Don't fall asleep on Gomez, Fraticelli
By Chris Maza
Article Launched:11/22/2006 10:57:17 AM EST

FITCHBURG -- Don't forget, Fitchburg has a running game, too.

With all the focus in this year's Thanksgiving Day matchup on
Leominster's Jon Hernandez, it might be easy to forget that Fitchburg
has a pretty nifty running game itself.

The backfield tandem of tailback Jon Gomez and fullback Matt
Fraticelli has been an integral part of a balanced offense that has
averaged just over 20 points per game.

Even with an offensive line that hasn't always been at its strongest,
Jon Gomez put up a solid season, closing in on 1,000 yards while
scoring six touchdowns. His 954 yards rank him 15th in Central
Mass. and third in Division 1 behind Hernandez and Gardner's Jake
Hochard.

"He's had a very good year for us," Fitchburg coach Ray Cosenza
said. "He has quietly run for 1,000 yards."

Adding a change of pace, Fraticelli has come on of late.

After the start of his season was derailed by injury, the junior
fullback has gotten back on track.

While helping open up running lanes for Gomez is his main concern,
Fraticelli has recently found his way into the boxscore. In his last
two games, he has crossed the goal line four times -- twice by air,
twice by land.

Fitchburg quarterback Jeremy Kimber said having the kind of running
attack he does has helped take a lot of pressure off.

"It keeps the (opposing) defense on their toes," Kimber said. "We can
run play-action because they've been running so good and it helps me
out a lot."

The Fitchburg backfield will have a daunting task, going up against a
big, physical Leominster defensive line and Mike Gentili, who is an
absolute hawk from his linebacker position.

"They are big, but they're good," Cosenza said. "If they were just
big, that doesn't concern us. But they're very good. They're
physical."

Fraticelli said he and Gomez are very aware of what the Leominster
defense is capable of.

"We've seen their line and how tough it is this year," Fraticelli
said. "We've just got to come out flying."

Cosenza said that in order to get his running backs flying, his team's
offensive line will have to step up and create holes
consistently. While it's a tall order, Cosenza said his team could
surprise some people.

"Come that morning (Thanksgiving), that usually does decide the game,"
Cosenza said. "I've been in this game long enough to know sometimes
the team that may be considered better up front doesn't always win the
battle."

Tight end Dam Minichiello was quick to bring up Fitchburg's huge 48-41
win over Marlborough two weeks ago in which the line played a
phenomenal game.

Thanks to that line, Gomez and Fraticelli combined for 283 yards and
three touchdowns on the ground.

"If the offensive line plays well, and we showed it in Marlborough,
we're unstoppable," Minichiello said.

But Fraticelli said he and Gomez bear a large part of the
responsibility as well, needing to read the field and hit the holes
the offensive line opens up for them.

"Everybody's got to come out and play. It's not just the linemen,"
Fraticelli said. "We have to play for our line and the line has to
play for us."

On top of the line, Gomez said the team's receivers could even help
the running game spring some big plays.

"They've been improving on blocking," Gomez said. "When they do a good
job it's helps us out a lot."

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