REHOBOTH - If you happened to be reviewing the first half of Friday night's game at Roy Field in your mind during the break, you might have remarked to yourself, "Hmmm, I haven't seen anything from Brian Espinosa so far."

Dighton-Rehoboth's senior wide receiver rectified that in the third quarter.

Scoring on touchdown passes of 38, 68 and 65 yards from quarterback Brett Croteau, Espinosa led a shock-and-awe charge that totally changed the complexion of the showdown with South Coast Conference contender Fairhaven. Those sudden scores turned an 8-8 game into a 29-8 D-R triumph, clinching at least a share of the league title for the Falcons.

D-R is now 7-2 overall and 6-0 in SCC play, and the Falcons' closest challengers all have two league losses with two weeks left in the season.

"It feels great ... I can't even explain it," Espinosa said of the sudden change in momentum that resulted from a shift from a methodical and effective rushing game to the quick-strike thrusts. "In the first half, the run opened up the pass," said Espinosa, who caught all four of Croteau's completions for 184 yards. "By the end of the second quarter, that's when we started dominating the game on the line, both defensively and offensively."

In a way, D-R's second-quarter scoring drive lulled the Blue Devils (5-2 in league play) into believing

the ground game would dominate the evening.

D-R drove 59 yards in 10 plays, all on the ground, to tie the score at 8-8 with 52 seconds left in the half. Senior Tyler Berry (15 carries, 72 yards) picked up 34 yards on five carries, including the 4-yard scoring run off right guard. Tom Harrington added the two-point conversion on a sweep.

That drive, taking 5:11 off the clock, followed the blueprint for the first half.

Fairhaven had an 11-play drive stall to open the game, then after a three-and-out by the Falcons, the Blue Devils took 14 plays to cover 50 yards and go up 8-0. Converting two fourth-down plays during the 6:48 drive, Fairhaven hit paydirt when senior Myles Perron-Sovik scored on a 2-yard run and Eric Stroud added the conversion rush with 6:03 left in the half.

"The next time we had the ball, it was very important that we score, and we scored by running it down the field," D-R coach Dave Driscoll said. "No passes in that drive, and that was a good thing to see."

The first D-R possession of the second half started similarly, with Berry carrying on four of the first five totes to get to the Fairhaven 38. Then, Espinosa got free on the left sideline and Croteau put a perfect pass there for the go-ahead score, and Croteau found Nate Sprague in the right corner of the end zone for a 16-8 lead.

Bryan Rocha gave D-R its next break when he intercepted Taylor Motta to put the Falcons in business at their own 30. One play later, Espinosa burst past Fairhaven defender Sean Allaire and pulled in Croteau's pass in full stride to complete a 68-yard scoring play with 4:16 left in the quarter. Mason Hinken added the kick for a 23-8 lead.

When Motta (14 carries, 108 yards) was denied on a fourth-down rush at the D-R 35, it didn't take long for the Falcons to strike again. After one rush by Berry, Espinosa's defender fell and Croteau found his favorite receiver alone on the left hashmarks, 65 yards to a 29-8 score with 45 seconds left in the quarter. "We had to play a team game in all three phases - offense, defense, special teams - and I think we did," Driscoll said. "And on two of those (touchdown) passes, we were looking for the underneath guy, not the bomb. But if it's open, you teach them to read it deep to shallow, and you might as well take it deep if it's there."

Mike Goulden added an interception on the third play of the fourth quarter, and that enabled the Falcons to run out the last 8:34 over 15 plays, going from the D-R 15 to Croteau's last knee at the Fairhaven 8.

"I'm very proud of my defense," Driscoll said, praising its recognition of Fairhaven's option tendencies. "Their offense is very difficult, and I have to give (Fairhaven) all the credit in the world. There's like 23 of them and they played good, solid, hard football. They were fighting right to the end and not giving up."

The Falcons can clinch the title outright next Friday night at home with a win over Old Rochester.