Bowled Over
 
FHS stymied; championship stays out west
 
by Chad Garner
cgarner@sentinelandenterprise.com

 SPRINGFIELD -- Itwas obvious Saturday afternoon who the
better football team was in the division 1 Central/Western
Mass. Super Bowl.

Undefeated Longmeadow of Western Mass. forced three turnovers
and used a punishing and ball-hawking defense which limited
Fitchburg to 201 yards of total offense -- 44 in the second
half -- while its four back misdirection Wing-T offense
baffled the Red Raiders at times for 292 total yards.

In the end, Longmeadow emerged victorious at Springfield
College's Benedum Field and capped off a perfect 12-0 season
with a convincing 33-12 victory.

"They beat us, there are no excuses," said Fitchburg coach
Ray Cosenza.  "Longmeadow played very well.  Their offense
gave us problems all day.  They distribute the ball very
well.  We had a pretty good idea of what they were doing,
but we just didn't do a good job of stopping them."

It didn't take long for the Lancers to get on the
scoreboard.  After Fitchburg's first offensive series of the
game which produced one yard after three running plays,
Longmeadow began its opening drive at the Red Raider 49 with
9:02 left in the first quarter.

The Lancers displayed a balanced rushing attack with backs
Charles Holm (15 carries, 90 yards, TD), Randall Somerville,
Marques Jenkins (15 carries, 104 yards, TD) and quarterback
Joe Furnari (11 carries, 53 yards, TD) who led the ground
war all the way to the 5 yard line after Somerville's take
on third down picked up three yards to give the Lancers a
first down.

Jenkins rushed off the right end for two yards, but Holm
was stuffed for no gain on third down.  But on forth and
goal, Furnari got his first carry on the game as he rolled
left and hurdled into the end zone for a three yard TC.
William Earley blocked his first of three extra points as
Longmeadow let 6-0.

The Lancer defense, by stacking the line of scrimmage, made
sure Early (21 carries, 129 yards) wouldn't dominate and
caused the junior star tailback to fumble after a four yard
gain as Andrew Michael recoved the loose ball.

Starting at the Fitchburg 43, the Lancers went three plays
to claim a 14-0 advantage.  Jenkins picked up seven yards,
and Holm bulldozed his way for nine yards down to the 27.
From there, Furnari dropped back to pass and found a wide
open Michael in the end zone for the 27 yard scoring strike.
Furnari also ran in the two point conversion.

Fitchburg responded, however, Backed by a seven play 80 yard
drive, the Red Raiders sliced the lead to 14-6 early in the
second quarter.

Fullback Eldred Wright started the drive with an 18 yard
take up the gut, while Earley busted a 32 yard run on
Fichburg's patented play -- the counter.  With the ball at
the Lancer 24, quarterback Raymond Earley (6 carries, 23
yards, 2 of 4 passing for 60 yards, 2 TD, INT) executed a
textbook play action roll out pass and connected with wide
receiver Brian Ricciuti (2 receptions, 60 yards, 2 TD) for
the TD.  After a bobbled snap, holder Curt Barrett's two
point pass fell incomplete.

The Fitchbur defense made its first stop, giving the offense
the ball back at its own 40.

A William Earley 12 yard counter and a Raymond Earley
keeper keyed Fitrchburg's seven play drive, but it was
another Raymond Earley play action rollout pass which
produced the points.  It was again Ricciuti who caught the
pass as he put two knee buckling moves of the secondary
before finishing off the 36 yard TC reception.  Raymond
Earley's option keep was denied on Fitchburg's two point
conversion, however.

But Longmeadow had enough time before the half to put
another drive together.  Starting at its own 41 with 3:22
left, Longmeadow chewed 3:07 off the clock as Furnari
kept the ball and barreled through the defense on his way to
the 11 yard TD run.  Tom Donnelly's kick gave Longmeadow a
21-12 halftime edge.

"That hurt going in after that score because we had fought
back real well," said Cosenza.  "Their quarterback was a
key.  Any time they needed a play he'd run and waggle keep
and we knew it was coming, but they still executed it.  He's
a great player."


Fitchburg managed to run only six offensive playes in the
third quarter, while Longmeadow continued to pick up big
third downs to keep drives alive while keeping Fitchburg's
potent offense off the field.

Starting at its own 39 with 3:06 left in the third quarter,
Longmeadow churned out a nine play drive which ended in the
fourth quarter when Jenkins busted through the line from five
yards out and into the end zone.  William Early's blocked kick
gave the Lancer a 27-12 lead with 8:46 remaining.

The Red Raiders turned the ball over once again as Tom
Sullivan picked off a pass that was tipped by reciever
Wright at the Red Raider 34.

Longmeadow couldn't convert and turned the ball over on
downs at the Fitchburg 37.

Earley broke into Lancer territory with a 28 yard scamper,
but on fourth and 3 from the 28 an end aroud by Daeshawn
Perkins was snuffed out, ending any hope of a Red Raider
comeback.

Longmeadow's brusiing fullback Holm capped off the scoring
with a 5 yard TD run late in the game.

"I do think we wore them down," said Holm.  "Our line is
real good and real quick, and huge too."

Longmeadow out gained Fitchburg 292-201 and won the turnover
battle, 3-0.

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