Devils missed L'Ecuyer's presence 
By Rick Eggleston
Staff Writer 

LEOMINSTER -- It didn't take long for word to get out that
Central Mass. all-star running back Kevin L'Ecuyer wouldn't
play in Thursday's annual showdown against Fitchburg.

Actually, the news spread like wildfire, having traveled as
far west as Gardner by early Monday that the Leominster High
junior would be forced sit out the team's biggest game of
the season after being diagnosed with mononucleosis.

And when a team possesses a force and determining factor
such as L'Ecuyer, it affects to a certain degree how both
teams prepare for each other.

For the favored Blue Devils, life without L'Ecuyer would
have to begin with 'The Game,' the biggest tilt of the
season. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, entered Thanksgiving
confident that no matter who was put in there, their defense
would be able to go into downtown Leominster and get the job
done.

Through it all, however, there were no excuses.

"We knew going in it was going to be a tough game because of
the situation," said LHS head coach John Dubzinski. "But
we're not going to make any excuses. That's part of the
game. Kids get hurt and they get sick."

While ultimately in the end it's perhaps really more mental,
than physical.

"It made no difference to us (that L'Ecuyer wasn't
playing). We didn't change our game plan to whether he
played or not," said FHS head coach Ray Cosenza, after his
team stunned the Blue Devils, 26-14, at Doyle Field.

"(Our defense) was put in place to stop a great tailback,
and I thought we did a pretty good job against their
tailback."

And that tailback was none other than sophomore surprise Tom
Fallon, who carried the ball 18 times for 98 yards and a
touchdown.

Fallon's 4-yard TD came with 40 seconds remaining in the
third quarter, capping a stellar 10-play drive that gave
Leominster its final lead of the game, 14-13.

Originating at the Fitchburg 44-yard line, Fallon carried
the ball five times during the drive, and included hefty
gains of nine, 11, four, five and finally four yards.

"We had a little adversity. Kevin L'Ecuyer didn't play and
(running back) Jose Navarro sprained his ankle the second or
third play of the game," Dubzinski said. "I thought Tommy
Fallon played a fabulous game."

Still, others welcomed the challenge.

"It didn't affect our game plan at all," said FHS senior
strong safety BJ Fitz. "I actually wanted (L'Ecuyer) to play
so we don't have to hear about that we won because L'Ecuyer
wasn't there."

Though at the same time, a few adjustments had to be made.

"We ran a defense that we hadn't run before. We just moved
some people around and we ran man out of it," Cosenza
said. "We put our nose guard back and I think that kind of
mixed them up a little bit because we've never done that
before."

Whatever the case, both team defenses had their moments.

The Raiders were led by Fitz's late interception and
touchdown return, while Ryan Davenport and William Earley
broke deep passes. Linebackers Steve Marella and Aaron Storm
were exceptional, as were Mike Pompeo, Matt Lamey, Anthony
Murray and Nate Glenney were strong. Leominster's heroes on
defense included Adam Meza, Jim Giandone, Pat Moran, Bobby
LeBlanc and Kyle Clarke, Greg McNally and Jason Ouellette.

"(Leominster did) a lot of counter moves but we shut them
down," Marella said. "Even though we were losing (8-7 at
halftime), we knew we had to come out and play better in the
second half. We did."

No matter who was in -- or out -- of the game.
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