Sharon Edges Out Pembroke, Advance to D3 Super Bowl Saturday at Bentley

Only two years after a one win season, Sharon High School football now find themselves one win away from a MIAA Division 3 Super Bowl Championship, their first in school history. The Eagles will be playing Wayland at Bentley University Saturday at Bentley University.

In a season of firsts, the Eagles picked up their first postseason win in their first try with a 7-6 win over the Pembroke Titans at Braintree High School. It was Pembroke's third loss of the season to a Hockomock League as they also lost to Oliver Ames and Stoughton.

Driving down the Pembroke 33 yard line to start, the Eagles had nothing to show for their work as a fumble by Sean Asnes gave the Titans the ball with 5:43 left to play in the first quarter.

The Titans thought they got the opening score of the game late in the first quarter, but a pass interference call on Pembroke nullified the touchdown. The Titans were later forced to punt to end the drive.

Later in the second, both Sharon quarterback Sean O’Neil and Pembroke QB Cory Brandon almost threw drive-killing interceptions, but the slippery condition of the ball made any sort of catch extra difficult.

With no team unable to break the deadlock though two quarters of play, the Sharon got a huge break in the third quarter when a Pembroke fumble on a punt return led to a Sharon recovery by Toby Modebelu down at the Titans’ six-yard line.

“Play of the game. We’ve been preaching all year that we’re in for a big play on special teams to happen,” Sharon head coach Dave Morse said. “We haven’t had it happen it and that was it, finally happened.”

The Eagle made the best of their opportunity with a four-yard touchdown run by Asnes with 51 second left in the third to take a 7-0 lead.

Pembroke quickly responded when Nick Burns returned the kickoff from his own 20-yard line to the Sharon 32 to give the Titans excellent field position. A run from Brian Tinkham got the Titans down to the 20-yard line.

Faced with a 4 and 3 inside the red zone, the Eagles defense came up big as Pembroke went to the pitch play and could not convert on the critical fourth quarter drive.

The Titans finally got on the board with 1:09 left in the game on a touchdown reception to Colin Claflin. The score left Pembroke within an extra point of tying Sharon or a two-point conversion away from taking the lead.

Choosing to go for two, a throw towards the end zone only led to a dropped pass that maintained the lead for Sharon with little time left.

“I would of done the same thing. One play to win the game? I would take that too,” Morse said.

An onside kick recovery by Brad Schiff locked up the game for Sharon and their first trip to a MIAA Super Bowl in school history.

The Eagles will travel to Bentley College for a 10 a.m. kickoff on December 1 to face Wayland High School. The Warriors beat the Westwood Wolverines, 36-14, to advance to the finals.