In a whirlwind of a week, Auburn beats rival Northbridge to claim third win in eight days

AUBURN — Tick, tick, boom.

What a resounding week it has been for the Auburn High football team.

Following wins over Worcester Tech (26-0) last Friday and Swampscott (23-21 OT) on Tuesday, the Rockets returned to the field on Friday and beat rival Northbridge, 17-7, in the Hometeam Game of the Week.

In the span of seven days, Auburn won three times and improved from 2-2-1 to 5-2. Now, the Rockets finally have time to take a breath and relax.

“We all just kinda (have to) go home and take some ice baths,” Auburn senior captain Christian Sacco said.

Rockets return for third game in seven days

On Sept. 8, Auburn’s season opener with Swampscott was suspended upon a second lightning delay, with the game tied at 15-15 late in the fourth quarter.

Needing to resume the game at some point because of MIAA rules now prohibiting ties in football, the two teams met just four days after the Rockets shut out Worcester Tech — and 39 days after the Rockets and Big Blue originally met.

Thanks to a timely touchdown run from senior captain Nathan Cook and a successful 2-point conversion run from fellow captain Casey Shrauger, Auburn pulled off a thrilling overtime win over Swampscott. Yet the Rockets had just three days to prepare for their next game: homecoming night against Northbridge.

“Onto the next one,” Shrauger said on Tuesday.

‘Can’t get any better than that’

After a sluggish first 11 minutes of play Friday, Auburn sophomore linebacker Owen Morrow intercepted a Northbridge pass and returned it to the Rams' 11-yard line. From there, freshman running back/quarterback Bradyn Belanger pulled a nifty spin move during an 11-yard touchdown run to give the Rockets a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter.

The score was Belanger’s 12th TD of the season.

“He just adds so much variety to our offense,” Cook said. “We can basically do whatever we want with him. He can just get it done. He can do it all. He’s special.”

On the next possession, Northbridge (2-5) responded as a big 39-yard connection from quarterback Zach Tevepaugh to wide receiver Michael DiMuzio on fourth-and-5 set up the Rams on the Rockets' 1-yard line.

A play later, Northbridge running back Nate Falconer rushed it in for a score, and an extra point from sophomore Jayden Wilson handed the Rams a 7-6 lead with 8:02 to play in the first half.

“It felt great to be able to get the touchdown for us in hopes (of getting) some momentum,” said Tevepaugh, who filled in at QB for an injured Joel LaChapelle.

Auburn proceeded to march the ball down the field on its next possession, however, with Cook picking up a pile of yards on the ground. The bruising running back then barreled in from 9 yards as the Rockets took a 14-7 lead — following a successful 2-point conversion pass from sophomore QB A.J. Callahan to Sacco — with 1:14 to play in the half.

“Cookie is just an all-around good player, there’s nothing he can’t do,” Belanger said. “He’s just a dog everywhere. Absolutely amazing.”

With neither team scoring in the third quarter, a 23-yard field goal from Auburn senior AJ Oliveira with less than nine minutes to play provided the icing in what was a sweet — yet strenuous — week for the Rockets.

“We got it done,” Oliveira said. “Can’t get any better than that.”

“These kids just come and play,” Auburn coach Jeff Cormier said. “I’m proud of them, so we’ll see what happens next week.”

Boom, boom, boom

Following the final whistle on Friday, Auburn players and coaches huddled in their end zone to discuss their whirlwind of a week.

Auburn defensive coordinator Sean Sullivan selected Morrow as the “Boom” Player of the Game. As has become tradition following wins over the past two years for the Rockets, Morrow led a team-wide jump and stomp that concluded with a resounding “Boom!”

“That was my first-ever boom,” said Morrow, who picked up his third interception of the season. “It was awesome, it felt so great, and it’s just special to be able to bring that to the team.”

“I don’t how we started it, when it started, why it started or what it means, but it seems like everybody likes (the Boom celebration), and they all want to be the boom guys and we only boom when we win,” Cormier added. “So keep booming.”

And for a rivalry that started in 1953, Auburn was happy to get the win over Northbridge. The Rockets hold a 12-11 edge over the last 23 meetings — with the Rams holding the all-time advantage at 50-22.

“It’s been a good rivalry,” Northbridge coach Ken LaChapelle said.

“We get excited as a coaching staff for (Northbridge),” Cormier said. “The kids get excited, and I hope we play for another 50 years. I don’t think (LaChapelle) or I will be around for that, but hopefully we are.”

— Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44. 

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Auburn football defeats Northbridge in its third game in eight days