Algonquin scores TD on final play to beat Fitchburg
 By Sean Sweeney
Article Launched: 11/01/2008 06:10:46 AM EDT
			
NORTHBOROUGH -- Another game, another costly unsportsmanlike conduct
penalty for the Fitchburg football team.

This wasn't like two weeks ago, when the Red Raiders were embroiled in
a 20-20 tie with Milford before an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
pushed Milford into Fitchburg territory during what turned out to be
the Scarlet Hawks' game-winning drive.

No, this one probably hurt more. Fitchburg held a three-point, 22-19
lead over host Algonquin Regional with less than two minutes to go in
the game and ended up losing, 25-22, on Friday night.

The loss, Fitchburg's fourth in a row, drops FHS to 4-4 overall with
Wachusett Regional next on the agenda. Algonquin is now 3-5.

It appeared the Red Raiders were going to escape from Northborough
with a hard-fought victory over their hosts: Fitchburg had been
playing practically penalty-free football through the first 42 minutes
of play. Sure, there were the occasional false start penalties, but
the biggies -- the unsportsmanlike and personal foul penalties -- were
nonexistent.

That was until, with 1:35 remaining in the game, Algonquin quarterback
Mike Vulcano had been sacked by the Fitchburg defense, leading to a
second-and-16 situation. But instead of walking back to the huddle,
the defender stood over Vulcano with his arms spread and taunted the
Tomahawks' quarterback.

The head official reached for his flag and Algonquin was suddenly
looking at first-and-10 from the Fitchburg 45.

On the second Advertisement play after the penalty, Algonquin running
back Kyle McGinnity unleashed a 25-yard completion to wide receiver
Tom Dumont in double coverage that Dumont practically scraped off the
grass, leading to first-and-goal from the Fitchburg 8.

Fast forward to third-and-goal, when Vulcano scrambled and fell for a
6-yard loss with eight seconds remaining. On fourth-and-goal, Vulcano
stepped into the pocket and threw a strike to Brian Bachand from 11
yards out with no time remaining to give Algonquin the victory.

"I'm embarrassed," said Fitchburg head coach Ray Cosenza. "That's not
how we teach kids and I'm very disappointed in everyone. It starts
with me. I'm very disappointed that we let this get away. We've got
some problems we've got to take care of."

The Raiders had Algonquin stopped deep in Fitchburg territory early in
the fourth quarter: The 'Hawks were driving, thanks in part to a
couple of keepers by Vulcano and a 28-yard pass to Dumont early in the
drive.

But out of the shotgun on fourth-and-3 from the Fitchburg 16, Vulcano
threw an errant pass to Fitchburg's Quentin Perkins, giving the ball
to the Red Raiders at their own 11.

It was then up to Fitchburg to run the clock down, safe with a
three-point lead. The Red Raiders did that for the most part, getting
inside the Algonquin 25 after running the ball play after play after
play, running eight minutes off the clock.

On fourth-and-2 from the Algonquin 22, Fitchburg only needed to get
the first down. With a full house backfield, the handoff went to Greg
Mendez, who tried to run off the right tackle. He was stopped half a
yard shy of the 20, turning the ball over on downs with 2:02 left on
the clock.

"They made a play and we didn't," Cosenza said. "Until I see the film,
I don't know where the breakdown was, but we should be able to get
that and I think the game is over. I give them credit because they did
a great job without a lot of time."

While the second half was packed with defense, the first half was a
shootout.

"Both defenses did a good job," Cosenza said.

After FHS sent Algonquin three-and-out on its opening drive, the
Raiders only needed two plays to score as Isiah Ford hauled in a
22-yard TD pass from Glen Barrett.

The Tomahawks answered immediately, as Vulcano connected with Bachard
from 19 yards away.

On Algonquin's next possession, McGinnity, lined up at quarterback,
took the direct snap and went up the middle, then scooted out to the
left side to make it 13-7 after the extra point failed.

FHS managed to take the lead, 14-13, as Perkins hauled in a 60-yard
scoring strike from Barrett, with Luke Arno's kick being the
difference-maker. But Algonquin made it 19-14 with Vulcano's 34-yard
TD pass to Matt Campbell.

FHS then took a 22-19 lead into the locker room after Stephon Teague
plunged in off the right tackle from a yard out.

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