Earley unstoppable
By Chad Garner 
cgarner@sentinelandenterprise.com



BOLTON -- Nothing could keep Fitchburg junior star running
back William Earley off the field -- not even severe leg
cramps.

Earley, who started at tailback and defensive back, cramped
up with 2:03 left in the third quarter and was helped off
the field.

But he refused to stay away for long after a gritty and
gutsy Nashoba Regional team overcame a 28-7 halftime deficit
to cut the lead to seven points at the end of the third
quarter.

Earley capped off an amazing career-best night with an
electrifying 63-yard TD jaunt early in the fourth and
finished with 21 carries for 373 yards and five touchdowns
as Fitchburg won its third straight game, 35-27, Friday
night at Nashoba Regional.

"That's unbelievable, I don't even know what to say about
that," said Fitchburg coach Ray Cosenza. "I can't imagine
someone rushing for more than that, so I would say it is (a
school record). It clearly is since I've been here in the
last 15 years. I think our offensive line did a great job. I
think offensively we're very pleased with what we did."

Earley, who has now rushed for over 200 yards in three
straight games, scored four TDs in the first half on runs of
nine, two, 93 and 31 to key a 28-7 halftime edge.

The Chieftains finally broke the shutout with a 20-yard TD
pass from Garrett Jones to wide receiver Dan Baer with 33
seconds left in the second.

But Nashoba refused to go away. The Chieftains rumbled 60
yards on 11 plays, capped off by a Jones to Baer (3 catches,
37 yards, 2 TD) 9-yard TD hookup with 2:14 left in the third
to cut the lead to 2814 with the extra point.

Nashoba's Bryan Sullivan recovered the on-side kick at the
Fitchburg 35, and the offense went right back to work.

It took only four plays as Ryan Aldrich rumbled 17 yards. On
the play, Earley was helped to the sidelines with cramps in
both his legs.

After two runs got Nashoba down to the 7, Aldrich scooted
off the left end for the 7-yard TD run. Baer's kick cut the
deficit to 28-21 with 55 seconds left in the third.

"We have a lot of heart," said Nashoba coach John Beary. "At
halftime I mentioned that and told people that we have a lot
of heart and now it's time to go prove it. We challenged
them at halftime to come out and play better and I think in
the second half we did."

But on Fitchburg's next possession, Earley found himself
back in the game and capped off a 3-play, 66-yard drive with
a highlight-reel, 63-yard TD run. Earley plowed off left
tackle, jumped over one defender, cut to the near sidelines
and juked four more defenders en route to the end zone.

"I knew my team needed me to step it up so I had to step it
up. My cramps were pretty bad," said Earley. "I owe it all
to my line. They blew them off the ball every single play. I
had a hole three feet wide every single play."

Nashoba went 79 yards on 18 plays as Jones (eight of 15
passing, 66 yards, 2 TD, INT) went in for the one-yard TD
run with two minutes left.

Fitchburg jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead, but Nashoba got
its offense untracked with a lengthy 16-play drive. At
second-and-goal from the one, the Fitchburg defense stood
tall and stuffed Nashoba on three straight running plays up
the gut.

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