Raiders peaking, but fall short
By Chad Garner 
cgarner@sentinelandenterprise.com

FITCHBURG -- This was no cakewalk at Crocker Field.

The Fitchburg High football team made St. John's of
Shrewsbury work for every inch to clinch a berth in the
Division 1 Central/Western Mass. Super Bowl.

Although the Red Raiders dominated play at times in the
game, there were two costly turnovers in which the Pioneers
capitalized in a 14-0 victory Friday night at Crocker Field.

"I'm proud of our kids. We're not happy with a loss, but we
had an opportunity to win," said Fitchburg coach Ray
Cosenza. "We played a great team and I congratulate them,
they're going to the Super Bowl. But I've been proud of our
kids all year, they played real well. It's tough to
take. It's tough to lose this one, but I think we can take
some positives out of it."

Things didn't go according to plan for Fitchburg early in
the first quarter, however. On the first play from
scrimmage, tailback Daeshaun Perkins (27 carries, 62 yards)
coughed up the ball and St. John's Zach Demma recovered at
the Red Raider 29.

It took only one play to get on the scoreboard as
quarterback Eric Dickson (8 of 10 passing, 119 yards, TD)
fired a strike to favorite target Ross Pentland. Pentland
hauled in the pass on the near sidelines, spun off a tackler
and coasted into the end zone on the 29-yard TD hookup with
10:40 left in the first quarter.

"Obviously the play at the beginning of the game killed us,
but what I'm happy with is that we responded to that," said
Cosenza. "We really controlled the ball and I thought
controlled the game."

Fitchburg surely did control the action. In the first half,
the Red Raiders ran 33 offensive plays compared to the
Pioneers' 17.

Fitchburg's best chance to score the equalizer came on its
second drive of the game. Taking the ball at their own 38,
the Red Raiders marched to the Pioneer 18 on 11 plays, but
the drive stalled as Perkins' option run came up four yards
short.

"We moved the ball pretty well, but we just couldn't finish
drives," said Cosenza.

Leading the drive was quarterback Brian Ricciuti, who
connected with fullback Eldred Wright (18 carries, 96 yards)
for 14 yards.

St. John's offense was silenced by a fierce Fitchburg pass
rush, which recorded three sacks by Anthony Murray, Sean
Thomas and Austin Douglas in the first half.

At the half, Fitchburg outgained St. John's 130-56. 

Early in the third quarter, St. John's was finally able to
move the ball on Fitchburg. On an 8-play drive, Dickson
highlighted the drive by finding Moore wide open along the
sidelines for 43 yards, but Fitchburg buckled down to force
a big-time turnover. Once again, Dickson hit Moore over the
middle, but Moore fumbled on the sideline, and Jon
Berthiaume was there to pick up the loose ball.

"Our defense played fantastic. They played a very good game
against a very good offense," said Cosenza.

Two drives later, Fitchburg regained control on offense
after Douglas sacked Dickson on third down. Starting at the
Fitchburg 40, Ricciuti went to the play-action pass but was
intercepted by safety Kevin White over the middle.

The turnover proved to be a killer. Five plays after the
pick, Moore (7 carries, 59 yards, TD) took a simple dive
play, slipped a tackle and went to the house from 37 yards
out to seal the victory.

"They gave us all we could handle," said St. John's coach
John Andreoli.

St. John's outgained Fitchburg, 202-181, in the game.

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