Fitchburg rolls over Algonquin
By Nick Mallard
Article Launched: 10/27/2007 10:10:35 AM EDT

FITCHBURG -- No matter who the Red Raiders put on the field Friday
night, the result continued to be the same: Each Fitchburg drive
quickly turned into a touchdown.

The Red Raiders took advantage of an offensive explosion, dominating
Algonquin and walking away with a 49-7 win in their homecoming game at
Crocker Field.

Fitchburg (7-1) racked up 537 yards of total offense, with 426 coming
on the ground, and scored on seven of its nine possessions in the
game, turning the ball over on downs once early in the game and
punting once late. The Red Raiders defense allowed just 220 total
yards in the game, allowing Algonquin (3-5) only one touchdown late in
the first half.

The big surprise for the Red Raiders came in the second half. After
building a huge 28-7 lead in the first half on the shoulders of its
starters, Fitchburg's substitutes continued to pound the ball into the
end zone in the second half.

"Our kids work hard and it's gratifying that we got everyone in the
game," Fitchburg head coach Ray Cosenza said. "They played well and we
came out healthy. It's just a very nice game for us."

Fitchburg's Johnny Gomez carried the ball 19 times for 163 yards and
two touchdowns, with most of the yards coming in the opening
half. Quarterback Jeremy Kimber was effective through the air,
completing 5-of-9 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, and junior
Orlando Anderson had an outstanding night, snagging one Kimber pass
for a touchdown and later returning a punt fora score.  A first
quarter touchdown run by Kimber gave the Red Raiders the lead midway
through the first quarter on a 7-yard touchdown run and Fitchburg
never looked back. Gomez tacked on short touchdown run in the second
quarter to put the Red Raiders up 14-0 before the game was taken over
for a short time by Anderson.

With just under three minutes left in the second, Anderson shook off a
defender and caught a perfectly placed pass from Kimber in the end
zone for a 41-yard score to put Fitchburg up 21-0. Just 1:33 later,
Anderson took a punt at his own 35 yard line and dashed down the
sideline, finding the end zone and putting the Red Raiders up 28-0.

"I didn't expect to have a game like that," said Anderson, who also
recovered a second half fumble. "I just play to play. It was nice to
get a lead and get some guys in for the second half, but I still
wanted to be in there. If we're playing well enough to get everyone in
the game, it's a good thing."

The Tomahawks cut into the lead just before halftime, as Matt Campbell
punched in a two-yard run with :29 left after an impressive drive.

The second half opened with more dominance from Fitchburg, as Gomez
added his second score just three minutes in on a 15-yard run to cap
off an 84-yard drive.

"The first drive of the second half was really what we were looking
for," Cosenza said. "We played the way I think we're capable of
playing. I give Algonquin a lot of credit. Those kids have been banged
up this year and had some injuries, but they never quit. It's just a
good win for us."

With the game far out of reach, Fitchburg elected to put in its
reserves, who also managed to find paydirt against the Tomahawks
defense. Greg Mendez rushed for 53 yards off the bench, including a
touchdown late in the third quarter. Joel Gomez added the final Red
Raiders score, running in from 8-yards out early in the fourth.

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