By Steev Riccardo

Dudley – The Shepherd Hill Rams overcame a 27-23 halftime deficit and were led by the excellent all-around play of senior co-captain Taylor Daniels to knock off the previously undefeated Auburn Rockets (8-1) 64-49 in front of a huge crowd at the Hill on Saturday night, Jan. 12.

The outstanding Rams back court of senior co-captain Tina Gauvin and junior Brooke Packard each hit 3-point shots to give the Rams a 13-11 lead after the opening quarter.

Also beat Grafton for second win of the week

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

DUDLEY – The Shepherd Hill Rams played tough interior defense and got some key baskets from Tyler Martin and Justin Terlizzi down the stretch to squeeze by the Quabbin Panthers 46-43 in Southern Worcester County League action Monday, Jan. 2, at Shepherd Hill.

The Rams opened an 11-10 first quarter lead, led by the strong inside play of sophomore power forward Chris Lindstrom, who tallied five early points.

The two teams then played a tight second quarter with the Panthers taking a 24-21 lead at the half in what had become a tough defensive struggle in which points were hard to come by.

Senior guard Tyler Martin scored six points and the Rams cut into the Panthers lead trailing by only two points, 35-33 in a third quarter that saw nine different lead changes in it.

The Rams took the lead for good with 2:10 left in the game on an enormous rebound basket by senior Justin Terlizzi.  Martin then iced the game moments later with a strong driving layup with 15 seconds left.

behind Huberdault’s 7 three-pointers

Photo: Alex Givins-Perry (#3) and Michael Rapoza (#25) fought hard all night

by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Bartlett senior co-captain Matt Huberdault had a career- high 28 points, including 7 three-pointers, to lead the Indians past the Shepherd Hill Rams 69-64 in a real thriller in front of a packed house at Bartlett on Friday night.

The Indians came out shooting early and opened an 18-12 lead after the opening quarter behind a couple of three-pointers by Huberdault and 6 points by sophomore Jacob Mailloux.

Sophomore power forward Chris Lindstrom, making his first varsity start, scored 6 points and the Rams played a strong zone defense to outscore the Indians 15-14 in the second quarter to cut the Indians lead to 32-27 at the half.

Photo: Kayla Podell (#44) tries to block a shot

by Steev Riccardo

DUDLEY -  The Shepherd Hill Rams opened a 30-5 lead in the first quarter and coasted to a 75-20 win over the Bartlett Indians in Southern Worcester County League girl’s action on Thursday night.

Junior guard Brooke Packard led the Rams in scoring with 17 points in limited action as the Rams were able to get a big lead and maintain it throughout the contest.

The Rams lineup of senior co-captain guard Tina Gauvin, senior co-captain forward Taylor Daniels, senior center Johanna L' Heureux,  junior Dominique Woods, and Packard proved too strong for the less experienced Indians, who were no match for the Rams.

The Shepherd Hill Rams lost to the Northbridge Rams 64-49 on Friday night. Freshman Michael Rapoza led the Rams with 16 points in the loss. Tyler Martin and Justin Terlizzi each added 7 points.

by Steev Riccardo

DUDLEY – The backcourt duo of senior co-captain Tina Gauvin and junior Brooke Packard each scored 13 points, combining for seven three pointers, to lead the Shepherd Hill Rams by the Millbury Woolies 50-23 in their home opener Thursday (December 13).

The Rams got off to a quick start as Gauvin, Packard and junior forward Dominique Woods all connected on three pointers that led to a 15-11 first quarter lead.

The outstanding long distance shooting continued through the second quarter and Packard and Gauvin each connected on a pair of three-pointers, but it was the stingy Rams defense that kept the Woolies intact.

Foxboro – The Shepherd Hill Rams’ outstanding season ended with a 20-6 loss to the undefeated 13-0 Nashoba Chieftains in the Central Mass Division 2 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium on Saturday morning.

After the two teams battled through a hard fought scoreless first quarter, the Chieftains took a 7-0 lead on an 18-yard run by Andrew Cross.

The Shepherd Hill Rams defeated the Doherty Highlanders 34-8 Tuesday night at Foley Stadium in Worcester to advance to the Central Mass Division 2 Super Bowl, which will be played at 11 a.m. Saturday morning at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. 

Kyle Amico (#28) runs for tough yardage

Playoffs next

By Steev Riccardo; Patriot staff photos

FISKDALE – With a playoff showdown and rematch with Doherty High School looming, the Shepherd Hill Rams overcame a 20-6 half time deficit and scored 30 unanswered points to defeat the Tantasqua Warriors 36-20 in a battle of the two regional schools on Thanksgiving morning.

The Warriors came out of the box strong and scored a pair of touchdowns to take a quick 13-0 lead behind the strong arm of quarterback Randy Harrington.

Sophomore Drew Jean-Guillaume got the Rams on the board with a 5-yard run, before the Warriors added another score and took a commanding 20-6 to the locker room.

The Rams then put together an incredible half of football, not only outscoring the Warriors, but also holding their high-powered offense scoreless in the process.

Drew Ravenelle (1-yard run) and Tyler Simmons (2-yard run) each scored third quarter touchdowns, with junior Jake Gelb adding a 5- yard run and Ravenelle putting the icing on the cake with a 57-yard run to close out the impressive comeback victory.

“Down 20-6 at halftime, our players could have very easily been down and disappointed.  However, they knew we were close and listened carefully to the coaches' half time adjustments in all three phases,” said assistant coach Ryan Dugan. “This led to probably the most complete half of football we played all season.  To outscore a team of Tantasqua's caliber 30-0 in a half is a tribute to the determination, focus and gutsiness of our players."  

Drew Jean-Guillaume just misses a Drew Ravenelle pass

Dugan credited his battle tested seniors for leading the charge and one of those seniors, Ravenelle, and possibly the team’s most valuable player this season, played his best football when it counted.

With the game tied at 20, Ravenelle completed a 26-yard pass to Drew Jean-Guillaume on 4th and 9 deep in Warrior territory, which ultimately led to Gelb’s score that put the Rams ahead for good.

"These are the plays that Drew has been making his whole career and these are the plays we expected him to make today,” said Dugan. “Drew is the unquestioned leader of this team and when it wasn't looking good at halftime he never panicked or got upset. He remained cool and calm and allowed the players to rally around him."

Ravenelle, who finished with 92 yards rushing and the two touchdowns, was given the Tony Vegnone award afterwards as the games Offensive MVP.

Dugan also singled out the play of sophomore Cam MacDonald, who got his first varsity start at linebacker due to injury.

“Cam stepped up big today.  He got his first varsity start for an injured lineman and played very well.  He is a very focused, determined kid and the performance we got out of him was far from unexpected.”

Senior Kyle Amico also had a huge game for the Rams with 90-yards rushing while adding a pair of two-point conversions. Dugan said Amico is one of the most game football players that he has ever been around.  “He has been a very steady performer in the secondary for three years, but filled in a vital role at running back today.”

Chris Dutting, who has been a solid contributor all season, also had a great game for the Rams defensively with 12 tackles, an interception, and a sack. He also had a catch for a two-point conversion.

The Rams are now one win away (Doherty) from playing in the Division 2 super bowl at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Read more about high school football and the 9-2 Shepherd Hill Rams in View From The Sidelines published every week in The Patriot and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ViewFromTheSidelines or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your feedback and comments.
 

Coach Chris Lindstrom talks to his players

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WORCESTER – The football game between the Shepherd Hill Rams and the Doherty Highlanders this past Friday night at Foley Stadium was so good that people were still talking about it the next day at the Bartlett-South game, which was also played at Foley. 

Fans, writers, players and even one Bartlett assistant coach, who during a break in his game asked me if I “saw that game last night.”  It was that good.

In the end, it was the Highlanders, as they held the Rams on three straight plays inside the ten-yard line in the last 30 seconds to secure the win, but there was no way any of the players or coaches on either sideline could have left that field with their heads down.

The Highlanders wasted little time scoring on the second play from scrimmage on a 60-yard pass play from Luke Brennan to Isaac Yaidom to take a 6-0 lead, but when the Rams Gianluca Laudone blocked the extra point attempt, you knew right away that every play was going to be hard fought.

Senior co-captain Drew Ravenelle played well in the loss

The Rams capitalized on a Highlanders fumble and tied the game on senior co-captain Drew Ravenelle’s 4-yard run with 4:28 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Highlanders regained the lead early in the second quarter, but the Rams Tyler Simmons powered the ball home and made it 14-12 after a nine-yard drive highlighted by a couple of big runs by junior Jake Gelb.

Yaidom caught his third touchdown from Brennan and the Highlanders took a 20-12 lead into the half.

The Rams then put together one of their vintage ball possession drives to open the third quarter capped by a five-yard touchdown run by senior co-captain Brad Picard to come within two points. Simmons tied it up with a two-point conversion and we were looking at a 20-20 game with a quarter left.

The Highlanders could not be outdone and put together a seven-play drive to regain the lead 26-20. Gelb came up with a big defensive play stopping the two-point conversion.

Rams junior Jake Gelb scored one of the Rams touchdowns.

Gelb continued his superb play and sparked the Rams with a big 22-yard run and an eventual one-yard score.  Ravenelle ran in for the two-point conversion and the Rams had their first lead of the game at 28-26.

The Highlanders then went to the Brennan-Yiadom combination for what was probably the play of the year when Yaidom leaped high between two Rams defenders in the end zone and came down with the ball and a 31-yard score making it 34-28 with 2:04 left.

The Rams had one more chance and they effectively moved the ball inside the Highlanders ten-yard line before being stalled on the three-yard line on fourth down and only six seconds left on the clock.

Somehow Rams head coach Chris Lindstrom was smiling afterwards and took it all in stride. “That was fun. I am pretty sure that we will see each other in a couple weeks. They are quite a football team and we got quite a football team also so it was a great battle.  It was beautiful.

“We have to make some adjustments. They are fast and athletic and we are methodical, two totally different styles,” said Lindstrom. “They made the plays they had to make tonight to win.”
 

“That was probably the best football game that I have been a part of at Shepherd Hill.  It was two very good football teams leaving absolutely everything on the field,” said Assistant Rams Coach Ryan Dugan.  

“Both teams had tremendous performances across the board. We had two chances to punch the ball into the end zone from inside the five but Doherty made two outstanding plays,” said Dugan.  “If we were able to gain those five yards, we would have been the ones celebrating and Doherty would have been in tears.  The beauty of football is that a 44-minute game came down to just three yards.”

There is a very good chance that the Rams and the Highlanders will meet again in the playoffs in a few weeks as Lindstrom alluded to afterwards and if they do it could be another classic encounter, but first the 8-2 Rams have to deal with a very good Tantasqua Warriors team in Fiskdale on Thanksgiving morning.

Dugan reiterated the importance of that game. “They are a very athletic, talented team.  They are always fired up to play us on Thanksgiving, and we will need to have a great week of preparation”. 

The Shepherd Hill cheerleaders were in great form

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