Saugus Downs Buena Bulldogs In Season Opener

Saugus and Buena had a rematch of last season’s opener, but what ended as a four-point game a year ago turned into a one-sided affair led by running back Ty Hall.

Early in the game, the Centurions struggled offensively – dropping the opening kickoff, giving up a sack, and committing four offensive penalties.

Defensively, Saugus gave up some plays but managed to step up when it mattered, stopping Buena on third down and holding the Bulldogs to a field goal early in the first quarter.

The struggles continued when the punting unit mishandled a snap, forcing the punter to jump on the ball and turn it over in the red zone. Even then, the Saugus defense stepped up and denied Buena a touchdown on a fourth-down attempt.

To start the second quarter, the Centurions were hit with two penalties but still managed to get Hall into the end zone for his first of four touchdowns, a 15-yard run. They followed the big run with a 2-point conversion by Matt Long to take an 8-3 lead.

This lit a fire under the Centurions, and before halftime, they’d score two more touchdowns, one by Hall and the other a two-yard passing touchdown from Jack Nuttall to Nolan Campeau.

To pair with the offensive surge, Long secured an interception in the first half, sending Saugus into halftime with a 22-3 lead.

From the first drive to halftime, the team took on a new form, and Saugus Head Coach Jason Bornn said it was just a matter of getting the guys focused.

“It’s the first game of the year, they’re excited and enthusiastic—a little over-enthusiastic,” said Bornn. “First game jitters are typical this time of year. It’s not something that we enjoy, but it’s understandable.”

When the game seemed sealed – just coming out of halftime – Buena came out marching and found the end zone, closing the gap to 22-9.

But history repeated itself. Hall sought the end zone and found it for a third time. When Buena began marching again, Campeau came up with a clutch interception at the goal line.

After briefly leaving the game with a cramp, Hall rushed back onto the field like a man possessed and pounded the ball in for his fourth touchdown of the night.

Bornn praised Hall for his offseason training, saying it helped him come into the season healthy and ready to play. He also noted that Hall gets the job done in the classroom.

When Hall was asked about his four-touchdown game, he gave all the credit to his offensive line. “Without them, I don’t get the touchdowns,” stated Hall.

Before Saugus could celebrate, the Bulldogs snuck in one last touchdown to end the game 35-16.

“We’re happy we won the game but definitely excited to get back tomorrow, watch the film, figure out the things we did good and correct the things we did wrong,” said Bornn.

Saugus hopes to ride this momentum into next week when they face their first road test against Oak Park, Friday at 7 p.m.