A Super Day At Gillette Ends With Division 6 Title

FOXBORO - For three months and a few hours in December, the exchange between Stoneham quarterback Deshawn Chase and Christos Argyropoulos was almost taken for granted.

But with less than four minutes left in the Division 6 Super Bowl the unthinkable happened. The ball was on the turf at Gillette Stadium and Old Rochester's Jonathan Borsari had fallen on top of it. The Bulldogs had the ball and a 20-18 lead.

But Stoneham didn't win 11 games going into Saturday by letting their rare mistakes bother them. Instead, it was the Spartans turn to fall on a loose ball, ORR's third turnover of the game. With 3:21 remaining and the ball back in their possession thanks to Jonathan Neal's recovery, it was Chase handing off to Argyropolous again. This time it worked to perfection, resulting in a 42-yard touchdown run for Argyropoulos, his 33rd of the season. Chase hit Chris Dragone with the conversion and the Spartans held on to win their first MIAA Super Bowl title, 26-20.

"Coach always says if something bad happens just forget about it," said Argyropolous, who finished with 113 yards rushing on 19 carries. "I did the best I could do on the next play. He trusted me with the ball again, and I ended up being able to make it to the end zone."

Stoneham was ahead, 12-7, at the half but it played the last 20 minutes minus Seth Russell, who hurt his knee in the second quarter after scoring the first Spartan touchdown on an 11-yard run.

"Losing a couple players early, especially Seth Russell, was really hard to overcome," said coach Bob Almeida. "Chris Dragone came in and made some huge plays for us. For him to step up in that situation and play the way he did was incredible. And we had to replace [Russell] on defense and Jake Bruno came in, a freshman who literally gets two snaps a week playing safety. He was forced to come in and did a great job for us."

And so did Argyropoulos, who has had so many great moments this fall that Almeida was almost out of words to describe his senior leader. Almost.

"That was an absolutely heroic performance and a heroic run by him to close out that game," said Almeida. "He was really hurting, he had some physical stuff going on. I almost had to take him out. He's a special player."

With the lead at the break, the second half had a promising start when Stoneham's kickoff was mishandled by ORR and Jonathan Neal recovered. But a holding call negated a drive and ORR took over on its 25-yard line. That's when it became the Desmond Dias show, with the senior back carrying nine times in an 11-play drive, including an 8-yard run that put the Bulldogs up, 13-12.

Old Rochester then embraced Stoneham's year-long kickoff style and recovered an onside kick at their 49. On the second play, Bulldogs' quarterback Cole McIntyre hit Adam Breault with a 47-yard touchdown pass and Ryan Thomas' extra point made it 20-12 ORR with 2:28 to go in the third.

ORR tried another onside kick after the score but this time Stoneham's Thomas Pizzi made them pay, returning the kick to the 19-yard line. Five plays later Dragone scored from 2 yards out but the conversion was stopped and Stoneham was behind 20-18 as time ran out in the third. Heading into the final 10 minutes, each team had scored three touchdowns but Stoneham was 0-for-3 on conversions, while ORR had two successful kicks from Thomas.

ORR held the ball for eight plays to start the fourth but turned it over on downs with 7:10 remaining. That's when Stoneham went on a promising drive with seven plays that put the ball at the ORR 28. But on the eighth play, the Chase to Argyropoulos handoff resulted in a turnover that appeared ominous for Stoneham's Super Bowl hopes.

But on the Bulldogs' second play, Dias (14 carries, 72 yards) was stripped and although the ORR sideline felt he was down, the officials gave the ball to Stoneham. That meant Chase and Argyropoulos had another chance and they took advantage of it. After Argyropoulos scored, ORR still had time but the Bulldogs fumbled again, their fourth turnover. Stoneham was able to run out the clock with Chase (10 carries, 42 yards and a touchdown) getting a first down that sealed the outcome.

"It's a great feeling. We were one game short last year. It's just unbelievable. We're a great team and we have a great bond. Winning it with your family, there's no better feeling," said Argyropoulos.

His coach agreed.

"I'm absolutely elated. To have my family, my brother on the sideline, my best friends here supporting us and the whole town being the way this is, it's just the greatest feeling in the world," said Almeida. "I've never experienced anything like this in sports as a player or as a coach. I couldn't be happier. I couldn't be prouder."

Photos by Bob Holmes