Minutemen put on a show to remember


Minutemen put on a show to remember
By Rick Eggleston
 

For the first time possibly ever on a Friday night in
October, a football game wasn't the only reason to head over
to Crocker Field last week.

Instead, a marching band was, as the University of
Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band paid a visit to
Crocker Field during last Friday night's Fitchburg High
game.

And as advertised, the Minutemen -- over 300 members strong
-- invaded the ancient football field and treated it to a
dazzling display of sound, color and theatrics.

Under the direction of UMass professor George N. Parks,
associated director Thomas P. Hannum and assistant director
Michael J. Klesch, the band arrived from Amherst just as the
first quarter of the Red Raiders' game against Nashoba
Regional began.

As the final few minutes of the first half ticked away, the
monstrous band fell into formation. Once on the field, they
blanketed it entirely -- end-to-end, sideline-to-sideline.

Dubbed the "Power and Class of New England'' it was easy to
see why, as what followed was an indeed powerful, 15-minute
long halftime program choreographed and performed to music
from the 2001 Academy Award-winning movie, "Gladiator."

No detail seemed to be spared, right down to the emperor's
daughter Lucilla (played by Heather Ikonen) being carried
out on an ancient Roman litter, to the gladiators adorned in
traditional Roman solider attire that included swords and
shields.

The band did the rest, with its powerful brass sections and
drum corps carrying the performance with their loud blasts
and riffs. Finally, the Minuteman band concluded their
abbreviated performance flashing forward 1900 years to
Ikonen belting out a medley of Madonna songs.

Most stunning, of course, was the look on the fans' faces as
the band performed. Almost everyone remained standing the
entire time while the critics in the press box, too, were
riveted. What's more, the concession stand, usually bustling
at halftime, was quiet.

After the game, the Minutemen performed the show in its
entirety to a still packed house.

"It's great to have UMass here, this is awesome,'' said
Fitchburg head coach Ray Cosenza after the game, a 35-6 win
over the Chieftains. "It's a great thing for the city of
Fitchburg.''

In what has the potential to become a scene right out of
"Gladiator," Fitchburg will invade Brockton 7
p.m. Friday. If history serves any indication, it's that
whenever these teams clash the game's always: a) exciting;
b) close.

Last year, the Boxers nipped the Red Raiders, 15-14, at
Crocker Field. This year, both teams enter almost even --
the Boxers at 2-2 after absorbing shutout losses to Eastern
Mass. powers Xaverian and St. John's Prep; the Red Raiders
at 3-1, with their only loss being a one-point upset at the
hands of St. Peter-Marian two weeks ago.

Massachusetts high school football coaching legend Armond
Colombo's 11 have been led by senior running back Tyronne
Pruitt, who actually stands to be more of a threat on
defense where he stars at outside linebacker and averages
over 13 tackles per game.

"He's a major Division 1 (college) prospect,'' said a source
close to the team. "After him, there's not much. ... Both
lines are pretty weak.''

Still, the Red Raiders' secondary can't take senior
quarterback of Dominque Beck and No. 1 receiver Brandon Hill
for granted.

However, the secondary isn't what concerns Cosenza right now.

"We fumbled a punt and did some things to hurt us,'' said
Cosenza, whose team led Nashoba just 14-7 at the half. "We
still have to cut down on the mental mistakes. We're making
too many mental mistakes.''

Specifically on special teams, as the only touchdown
Fitchburg allowed last week came on a muffed punt that
allowed Nashoba to regain possession deep in FHS territory.

The Red Raiders must also get its offense kicked into high
gear earlier in the game if they are going to succeed at
Brockton. That means getting the ball into the hands of
leading rushers William Earley and Matt Donovan, as well as
letting quarterback Ryan Logan run the option, a move that
led to a key 60-yard TD run against Nashoba.

A week after running wild against St. Peter-Marian,
Leominster running back Kevin L'Ecuyer will look to add to
his Central Mass.-leading numbers (710 yards, 8 TDs) with a
big game Friday with Wachusett Regional at Doyle Field.

In a game where its underrated defense told the story --
though L'Ecuyer's 212 yards and touchdown certainly aided in
the Blue Devils' key 14-12 win -- Leominster arguably turned
in its finest performance of the season last week.

"We played very well today,'' said Leominster coach John
Dubzinski, who's poised to face nephew Mike Dubzinski's
Mountaineers next. "We're very pleased.''

And rightly so, as the 4-1 Blue Devils' defense and
offensive lines excelled. The defense forced the Guardians
to make bad decisions, while on offensively holes were being
opened up for L'Ecuyer all day long.

The one aspect of the Devils' play that didn't sit well with
Dubzinski: the passing game.

"We wanted throw the ball more, but we really didn't feel
comfortable with our field position,'' he said. "We didn't
do a good job throwing the ball, but we'll take it.''

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