game. “He chased the kid down at the goal line to keep them out. He made the stop there on the iso play and either him or our other safety picked off the pass. That’s just playing to the end, that’s what we’re trying to [teach] to these kids . . . That’s it, play to the end. Play for four quarters and be in condition enough to be able to do that. That kind of summarizes what we’re all about.”

It also summarizes the night for both teams in Westwood’s 28-7 victory over host Medfield. The Wolverines (5-0, 1-0), behind a strong second half, won their first Tri-Valley League Large Division game of the season while sending the Warriors to 0-2 in league play.

“We seem to be a second-half football team, and I’d rather be a second half football team,” Mantie said. “We were battling and may not have been pretty but we got it done.”

Westwood opened the game on a 13-play, 6:10 drive that resulted in quarterback Glenn Parsons connecting with receiver Nick Wisialko on a 12-yard touchdown pass. The extra point failed but the Wolverines jumped ahead early, 6-0.

“We had talked about that coming out and be ready to play some football,” Mantie said. “That first drive, I want to say set the tone, but it really didn’t set the tone because we didn’t play real well after that. To get points up on the board at least level the playing field a little bit with their emotions and we made some big plays on third and fourth down and a heck of a catch in the endzone by [Wisialko].”

Medfield was able to keep Westwood’s offense in check for most of the first half following the opening drive touchdown, including a big defensive stop on a Wolverines’ drive that started at the MHS seven-yard line. Westwood came away with no points on the drive after a missed field goal on fourth down.

“That’s credit to Medfield,” Mantie said. “They had a great defensive game plan against us. They were putting a lot of pressure on that we weren’t able to make adjustments in the first half like we wanted to. Second half we made a couple of adjustments but they played their tales off.”

Westwood sustained its second scoring drive of the half as Brandon Rodenbush scored on a two-yard run with 3:19 remaining in the second quarter. The Wolverines failed on the two-point conversion but went ahead 12-0.

Medfield answered with its lone score of the game, a two-yard touchdown run by quarterback Alex Opiela with 1:25 remaining in the half, set up by the hard running of Sam Tawa. The extra point was good and the Warriors trailed Westwood 12-7 heading into the break.

“They came out a lot more desperate than we did,” Mantie said. “They were 0-1 in the league and they knew they couldn’t get to 0-2. My hat’s off to them for the way they came out and played. We were able to weather the storm a little bit and then got it done in the second half.”

After half, it was all Westwood, outscoring Medfield 16-0. The Warriors’ offense committed three turnovers in the second half – a fumble and two interceptions – and Westwood scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Ryan Neville ran in for a touchdown from three yards out with 8:44 remaining and Parsons scored on a quarterback keeper from two yards out with 50.9 seconds remaining.

Medfield, playing hard to the final whistle, drove down the field on its final possession, getting to Westwood’s one-yard line with one second remaining on the clock. However an Opiela pass was tipped and intercepted by Westwood and the game was over.

“We did the job,” Mantie said. “We did play well and we had a good game plan, we knew what they liked to do. We knew they were a tough, physical football team. We knew they liked to pound it. The kids showed up.”

Westwood returns to action on Friday, Oct. 14 when the Wolverines host Millis/Hopedale at 7 p.m.