Raining TDs over Gardner 

Saturday, September 21, 2002

By John McGuirk
CORRESPONDENT 

Fitchburg 46, Gardner 21
GARDNER-- Back in the glory days, games between
the Fitchburg and Gardner football teams were always
fierce, hard-fought battles.
     As the Red Raiders showed last night at Watkins
Field, apparently those days have passed.
     FItchburg's offense was too much for the Wildcats
to handle as the Red Raiders rolled to a 46-21,
non-league victory.
     Last night's meeting was the 99th between these
storied programs. Fitchburg leads the series 51-37-11.
     The Red Raiders' ground game was explosive.
Three players rushed for more than 100 yards. In all,
Fitchburg racked up 460 total yards to Gardner's 309.
     "It was a good game for us," said Fitchburg coach
Ray Cosenza, whose team is ranked second in the
Telegram & Gazette Top 10. "Obviously, our offense
played good. We're pleased with the win and we
came out of this healthy."
     Quarterback Ryan Logan led the assault. The
senior did more with his feet than with his legs,
rushing for 157 yards on six carries and a pair of
touchdowns. Sophomore tailback William Earley was
just as lethal, rushing for 123 yards on seven
attempts, while getting into the end zone twice.
Fullback Matt Donavan gained 118 yards on eight
carries and scored twice.
     "That doesn't happen too often," said Cosenza,
referring to three backs gaining more than 100 yards.
"I give credit to our offensive line and receivers for
some outstanding blocking."
     Junior Kevin Flanagan was the workhorse for the
Wildcats, rushing for 123 yards on 21 carries.
     This game was never in doubt as the Division 1
Red Raiders (2-0) scored three touchdowns on their
first five plays from scrimmage. Division 1A Gardner
(0-2) appeared shell-shocked as Fitchburg took a 34-7
lead into the half.
     Logan put the Red Raiders on the board at the
3:56 mark of the first quarter following a 57-yard
keeper around the right end. After Steve Marrella
picked off Gardner quarterback Greg Mailloux deep
in Wildcats territory, Logan connected with Frank
Sienkiewicz for a 22-yard TD pass.
     The Red Raiders were hardly through, however.
Following a Gardner punt, Fitchburg needed but one
play on its ensuing possession to put this one out of
reach. Logan fumbled the snap, but alertly pitched the
ball to Earley, who rumbled 60 yards to put the Red
Raiders up, 21-0, as the quarter came to an end.
     Earley came back early in the second to break off
a 16-yard TD run, increasing the lead to 28-0.
Minutes later, Logan took off on a 65-yard jaunt,
giving the Red Raiders a 34-0 edge.
     "No one prepares a team better than our coaching
staff," Logan said. "Our offensive line was great.
They opened up some big holes tonight."
     The Wilcats got one back just before the half on
Mailloux's 8-yard pass to Dave Hulette.
     However, that score did little to silence the Red
Raiders. On their first possession of the second half,
Fitchburg marched 66 yards before Donovan, a
junior, bolted into the end zone from 11 yards out.
The North Middlesex transfer followed with a
79-yard TD run, which put the visitors ahead, 46-7,
with 3:49 remaining in the third quarter.
     With the game out of reach, Cosenza inserted his
second unit. That, in turn, allowed Gardner to grab a
pair of touchdowns from John Boguzis (6-yard run)
and Flanagan (87-yard TD reception). 



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