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Honor
Captains Carter Saracina (19), Austin Amlaw (25) and Evan Roy (13) head out for the game-opening coin flip with captain Braiden Saucier’s No. 10 jersey in hand prior to the game Sept. 16. Photo by Marc Allard.
It was an emotional night. The Woodstock Academy football team was playing its first game minus one of its senior captains, quarterback Braiden Saucier, who suffered a medical emergency in week No. 1 of the season.
The Centaurs delivered the best medication possible to their teammate and friend and his father, the team’s head coach, Sean Saucier - a dominant victory on the field.
Woodstock rolled past the Weaver Beavers, 47-0, Sept. 16.
“The team is good,’ said acting head coach Connor Elliott about the team’s mental state prior to the Centaurs’ game with the Beavers. “The energy was great all week at practice. We’re missing two leaders, a leader on the coaching staff and someone the kids look up to in coach Saucier and our leader at quarterback in Braiden. We send our best wishes to them and their family.”
To honor their teammate, captains Carter Saracina, Austin Amlaw and Evan Roy carried out Braiden Saucier’s No. 10 jersey with them when they went out onto the field for the coin flip.
The team had a new quarterback at the hel, junior Teddy Richardson got the nod. And the Woodstock defense gave him a gift - some breathing room early against the Beavers (0-2).
After Woodstock went four-and-out on its first possession, Weaver got the ball on the Centaurs 41.
Two plays later, the Beavers had gained a yard. The two teams then swapped a pair of 5-yard penalties. But on a third-down play, the ball was jarred loose by Woodstock defensive lineman Marcus McGregor.
Linebacker Seamus McDermott saw the football on the ground and an open field ahead. He scooped it up and took it 55 yards for the first score of the game.
On the next play from scrimmage, McGregor pounced on a Weaver fumble at the Beavers 10.
Richardson took the ball into the end zone on the first play from scrimmage only to see his touchdown nullified by a holding call.
Woodstock gave the ball back when it missed a 35-yard field goal attempt.
But it wouldn’t have to wait long as Saracina stepped in front of a pass from Weaver quarterback Kahlil Barno and returned it 20 yards for a pick-6.
Richardson guided the Centaurs on a brief eight-play drive that began just inside midfield, moved downfield quickly on a 21-yard pass play to Saracina and ended in a 5-yard scamper by Richardson for six more points.
It took just four plays, including a 34-yard run by Austin Amlaw, to make it 27-0 on a 1-yard dive by Trevor Savoie with 9:45 left in the first half.
Richardson then hit Saracina down the left sidelines for a 30-yard score.
Richardson completed 5-of-8 passes for 76 yards and rushed for 60 more yards.
he second half was short due to running time on the clock. But Richardson did find the end zone on a 25-yard run in the third quarter.
Gabe Luperon-Flecha added the final touchdown on a 1-yard dive in the fourth quarter.
Sam Clark finished with 38 yards on the ground for the Centaurs, Sam Clark added 34 as the Centaurs had seven different players run the football.
“That’s what I was most happy about from the offensive perspective. We were able to run the football and rotate guys through. We have a true by-committee backfield. We have to keep guys fresh, keep guys rotating with a lot of them playing both ways. It was good to see that and see the O-line getting some push and we have to keep building off that,” Elliott said.
There was also something in it for Elliott.
It was his first career win as a head coach.
“It feels a little too soon. It feels like I should be helping the kids pick up and someone else should be answering the questions.” Elliott said.
The Centaurs play their first home game of the season Sept. 24 when they host Windham at noon at the Bentley Athletic Complex.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
.