FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Saugus Snaps Losing Streak With 14-0 Win

It may be premature to describe Saugus High’s 14-0 win over Hoover on Thursday night at College of the Canyons as the beginning of the Dick Flaherty era.

But Centurion fans will take it just the same.

Saugus gave notice that it would not be the same team that was 0-10 last season when LaMark Allen returned a punt 77 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown midway through the first quarter.

“It’s going to be a much happier day tomorrow at Saugus High,” said Flaherty, who was an assistant coach at Canyon the past seven years before taking over the Saugus program this season. “We’ve got a long way to go but hopefully this gave us a little credibility.”

The Centurion defense was especially impressive.

Hoover quarterback Eric Messal rushed for 77 yards but completed only 3 of 12 passes for 29 yards. He was under constant pressure by outside linebacker Ron Ceo and defensive end Tom Erickson.

Saugus held the Tornadoes to 85 yards in the first half, 77 in the second half. Hoover’s longest drive of 45 yards came late in the second quarter, but the half ended with the ball at the Saugus 35-yard line.

Neither team generated much offense in the second half until Saugus capped a 55-yard drive with 11:12 remaining in the game on Allen’s four-yard touchdown sweep around right end.

A 21-yard pass completion from quarterback Jared Snyder to Chad Keene advanced the ball to the Hoover 39, and a Snyder pass to Mike Osment moved the ball to the six.

Allen had 59 yards on 16 carries and Snyder was 8 for 13 passing for 75 yards. Saugus had 145 total yards.

Saugus had not won since the last game of the 1985 season against Quartz Hill.