The Swampscott High School football team staged a second-half comeback to secure a 20–18 win in their first home game of the season on Friday, September 12.
The Big Blue defeated Lynn English for their first win of the season, taking home the Blydell Cup. Lynn English led 12–0 at halftime.
“We didn’t start out the way we wanted to obviously, but the kids stuck with it,” said Head Coach Peter Bush. “English has some great athletes, and they’re well coached. I thought we hung in there good in the first half. Obviously being down 12-0 wasn’t ideal.”
Local band Turtle on a String joined Swampscott’s Marching Band for a halftime performance celebrating music through the ages. Director Edi Rovi led students as they performed with instruments ranging from trumpets and drums to glockenspiels, bass guitars, and trombones.
Both players and fans came alive in the second half. Senior Chase Groothius scored, and junior Noah Bascon added two more touchdowns to seal the win for Swampscott.
“The kids stuck with the game plan,” Bush said. “We made a couple plays and were able to get a huge stop.”
The Swampscott cheerleading squad energized the crowd, running the sidelines with flips, pom-poms, and nonstop support for the team.
Bascon’s two touchdowns came from over 30 yards out.
“He’s the type of kid that kind of takes the spotlight but I think at the same time he’s very, very fast to deflect it to his teammates,” Bush said.
Lynn English’s Nate Conde was injured in the fourth quarter and transported from the field by ambulance.
