SPM wins on late score
Sunday, September 29, 2002

By John McGuirk
CORRESPONDENT

St. Peter-Marian 14 Fitchburg 13 

FITCHBURG-- As St. Peter-Marian can now attest, it's never
over until it's over.
     The Guardians, virtually left for dead with just over
two minutes remaining and deep in their own territory, were
able to mount a drive with the end result being a thrilling,
14-13, Division 1 victory over Fitchburg last night at
Crocker Field.
     "We're just very proud of our guys," SPM coach
Owen Kilcoyne said, his team improving to 3-0
(1-0). "We're small in numbers but big in heart and I
think in showed tonight."
     The Guardians, ranked sixth in the T&G Top 10,
converted two key pass plays to set up quarterback Pat
Mulvihill's 1-yard scoring run with 12 seconds
remaining. George Vasiliadis' conversion kick gave SPM the
victory.
     However, Fitchburg had one last chance. Following a
pass-interference penalty against SPM putting the Red
Raiders on the Guardians' 32, Ryan Logan's desperation final
pass sailed out of bounds to end the game.
     "They made their plays and I give them all of the
credit and we didn't make plays," Fitchburg coach Ray
Cosenza said. "So many things happened in this game. We
didn't play well on offense. SPM angled and stunted and our
offense didn't get a good job picking that up."
     Offensively, Fitchburg (2-1, 0-1) finished with 193
yards. A far cry from last week when the second-ranked Red
Raiders gained over 400 against Gardner, with three players
rushing for more than 100 yards each.
     But SPM is not Gardner and proved to be more capable at
stopping the run.
     Fitchburg's leading ground gainer, William Earley,
finished with just 19 yards on 14 carries. Fullback Matt
Donovan had 45 yards on nine carries.
     This tilt was a defensive battle from the outset. SPM
managed 189 yards on offense. The Guardians were pretty much
held in check before their final series.
     "We talked before the game about character and
wanted to see what type of character this team had,"
Kilcoyne said. "I think they showed what kind of
character they have tonight."
     Following a scoreless first quarter, Fitchburg struck
first. Keyed by a 30-yard pass play from Logan to receiver
Frank Sienkiewicz, Earley gave the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead on
a 1-yard plunge with 9:09 remaining in the half.
     That would be all the scoring for the first 22 minutes.
     Fitchburg opened the second half but stalled after a
fourth-and-1 fell short. SPM took over and drove 53 yards
before Mulvihill connected with Adam Karns from 4 yards out,
tying the game with 5:57 showing in the third.
     A couple of minutes later, with the Guardians retaining
possession, Sienkiewicz picked off a Mulvihill pass on the
SPM 34.
     On the ensuing play, Logan hooked up with Donovan on a
34-yard pass play, set up nicely by a key block from
Sienkiewicz, to put the Red Raiders on top with 3 minutes
left in the third. But Logan's PAT attempt sailed wide left.
     Early in the fourth, Fitchburg's Clarence Jones fumbled
a punt, which SPM's Josh Rucho pounced on at the Fitchburg
14. But a sack and a lost fumble ended the Guardians'
threat.
     However, SPM would come back. After recovering a fumble
deep in Fitchburg territory, the Guardians displaying
tremendous poise, marching down the field.
     A 20-yard reception by Karns after the ball was tipped
by two Fitchburg defenders, was immediately followed by a
17-yard strike to Bryan McDavitt at the Red Raiders'
3. Moments later, Fitchburg was called for to many men on
the field, spotting the ball at the 1.
     That's when Mulvihill bolted into the end zone behind
the right side of his line.
     "We're tipping balls and their catching them,"
Cosenza said. "This is a tough loss to swallow. I don't
know what else to say."

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