Nobles’ defense stifles Thayer in game with playoff implications

DEDHAM – A gritty defensive effort propelled the Noble and Greenough School to 10-6 victory against Thayer Academy at Burr Field.

The game was in question until the end. Trailing by four, Thayer took control of the ball with eight minutes remaining, then engineered a time-consuming 19-play drive. Thayer marched the ball all the way to the 13-yard-line. But with 85 seconds left to play, a stingy Nobles defense refused to allow any more forward progress. That began with senior captain Mac Bianchi, who sacked Thayer quarterback Dray Evriviades for an eight-yard loss on first down. After two incomplete passes, a fourth-down throw to the end zone was broken up Nobles’ Ryan Taylor.

“All game, we made the big play when we needed it,” said Nobles coach Jim O’Leary, who notched his 100th victory