Raiders 'run' down Guardians
By Chad Garner
Staff Writer

FITCHBURG -- Can you say dominating?

The Fitchburg Red Raiders football team can.

The Red Raiders ball control offense rushed for 343 total
yards and the tenacious defense held St.  Peter-Marian to 37
yards in the game en route to the 21-0 shutout Friday night
at Crocker Field in the Red Raiders' home-opener.

"It's a great start. You can't compare this year and last
year," said 15-year Fitchburg coach Ray Cosenza. "The
feeling right now is real good. I think our defense did a
great job. Our defensive staff had our kids prepared. And
when you can shut out an offensive team like this that's so
complicated, I give tremendous credit to our defense."

The explosive Red Raiders offense got a major lift from
senior tailback Frank McDonald, who was sidelined for most
of last season with a hematoma in his thigh that
calcified. McDonald didn't squander the opportunity in his
2000 debut, rushing for a team-high 168 yards on 26 carries
with two touchdowns and one two-point conversion.

After the Red Raiders (1-0) marched down to the Guardian 32
on nine plays in their opening drive, senior left-handed
quarterback Jason Twomley fumbled on a designed draw and the
Guardians' Anthony Fantaroni recovered at the 32.

The Guardian offense, which recorded one first down on four
possessions in the first half, was forced to punt after
three rushing plays, and the Red Raider offense completely
took off.

The combined rushing attack of Twomley (13 carries for 63
yards), junior fullback Norman Cole (13 carries for 93
yards) and McDonald pounded the Guardians all the way down
to the one, before McDonald scored the first touchdown of
the game on a one-yard jaunt up the middle. Sophomore kicker
Ryan Logan added the extra point, giving Fitchburg a 7-0
with 5:07 left in the half.

"It's very nice to be out here this year," said
McDonald. "Our game plan was to go out and pound them. No
flashy stuff just bring it down their throat. Our line did
very good ... we just ran all over them."

The Red Raiders opened up the third quarter on a nine-play
drive, but Cole fumbled on a straight ahead dive, giving the
Guardians the ball back on their own 11-yard line.

The ball-hawking defense again forced the visitors to punt
after three rushing plays, and the Red Raiders wasted little
time to score.

Starting at the Guardians' 25, McDonald took a toss right
for 11 yards, Twomley picked up three on a keeper and Cole
brought the ball to the seven on a 4-yard dive. From the
seven, McDonald scampered right and then cut back to the
middle for a 7-yard touchdown with 1:51 remaining. The extra
point failed, but the Red Raiders were in complete control
with a 13-0 advantage.

"We controlled the ball longer than any game I've coached
in," said Cosenza. "(St. Peter-Marian) didn't have too many
series in the whole game. This is the type of team we're
going to be, we're going to be a ball controlled team. Both
our backs (McDonald and Cole) are very physical and they
both ran real hard. (McDonald) sees the field very well --
you can't teach that. He had a great night."

In the fourth quarter, the Red Raiders offensive line of Tim
Caron, Josh Raboin, Marcus DiNatale, Anthony Fanelli, Sean
Roy and Jim Alexander allowed the potent rushing attack to
march 67 yards, capped off by Twomley's 4-yard TD on a QB
keeper. McDonald coasted in for the two-point conversion,
capping off the Red Raiders' 21-point shutout.

    2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Mid-States Newspapers, Inc.

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