MARLBOROUGH – After an 0-4 start to the season, the Marlborough Shamrocks game against the Connecticut Mustangs on Aug. 17 carried major playoff implications.
The Shamrocks stepped up, snatching a 23-14 win and taking their postseason destiny into their hands.
“We needed it,” coach Harrison Ingels said of the win.
The Shamrocks notched their first victory of the season under confusing circumstances against the Northeast Bulls last month. Marlborough then eked out a narrow 13-12 victory over the Boston Bandits. After being shut out on Aug. 10, the Shamrocks returned home to face the Mustangs.
Marlborough scored first with a field goal by Max Pedinoff but fell behind following a second quarter Connecticut touchdown and two-point conversion.
Unable to score a touchdown of their own before halftime, the Shamrocks still managed to retake the lead with two additional Pedinoff field goals.
The Shamrocks finally found the endzone in the third quarter on a pass from Corey Spencer to Graham Asum. Though Connecticut kept the game close with a fourth quarter touchdown, Marlborough’s defense blocked a two point conversion attempt.
With the ball back in their hands, the Shamrocks offense then padded their lead with a touchdown pass to Johnny Moores Jr.
“I just saw the opening, I accelerated and all I had to do was run about 15 yards and make sure I got in there,” Asum said of his touchdown.
He credited Moores Jr. and teammate Taylor Heath with blocks that cleared his path to the endzone and said he was excited by his team’s performance.
“We battled and we finally put four quarters together,” Asum told the Community Advocate.
Ingels watched from the sideline as his team experienced a series of second-half stumbles earlier this summer.
Now celebrating a clutch performance against Connecticut, Ingels said the showing was significant.
“From a mentality standpoint, the mentality has been to finish. It’s nice to be able to do it because that’s been the inconsistency that has plagued us,” he said.
Ingels lauded Pedinoff, who finished the game with three field goals, one missed field goal and two successful extra-point kicks. He also named Pedinoff as Marlborough’s player of the game during Saturday’s postgame huddle.
“It’s a cheat code to have a kicker like him,” Ingels said. “Outside of the kicking game, when he’s punting, he’s flipping field position. He’s so talented and we’re blessed to have him play with us.”
With the win, the Shamrocks have secured a spot in an East Coast Football League play-in game. A win in the play-in game would punch the Shamrocks’ ticket to the playoffs.
Though the play-in game’s date and opponent has not been set, Marlborough will clinch home field advantage if they win next month’s regular season finale against the Western Massachusetts Raiders.
“We’re just trying to embrace the mentality of any play, any day, just give us a chance,” Ingels said. “…That’s the mentality we have to have right now if we want to compete.”
The Shamrocks game against the Raiders is scheduled to take place at home on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.