>Red Raiders open with a bang
By Chad Garner cgarner@sentinelandenterprise.com
FITCHBURG -- Talk about making a statement. The Fitcburg High football team did just that Friday night in its home-opener against Eastern Mass. power Xaverian. The Red Raiders accounted for 353 yards of total offense, while limiting the Hawks to a measly 105 yards. Fitchburg punted only once in the entire game, held Xaverian to only five offensive plays in the second half and forced three turnovers. Sophmore tailback William Earley led the attack with a game-high 133 yards on 27 carries and scored three touchdowns as Fitchburg rolled to a convincing 34-17 win at Crocker Field. "Our offense was just outstanding. We punted once all game," said Fitchburg coach Ray Cosenza "to do that against a team like this...that's something else. "I knew we would play well and I knew we were up against a good team, but the kids exceeded my expectations. They just did an outstanding job. I'm just proud of our kids and the staff because they worked real hard for this. It's a great start for us." Fitchburg (1-0) took the 6-0 lead with 1:39 left in the first quarter as Earley capped off a 13-play, 64-yard drive with a 21-yard TD run. Xaverian (0-1) answered on the ensuing possession as Justin Marcione returned an 84-yard kickoff to paydirt. On the play, kicker Ryan Logan dove at Marcione at the Red Raider 30, but couldn't make the tackle. The Red Raiders came right back. The backfield of quarterback Logan, North Middlesex Regional transfer and fullback Matt Donovan (19 carries, 86 yards, 2 receptions, 44 yards, TD) and Earley went six plays down to the 41, before Logan (48 yards rushing, 5 of 7 passing for 87 yards, 2 TD, INT) hit Donovan with a perfect screen pass on third-down. Donovan caught the ball in the flats and follwed a wall of blockers down the far sidelines into thte end zone. Logan connected with tight end Jeff Smart - a North MIddlesex transfer -- for the two point conversion on a quick out. Xaverian tied the game at 14-all with 4:29 left in the half on tailback Shane Hopkins' 1 yard TD run off right tackle to cap off a 10 play 75 yard drive. The Hawks got the ball back on an interception that went in and out of a Red Raider receiver's hands at the Hawk 42 with 33 seconds left. Xaverian, behind the arm of QB Zach Asack, got to the 30 yard line on two passes and kicker Jon Barker ended the half with a booming 47 yard field goal and a 17-14 lead. The lead was short lived, however. Fitchburg took the ball to start the second half and drove all the way down to the 3 via a key 21 yard pass play from Logan to Sienkiewicz, and Donovan's 17 yard run. At the 3, Earley followed a full house backfield and plunged in the end zone. Logan added the PAT for a 21-17 lead. The Red Raiders' Matt Vieira recovered a fumble on the ensuing cickoff to give the Red Raiders the ball at the Xaverian 44. Ten straight running plays got the ball to the 10, and Earley finished the back breaking drive with a 10 yard TD run on a toss left and cutback. Earley and Cosenza were quick to point out the bulk of the credit goes to the offensive line of Smart, Joe Golden, Steve Marella, Anthony Murray, John Lewis and Mark Thomas. "They are incredible. There were huge holes on every play," said Earley. "I can't say enough about it. This is a good football team we beat," said Cosenza. "I thought our offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage all night." The final score of the game came with 1:30 left. On fourth down, logan droped back and hit Smart in the back of the end zone for a 13 yard scoring strike. Fitchburg's defense also came up big in the second half. Earley picked off a pass and returned the ball 41 yards, and Andy Swett ended Xaverian's final play with a pick inside the red zone. "They're a good football team right now and we're not," said Xaverian coach Charlie Stevenson. "That's the bottom line. They're an experienced football team and that's what happens when an experienced football team plays and inexperienced one."
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