Raiders roll over Patriots
By Shaun Suhoski
Correspondent

TOWNSEND -- The Fitchburg High Red Raiders looked very much
at home on the turf of John E Young Memorial Field Friday
night, as they pounded the North Middlesex Regional Patriots
37-6 in a football game defined by field position.

Fitchburg's first two scores resulted from its defensive
stranglehold over the North Middlesex offense early in the
game.

Following the opening kickoff, Fitchburg intercepted an
Allen Morals pass and returned it to the North Middlesex 12,
scoring two plays later when wide out Frank Sienkiewicz
scooted in from 8 yards.  The kick failed but the Red
Raiders held a 6-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.

On the ensuing drive the Red Raiders "D" again held firm
forcing the Patriots to punt from near their own goal line,
giving the ball back to Fitchburg at the North Middlesex 17.
The next play qauarterback Ryan Logan kept the ball on an
end around and scampered to paydirt and a 12-0 lead after
the failed conversion run.

"Things went right for us tonight," said Fitchburg coach Ray
Cosenza.  "These kids haven't given up.  They did things
right on both sides of the ball."

Indeed, the Red Raiders bore little resemblance to the team
that was just 1-5 following back-to-back losses to BRockton
and Shrewsbury.

"After Shrewsbury we could have packed it in," said Cosenza.
"Now we've won three straight and we're playing our best
football yet.  It's a credit to the kids and staff.  At 1-5
we never gave up. Now we've got two games against some of
the best teams coming up and we're excited about that."

Fitchburg scored again late in the first quarter following
an 8-play, 66-yard drive culminated by a 25-yard halfback
option pass from B.J.Fitz to Logan.  The PAT failed leaving
the score at 18-0.

But with just 1:24 left in the first half the Patriots
launched their best drive of the day, covering 67 yards in
eight plays.  Morals capped it off with a 10-yard TD pass to
wide receiver Matthew Watson.  The kick failed bu the
hometown team had hope.

On the ensuing North Middlesex kickoff, however, Fitchburg's
impressive freshman tailback and kick returner, William
Earley (22 rushes for 251 yards), corraled the ball deep in
his zone and bolted up the middle for a 88-yard TD return
that squased any hopes of a comeback.  Again the run
conversion failed leaving Fitchburg up 24-6.

Noth Middlesex's Mark Sullivan returned 33-yards, setting up
the Patriots in unfamiliar territory -- Fitchburg's.  On a
third-and-ten from the Fitchburg 44, Morals connected with
Watson on a 12-yard.  On the next play Fitchburg picked off
a tipped pass and brought the ball back to its own 32.

With just seven ticks left on the first half clock,
Fitchburg quarterback Brian Bouvier lofted a ball to tight
end Aaron Storm, who won a shoving match with the defensive
back and came down with a 10-yard touchdown reception.  The
quick-hitting drive was sparked by Early's 54-yard run.  The
Patriots blocked the kick and were down 30-6 at the
halftime.

The second half started with a clock-burning 61 yard Red
Raider drive that was stonewalled by the Patriots on a
fourth down gut check at the goal link.  Fitdchburg scored
again in the fourth quarter when Early blasted up the
middle, slipped a tackle and flew 41 yards for the final
touchdown.  Rayan Logan's conversion kick gave Fitchburg
their final 37-6 margin.

Late in the game the generally boisterous fans were silenced
when the Patriots gritty running back Matt Donovan collapsed
in a heap as his team broke juddle.  After some tense
moments, Donovan was able to get to his feet and walk off to
the sideline on his own power, much to the relief of the
whole crowd.

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