Wilmington High football coach Craig Turner had two deliveries in a span of 24 hours last week, both of them special.
On Thursday night, Turner and his wife welcomed their second child into the world at approximately 9 p.m. It was the couple’s first boy.
Almost 24 hours later to the minute, Billerica High football coach Duane Sigsbury and his entire team approached the post-game huddle of the Wildcats and gave the game ball to Turner, who grew up in Billerica.
“Coach Turner is a good friend of mine,” said Indian coach Duane Sigsbury. “He’s working his tail off with a young team.”
Billerica ended up winning the non-league game by a 35-7 score, improving to 3-0 overall and 2-0 on its home turf, but Turner was all smiles after the gesture by the BMHS squad.
“That was a first,” Turner laughed after the game. “I haven’t had that happen before. (Tonight) was the first time I’ve seen my guys since Tuesday. It’s been a long week.”
On the field, the Wildcats simply couldn’t keep up with Billerica, who scored on its first four first-half possessions to take a 28-0 lead into the locker room.
“That’s a really, really good team,” Turner said of BMHS. “They’re very good, especially up front. Their offensive and defensive lines are as good as we’ll see all year.”
The Indians took a 7-0 lead with 7:02 left in the first quarter when sophomore Djoodny Dorival scored on a 1-yard run. Dorival set up the score with a 36-yard burst.
An interception by Billerica senior Marven Joseph set up the second BMHS touchdown, a 5-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback JT Green to junior Mike Murnane with 2:35 left in the opening quarter.
The 60-yard trip to the end zone included first-down throws to junior Gus O’Gara for 15 yards and a memorable third-and-45 heave to senior Scott Einarson to the 5-yard line. Billerica scored two plays later.
O’Gara finished the night with five catches for 43 yards.
The Indians took a 21-0 lead with 6:57 left in the second quarter when Green hit Einarson with a 7-yard scoring toss before adding another score less than four minutes later with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Einarson, who had his most dominating performance of the season with 126 yards receiving, all in the first two quarters.
Senior Jason Chaffee was 4 for 4 on extra points for Billerica in the first half.
“We did what we had to do in the first half,” said Sigsbury.
Wilmington (0-3) scored its lone touchdown with 2:24 to go in the third quarter when senior quarterback Jacob Roque connected with senior Brett Ebert for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Junior Hunter Sands kicked the extra point for the ‘Cats.
The Indians (3-0) scored their final touchdown in the fourth quarter when an O’Gara interception at the 45-yard line set up a 41-yard run by second-half Billerica quarterback Steven Gentile, a sophomore.
“He’s great,” Sigsbury said. “His dad coaches for Wilmington so it was great for him to get a touchdown. He’s going to be a good one.”
Senior Andrew Knight added the extra point to complete scoring.
Joseph, a transfer student from Somerville, added his second interception late in the game for Billerica in his first game of the season for BMHS. Joseph also added a fumble recovery.
“He’s a great player,” added Sigsbury, “and we’re looking forward to him getting even better.”
Murnane, senior Kyle Breitwieser, senior Keith Johnston and junior Cole Dillon also had solid plays on defense for Billerica.
BMHS plays at Dracut this Friday at 7 p.m.
