Shane Eason, Methuen roll past Billerica, 25-0

BILLERICA — The numbers that Methuen senior Shane Eason has put up this season are right out of the video game realm.

On Friday night, the Rangers star kept up his prolific pace and with it allowed his team to hang a banner for the first time since 1992.

Eason rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns, including a 95-yarder, and added an interception as the Rangers (5-1) galloped past Billerica, 25-0, to clinch a share of the Merrimack Valley Conference/Large title.

“Shane is a special player,” Methuen coach Tom Ryan said. “He just makes big-time plays in big-time games.”

How good has Eason been? With his three scores on Friday, he now has 22 in only six games.

The Methuen defense stepped up into the spotlight also, holding a Billerica team that scored over 100 combined points in its last two games under 100 yards until the game was firmly in control.

“That was the most consistent defense we’ve played in years,” Ryan said. “We were able to get a lot of push at the line of scrimmage and our linebacker core was consistently excellent.”

The Rangers dominated right from the opening kick.

They took the first possession of the game and marched 62 yards in nine plays, the impetus coming on a throwback pass to quarterback Josh Danella that gained 29 yards.

Danella capped the drive on fourth and two at the Billerica 10 with a throwback pass to tight end Nolan Smith for a 6-0 lead.

Billerica (3-3) went three and out on its first series, but a Steven Gentile punt pinned the Raiders at their five. That proved to be no issue as Eason raced down the right sideline untouched to increase the lead to 13-0.

Billerica’s double wing attack got its footing on the next possession as the Indians drove into the red zone at the start of the second quarter. But the Methuen (5-1) defense bowed up and forced a turnover on downs with 9:32 left in the half.

It didn’t take long for the Raiders to find pay dirt again. Eason ripped off a 37-yard gain to the Billerica 25. A Danella to Tim Domezon pass got the ball to the four before Eason plowed in from the one for a 19-0 halftime lead.

Needing something positive to begin the second half, Billerica saw its second play turn into an Eason interception of Gentile. He returned it to the Billerica five and scored two plays later for a 25-0 lead just 1:47 into the third.

From there, the only question left was if the Ranger defense could keep the goose egg on the board. And thanks to a stop at their 24 with just over a minute to go, they did just that.

“The defense was amazing. We couldn’t have asked for a better performance from them,” Eason said.

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