Fitchburg wins a wild one against Oakmont
By Michael LeClair
Article Launched: 09/20/2008 06:13:02 AM EDT
			

FITCHBURG -- Like a game of pingpong, the Fitchburg and Oakmont
Regional football teams went back and forth on Friday night.

Fitchburg had the final serve, improving to 2-0 on the young season
with a 35-27 win over the Spartans at Crocker Field in the Red
Raiders' home opener.

"First, I want to congratulate Oakmont, they played fantastic. I don't
think it was because we played poorly. They played great ," said
Fitchburg head coach Ray Cosenza, whose squad will invade the
Bernardian Bowl to tangle with St. Bernard's next Friday night. "I
want to give them credit, they gave us all we could handle."

The Spartans (0-2), who fell to visiting Doherty, 20-7, in last week's
season-opener, made a believer out of their coach Friday.

"Our football team has come 180 degrees in two weeks. I can't say
enough about their effort tonight," said Oakmont head coach Dave
LaRoche, who will try and get win number one next Friday night when
his team hosts Ayer. "We arrived as a football team tonight, even
though we didn't win the game."

Following a scoreless first quarter, both teams came to life in the
second. Oakmont grabbed the lead with 6:50 left when quarterback Jesse
Hunt connected with receiver Jackson Haley for a 14-yard touchdown
toss. Eric Howlett's extra point made it 7-0.

Oakmont added to its lead, finding the end zone again with 3:49
left. Haley and Hunt hooked up again, this time from 38 yards out. A
Howlett kick made it 14-0.

Fitchburg answered Advertisement on its next possession. Junior
tailback Byron Teague (29 carries, 145 yards, 3 TDs) capped a six-play
drive with a 2-yard touchdown plunge into the end zone. Luke Arno's
kick made it 14-7 with 1:22 left.

The Red Raiders got the ball back when they recovered the ensuing
kickoff, giving themselves great field position. Fitchburg set up shop
at the Oakmont 38-yard line. Seven plays later, Teague once again
found paydirt when he plowed it in from 2 yards out with 19 seconds to
play before halftime. Arno's kick tied the score at 14.

In the third quarter, Fitchburg claimed its first lead of the
ballgame. A great return by Orlando Anderson gave Fitchburg the ball
at the Oakmont 35-yard line. Nine plays later, Teague notched his
third touchdown of the game, running it in from 2 yards out. Arno's
kick gave Fitchburg a 21-14 lead with 5:45 on the clock.

The Spartans refused to quit, marching down the field yet again and
finding the end zone when Seth Sheridan ran it in from 5 yards with 22
seconds left. Howeltt's kick was good and the game was knotted at 21
after three quarters.

The fourth quarter was when the special teams that took over. Three
straight special teams scores highlighted the final 11 minutes.

Fitchburg's Quinton Perkins gave his side the lead back when he took
an Oakmont punt 75 yards for a touchdown with 6:43 to play. Oakmont's
Jon Jacobs answered on the ensuing kickoff, taking it back 80 yards
for the score with 6:29 left. The kick was blocked, so the Red Raiders
held on to a slim, 28-27 lead.

The dramatics weren't over yet, as Perkins went back to work on the
ensuing kickoff. Fielding the ball at the 18-yard line, he broke free
and was off to the races, running 82 yards for yet another kickoff
return for a touchdown. Arno capped a perfect night by tacking on the
extra point with 6:11 left.

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