Cabot-North, K-Land Advance

Even in good weather, Adams House probably couldn't challenge Cabot-North in a house football contest.

Disregard the fact that a wet ball yesterday caused four Adams fumbles on the quarterback snap. The strength and size of Cabot-North are enough to destroy most house teams on any given day.

In yesterday's first playoff game, the referees shortened the game by approximately eight minutes because of the rain, but Cabot-North still managed to score on three of its five possessions in a 20-0 romp over the Flames at Soldiers Field.

Kirkland House shut out Lowell, 6-0, in the second playoff match yesterday.

"We have a great line," halfback Jerry Roper said of Cabot-North's offensive front. "Adams just didn't have the size that we have."

Roper himself was partly responsible for the whitewash. The senior runner, who gathered 66 yards on eight carries against the Flames, tore apart the Adams defense from play one with dashes of 14, 12, and 11 yards.

On its opening 83-yd. drive, Cabot-North scored in no time as the three successive runs by Roper, two runs by Tim McMahon, and a 28-yd. pass to Jon Pelletier from Ken Tsunoda brought the Quads down to the Adams two.

McMahon waltzed into the end-zone for a touchdown, and Roper followed with a sweep for the two-point conversion.

Cabot-North wasted no time in scoring on its third possession, either. A 30-yd. touchdown pass on the first play of the drive to Paul Vallone upped the score to 14-0.

On his squad's fifth--and final--possession of the day, Roper ran a sweep around left end--with McMahon throwing the leading block--for a 16-yd. touchdown run, once again on the opening play of the drive.

Adams, meanwhile, had a far rougher time on offense. The Flames-who failed to earn a first down all day long--gained more yards on two Cabot-North defensive penalties than they gained offensively.

The frustrated Adams squad, in its six possessions, fumbled the center snap four times, threw an interception, and suffered a blocked punt.

Cabot-North, 4-0 on the season, will play on Friday in the second round of the playoffs.

Kirkland also advanced to the second round with its 6-0 victory over Lowell.

As the rain continued to fall, the referees grew more restless and shortened play again by about eight minutes.

Nothing came out of any possession except one K-House series in the second quarter. Like most possessions, this one appeared stopped after two futile downs.

But quarterback Rob DeVirgilio, in the only memorable play of the game, rolled out left while wide receiver Peter Pujols ran a deep curl on the right. Throwing against his body, DeVirgilio completed the pass to Pujols, who was brought down at the Lowell four yd-line.

Running back Nick Lillig ran a right sweep into the endzone for the game's only points.

In today's playoff games, 3-0 Quincy House--the first place finisher in the AFL--will take on Winthrop, and Leverett House will play the Eliot squad.