Red Raiders run past Gardner
By Nick Mallard
Article Launched: 09/13/2008 06:12:53 AM EDT
  

GARDNER -- It took a full half off football for the Red Raiders'
offense to get in sync, but once Fitchburg found its stride, there was
little that could stop the onslaught.

Gardner held Fitchburg scoreless for the first half Friday night at
Watkins Field, but eventually lost the game 21-0, as the Red Raiders'
running game picked up the pace in the third quarter and never looked
back.

With the win, Fitchburg denied Gardner head coach Walter Dubzinski of
his 200th career coaching victory.

Greg Mendez led the way for the visitors, racking up 137 yard on 17
carries and scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game
out of reach. Stephon Teague and Byron Teague also scored for the Red
Raiders, with each breaking a big run to find the end zone.

"It feels good to get this win," Mendez said. "(At halftime,) we
talked about being patient and it worked. We came out and played hard
and got the win."

Both teams had chances in the first half, but each opportunity ended
up squandered.

The Wildcats moved the ball well in the first half, with Tyrone Notice
(82 yards on 19 carries) and Ryan Cormier (63 yards on 17 carries)
getting the bulk of the work. Gardner nearly opened the scoring in the
second quarter, but a 32-yard field goal attempt by Brian Connors
sailed wide left to leave the game scoreless.

Similarly, the Red Raiders threatened late in the opening stanza,
driving to the Gardner 6-yard line with 11 seconds remaining before
two Advertisement incomplete passes by quarterback Kyle Phillips ended
the half.

"I thought we played a great first half," Dubzinski said. "I thought
if we could have scored, it would have been a bit different, but we
played well. We had a couple breakdowns and we have to learn.

"Overall, I thought we played very well against a good team, but not
quite well enough."

The Red Raiders wasted little time finding the end zone in the second
half. Just two minutes in, Stephon Teague broke a pair of tackles
after a handoff on fourth-and-3 and raced 45 yards down the right
sideline to score.

"I think in the second half, we settled down," said Fitchburg
assistant coach Tom DiGeronimo. "I thought we could have gotten a
couple touchdowns in the first half, but the kids hung tough and kept
at it. They've been itching to play and I'm proud of the way we came
out after halftime. We made a couple adjustments and executed so much
better."

Late in the third quarter, Mendez broke a big run of his own,
scampering 51 yards to set up a first-and-10 from the 20 at the start
of the fourth. Two plays later, Byron Teague busted through the line
and scored from 20 yards out.

"I think that was bound to happen with the type of speed he has,"
DiGeronimo said of Mendez's run. "He had a couple good runs
tonight. Our line did a great job opening things up."

After Notice gave the ball back to the Red Raiders on a fumble, the
guests drove to the Gardner 6-yard line. After being stopped three
times, Mendez snuck in from 2 yards out to account for the final
Fitchburg score.



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