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Salem outlasts Lynn Classical in 48-44 instant classic

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LYNN — On a night when Lynn Classical quarterback Brian Vaughan threw for 409 yards and five touchdowns, it was his Salem counterpart, Corey Grimes, who had the final say Friday at Manning Field.

In a class in which the teams traded the lead eight times, it was Grimes who made the game’s biggest play as he found Albert Pujols in the back right corner of the end zone with 13 seconds left to give the unbeaten Witches a stunning 48-44 win over the Rams.

“These kids have worked really hard over the last three years to get themselves into a position to win a game like this,” Salem coach Matt Bouchard said.

The game-winning play was just the coup de gras on a night of big plays. It seemed like the Rams (4-2) had made the game-winning play with 3:46 left when Vaughan hit RJ Faessler for his third touchdown of the game to give Classical a 44-40 lead.

The Witches were then down to a last gasp moments later but Grimes hooked up with Devante Ozuna for a seven-yard gain on fourth down at the Salem 23.

The Witches (6-0) steadily moved to midfield as time continued to tick off. Grimes then hit Ozuna for 17 yards and Quinn Rocco Ryan for 21 more to reach the Classical 10 with just over a minute left.

Two plays later, Grimes rolled to the right and found Pujols working along the back line of the end zone and Pujols was able to get both feet inbounds on a perfectly thrown pass.

“We wanted to hit Devante on coming out of the backfield on that play. Albert did a great job of working his way open and making a great play,” Bouchard said.

The first half gave little indication of what was to come as the teams were tied at 18 heading to halftime.

Vaughan’s 11-yard TD to John Nasky at the start of the third kicked off a 32-point quarter by both teams.

Ryan raced 56 yards moments later to give Salem a 26-24 lead. Just 70 seconds later, Faessler snared a 73-yard aerial and Classical had the lead back.

Shane Field scored on a three-yard run to put the Witches back in front before Classical’s Julius Patterson closed the third with a three-yard run to make it 38-32 Rams.

Ortiz’s eight-yard run with 8:03 left gave Salem back the lead and set up the dramatic stretch run for both teams.

“This team just seems to perform its best in pressure situations,” Bouchard said. “They are able to focus on what they need to do to be successful.”

Salem quarterback Corey Grimes throws a pass through Lynn Classical's defense Friday night at Manning Field in Lynn. (Amanda Sabga/Boston Herald)
Salem quarterback Corey Grimes throws a pass through Lynn Classical’s defense Friday night at Manning Field in Lynn. (Amanda Sabga/Boston Herald)

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