Despite winning the coin toss, Coach Dave Maimaron decided to defer to the Whalers. It looked like the right decision when last week’s hero, Denis Maguire, blew in and blocked the punt on the Whalers’ first series, giving Duxbury the ball at the home 25-yard line.

The New Bedford defense was proving to be quite formidable early on with Lance Burlingame (6’4”/255) and Janny Dosreis (6’3”/260) clogging up the middle of the field and leaving Duxbury’s running game stagnant.

After an exchange of possessions and a poor NB punt gave Duxbury the ball at the Whaler 36, it looked like the Dragons were on their way to break the deadlock. A first-down pass to Matt Hallisey to the 22-yard line got QB Kane Haffey rolling, only to see the drive set back two yards by the Whalers’ run-stuffing defense.

On second down Haffey looked down the left sideline and found Don Webber for a 22-yard gain down to the two-yard line. It appeared Duxbury would go in for the score, but Haffey elected to run wide and was dropped for a three-yard loss back to the five. Two plays later sophomore Tucker Hannon came on for a 21-yard field goal attempt that was blocked to keep the game scoreless.

Neither team was having any success moving the ball until Duxbury took possession in the second quarter after a fumble recovery by sophomore Marshall McCarthy at the Duxbury 42 with 9:59 remaining in the half.

After a huge gain by sophomore Jon Hurvitz was negated for a block in the back, Haffey took off on a QB keeper and gained 14 yards and a first down to the 28. Two plays later, Haffey tried to hit Adam Martin down the middle and drew an interference penalty that moved the ball down to the 12.

After three incomplete passes, junior QB Matt O’Keefe came off the bench and connected on a slant to Hallisey from 12 yards out for what proved to be the winning score. Hannon’s PAT put the Dragons ahead 7-0.

Being scored on seemed to incite the Whalers, who advanced the ball all the way down to the Duxbury 28 on a 32-yard completion from QB Nathan Lewis to TE Jason Brierley. Keepers of 15 and 5 yards by Lewis had the ball in scoring position at the nine. After a two-yard loss on a pass to Phito Gondre, Lewis dropped back on third down and had his pass deflected by the onrushing Maguire, allowing junior Henry Buonagurio to pick it off and return it out to the NB 15-yard line.

“Denis is what I call a program kid,” said Maimaron. “He’s worked his butt off ever since [four years] he has been with us. He wasn’t ready last year, but he’s getting his shot this year and he is making the most of those opportunities.”

The turnover produced little, forcing Duxbury to punt.

New Bedford took over with 2:35 left in the half and started to make some progress down the field. But Maguire came up big again with a huge sack for 15 yards. He combined with McCarthy two plays later for another drive-killing sack to end the half.

The Dragons got possession to start the second half and moved the ball all the way down to the Whaler 38, thanks to a key third down run by Buonagurio for nine yards and a first down. Disaster struck two plays later, as Haffey connected with Hallisey, who was drilled and fumbled out to the 42.

New Bedford could do little with the turnover and punted the ball back to the Dragons. Hallisey took it back to the Duxbury 35-yard line.

Consecutive completions of 26 yards to Webber and 23 yards to Hallisey had the ball on the Whaler 13-yard line.

Two incomplete passes sandwiched around a six-yard completion to Webber made it fourth down from the six-yard line.

With 5:16 to play in the third quarter, Haffey dropped back and found senior receiver Christian Spoor on the backline of the end zone where he battled his defender and kept his feet in bounds while catching his first TD pass to give the Dragons a 13-0 lead. Hannon’s pass made it 14-0.

Despite good field position on its next drive, Lewis could not move the Whalers, thanks to a Max Randall sack.

O’Keefe was just as ineffective as Lewis on his next series, as both teams played out the remainder of the game exchanging possessions and trying to direct offenses that had little left in their tanks.

“We need to run the ball better and our offensive line needs to play better,” said Maimaron. “When we are trying to run out the clock with a lead, you can’t do it by throwing.”

Next week the Dragons will host Taunton High School, who features one of the top backs in the state in Cabrinni Goncalves.

“He has the ability to take it all the way every time he touches it,” said Maimaron. “He has to be one of the fastest kids I have seen this year.”

The game will be played at Chandler Field at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.