WESTWOOD — In a way, the final play of Saturday’s Div. 4 state semifinal football game at Xaverian Brothers between Tewksbury and Duxbury was symbolic.

Sophomore Ben Christopher was tackled at the 2-yard line after a 28-yard reception.

The play wouldn’t have changed the outcome, the Dragons won by a 19-7 score, but the afternoon was filled with solid drives that just came up short for the Redmen (7-4) in a Div. 4 state semifinal.

“We had some opportunities early on that I thought we didn’t capitalize on,” said TMHS coach Brian Aylward. “In both halves really. I thought the guys we had ready and available played hard. This was a chance for them to go to Gillette (Stadium) and you would expect that from them.”

Top-seeded Duxbury (9-1), which scored 33 and 31 points in its first two postseason wins, iwill face Scituate in the Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium.

In the first half, four of Tewksbury’s five possessions reached inside the Duxbury 30 and the Redmen got to the 10 with a long drive that started in the third quarter and ended with a four-down incompletion with 9:35 to go.

The Dragons scored on their next drive, all but sealing the deal with 4:13 remaining.

Tewksbury played the majority of the game without top running back Hunter Johnson, who was out nursing an injury. Senior Tyler Barnes and junior Manny Mengata got the bulk of the carries in the backfield and did well.

In the second half, the Redmen also lost sophomore receiver Jonny Sullivan to an injury.

Tewksbury’s opening drive reached the Duxbury 25 before the Redmen turned the ball over on downs.

After both teams punted, Duxbury took the lead when junior quarterback Trevor Jones connected with senior Ryder Thomas for a 22-yard touchdown pass. Gavin Hammond’s extra point made it 7-0 with 50 seconds left in the first quarter.

A 28-yard run by Mengata helped TMHS move to the 26 before another fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

Two plays later, the Dragons made it 13-0 when Jones found senior Sam Wien for a 48-yard pass play and then senior Alex Barlow scored on a 21-yard run.

The Redmen answered on their next drive, moving 65 yards in 11 plays and scoring on a 9-yard run by Barnes with 2:05 left in the half.

A 22-yard pass from junior quarterback Vincent Ciancio to sophomore Jake Burns, a 19-yard toss to senior Cam Kearney and an 11-yard reception by senior Kenny Nguyen helped set up the score.

Jackson Feudo added the extra point.

In the second half, Duxbury drove inside the Redmen 30 to open the half, but turned the ball over on downs. The Redmen stopped the Dragons again late in the quarter at the 29 and nearly took the lead.

A drive that included an 18-yard run by sophomore Emeka Olu, a first-down carry by Barnes and a 16-yard pass to Sullivan put Tewksbury on Duxbury’s 15-yard line. On third-and-five from the 10-yard line, a fumbled handoff resulted in a 6-yard loss and a fourth-and-11 pass fell incomplete.

Duxbury then moved 84 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 3-yard run by Barlow. Barlow’s 47-yard run set up the touchdown.