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Keyport 24 Shore 21 |
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Maguire
propels Keyport
BY JOHN FORTUNA - STAFF WRITER - NOVEMBER 26, 2009
KEYPORT — Jimmy Maguire
lingered on the field for a few minutes after Thursday, helmet still strapped to
his head, not wanting to let go of the day, of his team and of his days as a
high school football player.
Maguire had just finished his career in grand style - scoring two touchdowns,
throwing for another and intercepting three passes - leading Keport to a 24-21
Shore Conference Patriot Division victory over Shore, yet the day was already
turning bittersweet.
"It's tough to leave," Maguire said. "It's tough to leave my teammates and my
coaches. We've been together every day for four years. We're a family."
Maguire gave his extended Keyport family a holiday to remember him by. After a
scoreless first quarter, he intercepted a Shore pass at the Blue Devils 39-yard
line. Five plays later he found Jake Bellamy in the corner of the end zone from
18 yards out with 7:39 left in the opening half for the game's first score.
On Shore's first play after the ensuing kickoff, he stepped in front of a pass
along the right sideline and returned it 36 yards to give Keyport (7-3, 5-1) a
14-0 advantage.
"Jimmy played a fantastic game," Keyport coach Mike Ciccotelli said. "He's been
fantastic all year. He deserved to have this kind of game today."
The Red Raiders embarked on a nine-play, 83-yard drive late in the first half to
extend their lead to 21-0. Maguire and Bellamy set up the score with a 27-yard
connection to the Shore 1-yard line. Maguire snuck in on the next play. Maguire
was 5 of 11 pass for 95 yards, and he also rushed 14 times for 69 yards.
Keyport's Mike Miele led all rushers with 93 yards on 22 tries.
Shore (4-6, 3-4) got off the mat immediately after Maguire's sneak when Mark
Coleman returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown. The Blue Devils
closed to within 21-14 on their second series of the third quarter when Paul
Ermides, who led Shore with 84 yards on 12 carries, broke loose for a 36-yard
score with 5:58 left in the quarter.
After a Shore punt late in the third quarter, Keyport took over on its 45 and
marched to the Shore 6-yard line before the drive stalled. R.J. Headden booted a
23-yard field goal with 9:18 left in the game for a 24-14 Keyport edge.
Headden's field goal proved critical when, on Shore's next possession,
quarterback Phil O'Brien lofted a pass down the left sideline that Richard
Vivian caught at the 25 and took it the rest of the way to complete a 41-yard
score with 7:20 left. But the Blue Devils could come no closer, as Keyport held
them on downs at their own 42 with 2:58 to play.
"This was a great group of guys," Ciccotelli said of his team. "They gave
everything they had - especially the seniors."