Talk about a turnaround.
Two weeks after an almost embarrassing season-opening loss to rival Dennis-Yarmouth on the road, the Barnstable High School Red Raiders went toe-to-toe with Division 1 powerhouse BC High in Dorchester last night and came home victoriously with a 20-13 major upset.
Senior co-captain and running back Hayden Murphy - switched to the halfback slot from quarterback - ran the ball 20 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns, including a 43-yard run and a 27-yard reception which bordered on the miraculous and ended up being the icing on the cake.
Senior wide receiver Derek Estes - who had but one reception on the evening - made the most of his solo catch, good enough for a 62-yard touchdown to tie the game at 13-13. Senior kicker Dereck Pacheco's 2-3 nigh on PAT attempts was good enough to make it 14-13 and proved the game-winning point after Estes' catch.
The BHS defensive unit performed exceptionally well, allowing just one BC High score. The other BC High touchdown came on the game's opening play: a 101-yard kickoff return.
In actuality, Red Raider fans were cumulatively holding their breaths after that game-opening score by BC High's Ismail Asongwed, but once the helmets started smacking, in truth, Barnstable gave it everything it had. And then some.
Senior defensive back Colby Blaze stood out big time in pass coverage, not only in the game's opening volleys, but right down until the last play of the game. Linebackers Chris Kennedy, Clyde Perry Jr., Nathan Yingling and Murphy also turned in a rock-solid effort and for the defensive line, Owen Murray, Pacheco and Conor Walsh turned in what appeared to be an exhaustive, no holds-barred effort with both Murray and Perry turning in big hits behind the line of scrimmage. Walsh added a blocked PAT attempt on BC High's second PAT attempt.
Pacheco's kickoffs and punts were additionally impressive throughout with one of his punts landing 52 yards downfield - in the air. Barnstable is now 1-1 on the season and BC High is 1-2.
The Red Raiders welcome another Division 1 powerhouse next Friday night at W. Leo Shields Memorial Field in Hyannis: Xaverian.
Xaverian is slated to play Bridgewater-Raynham today (Saturday).
In Lucashensky's first-ever varsity start at QB, he was impressive: he threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns and went 7-11 with one interception.
