Red Raiders headed to Super Bowl
By Chuck Sargent
Posted: 12/03/2008 06:06:05 AM EST
ASHBURNHAM -- On Thanksgiving Day, Fitchburg needed overtime to beat
Leominster and advance to the playoffs.

The Red Raiders didn't let things get that far in their Division 1
playoff clash with Shrewsbury, putting the Colonials away with a
19-point third quarter, and cruised to a 33-7 victory Tuesday night at
Arthur I. Hurd Memorial Field.

With the win, the Red Raiders advance to the Division 1
Central/Western Super Bowl at Worcester State College on Saturday,
where they will face perennial power Longmeadow at 12:30 pm.

A spot in the Super Bowl is the last thing the Red Raiders were
thinking of a month ago, when they were 4-4 and in the midst of a four
game losing streak.

"I'm happy for them, I'm happy for our fans and for our school," said
Fitchburg coach Ray Cosenza. "Because things didn't look good when it
was 4-4."

The Red Raiders' offense sputtered in the first half, managing just 10
yards of offense through the first 16 minutes. But with 3:58 to go in
the half, Orlando Anderson intercepted a pass from Nate Theodoss at
the Fitchburg 47-yard line.

Six plays later, Greg Mendez ran it in from three yards out. Luke
Arno's extra point gave the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead heading into the
half.

Mendez added to the Fitchburg lead early in the second half, taking
the third play from scrimmage 60 yards for a touchdown to make it
13-0.

On Shrewsbury's next possession, the Red Raider defense showed that
they, too, could Advertisement Quantcast score. Thanks to pressure
from the outside from Eric Dion, Theodoss rushed his pass on a screen
play. The throw was picked off by Anthony Colon, who returned it 55
yards for the touchdown to make it 19-0.

Showing that they are not one dimensional, the Red Raiders went to the
air on their next offensive possession, where quarterback Kyle
Phillips found a wide open Anderson for a 51-yard score to all but
seal the deal. Arno's extra point made it 26-0 with 2:10 remaining in
the third quarter.

Fitchburg added one more score on its first play of the fourth quarter
when Mendez swept the right side from 14 yards out.

An offensive line of Ryan Robar, Keith Bourne, Mike Alverez, Jamison
DiGeronimo, and German Nunez enabled Mendez to rush for 162 yards on
16 carries.

"That's what he does," Cosenza said. "He plays big in big games. He
waited for his turn this year and he's taken full advantage of it and
has done a tremendous job."

Fitchburg also got great special teams play from Joel Gomez who
recovered an on-sides kick and made a pair of tackles.

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