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For most high school football players, this week could be the last time they ever put on the pads, the final time they stroll out onto the field.
As Brighton’s Quentyn Dulin strapped up Tuesday evening, he realized he had a unique opportunity, playing his last game with the Bengals at America’s most historic ballpark.
The senior quarterback (three rushing touchdowns) closed his high school career with a bang, sprinting five yards for the winning score with 18 seconds remaining as Brighton rallied for an epic 20-14 comeback victory over City League rival TechBoston at the annual Fenway Thanksgiving series.
“It’s awesome,” Dulin said. “It’s like a dream come true. I don’t know how to put it into words. The ending … I dreamed of this, honestly. I hope to play in the future.”
Dulin finished his evening 6-for-9 passing with 133 yards to go with 88 yards rushing, as Brighton (5-4) captured the Boston City League (South) crown. For the majority of the opening quarter, however, the local rivals engaged in a battle for field position.
Moving the ball was a struggle until the waning seconds of first, when Dulin sprinted 68 yards uncontested up the sideline to the house for a touchdown to provide the Bengals a 6-0 lead. He would add a five-yard touchdown scamper with just over five minutes to play in the half, as Brighton extended its advantage to 12-0.
Despite being held dormant to that point, TechBoston (3-6) came to life on its ensuing drive. The Bears marched down to the Brighton 1-yard line with 2:14 to go. Seconds later, the ball was punched free for a fumble, and rolled helplessly into the end zone. Junior Josiah Gillard was there to dive on the rock, securing a touchdown for the Bears. He would add a two-point rush himself, as TechBoston sliced its deficit to 12-8.
Then, in a freakish twist of fate, Brighton opted to let the second half kickoff soar. At first, it appeared to be heading out of bounds for a penalty. Instead, the ball skipped back toward the field of play, and was recovered by TechBoston at the Brighton 23. Moments later, the Bears capitalized as Gillard recovered a loose fumble in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown, giving TechBoston a 14-12 edge.
With 3:51 left in regulation, it was up to Dulin to captain his squad on a 66-yard game-winning drive. The Bengals marched downfield as he connected with Preston Callender Jones for a 17-yard completion, setting Brighton up at the TechBoston 5 with 1:02 left.
“Quentyn’s a great leader,” said Brighton coach Randolph Abraham. “He’s an explosive player. I thought he’d have a big night, and he did. Right there, he led us to a great drive. Completed a couple of passes, and punched it right in. We tried to take all the time off the clock, and we bled it as far as we could. Then, he walked in for six.”
With the game on the line, Dulin called for the snap, then scrambled to his right. The quarterback beat the rush to the edge, then rolled into the end zone for his third score to seal things.
“Honestly, I love the game,” Dulin said. “It’s my whole life. To see everyone put their heart and soul in to win this game, that means a lot to me.”
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