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WOBURN – Wins are getting harder to come by for the Medford High football team.
After getting shut out in its first two games of the season, the Mustangs (0-3) were blown out against a tough Woburn High squad 41-6 Friday night.
Braden Pacini paced a relentless Tanner attack in its home opener.
He scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half, building a comfortable 34-0 lead by halftime. The Tanners were running on pure adrenaline, fresh off a 40-28 win over Burlington a week earlier. They lost their season opener to Bellingham 24-7.
Medford had a tough time getting back on track. The Mustangs offense made several short but modest gains, but the defense succumbed to several lapses which ultimately opened the floodgates. Fresh off a pair of losses against Malden Catholic (34-0) and at Somerville (38-0), Medford was unable to get its grip on the football.
Mustangs coach John Curley was unavailable for comment following the game.
Playing its home opener, Woburn (2-1) wasted little time getting its offense in motion. Pacini led the charge. The senior broke in on a big 35-yard gainer to the red zone. His team was pushed further by a pair of Medford offside penalties as they continued to inch closer. Justin Bauer took it home moments later. The junior jetted 3 yards for the score. And when Pacini rolled in on a 2-point conversion run, the Tanners extended the 8-0 lead just 1:21 into the contest.
Still searching for its first touchdown of the season, Medford running backs Damien Lindor and Lulu Thermidor traded short but modest gains. The pair hung tough but were held at midfield. Pacini took full advantage, marching Woburn back on a 6-yard end-zone scamper expanding the 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Turned out Pacini was just getting started. He picked up the pace during an explosive 20-point, second-quarter surge. The Tanners running back garnered significant ground darting 9 yards for another TD to open the second quarter and a 20-0 Woburn lead.
Things went from bad to worse for Medford moments later. A quarterback fumble was recovered by Nick Black and returned for another Tanner touchdown just 16 seconds later. Aiden Wood’s PAT expanded Woburn’s 26-0 cushion.
Tanners quarterback Jackson Raynor put the game away throwing a 28-yard bomb to Jaden Doherty in the closing minutes of the half. Wood's second PAT made it a 34-0 affair at halftime.
Woburn sophomore Daniel Pinto hit the accelerator in the second half. The speedy sophomore rolled in on a back-breaking, 52-yard, touchdown run putting the game out of reach 40-0 with 9:19 remaining in the third quarter, followed by another PAT from Wood.
Despite their struggles, Medford never quit. They embarked on a 10-play, 57-yard drive to the goal line in the waning moments of the third quarter. Lindor capped the run, rumbling 6-yards in for Medford’s first touchdown of the season with 2:26 remaining in the quarter.
Medford’s subsequent kick was blocked, accounting for the 41-6 final.
The Mustangs will look to turn things around as they travel up Route 1 to face Saugus on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m.
