Youth Generals JVC Team Ties North Reading

The Hamilton-Wenham Generals JVC team (4-2) battled North Reading to a 14-14 tie in North Reading on Sunday.

In the first half, the Generals offense could not get going, derailed by two fumbles. The defense, however, kept them in the game, giving up a lone score to trail 8-0 at half.

In the second half, the Generals turned the tide as they came out and drove the ball down the field, running continuously up the middle behind Erik Fotta and William Jones. Patrick Nistl was the workhorse, churning up tough yard after tough yard. Clayton Booma and Henry Jones chipped in until Nistl pounded the ball into the end zone. Nistl's two-point conversion tied the game at 8-8.

The defense held and the Generals again went back to work up the middle which set up a long Aidan Nistl sweep down the sidelines to give the Generals a 14-8 lead.

With time running out, the Generals defense was solid, but on a third and long, a North Reading receiver got free down the sidelines and caught a deflected pass and ran into the endzone for a tying 55-yard strike. The Generals stout defense held to stop the 2-point conversion to preserve the tie.