Masciarelli and Red Raiders put the bite on Boxers


Fitchburg..............16
Brockton...............12

By John McGuirk

FITCHBURG -- Before the season began, few would have predicted
that both Fitchburg and Brockton would be a pair of .500 teams heading
into Week five.  Yet there they were last night at Crocker Field,
playing in a contest that had suddenly become a must-win for both.


Fitchburg was the team that came through, pulling out a 16-12
come-from-behind thriller.  "When you're 2-2 after four games its not
a position that we've been in for a while," said Fitchburg coach Ray
Cosenza, whose team improved to 3-2.  "In our eyes this was a
must-win, but I told the kids I didn't care about the scoreboard.  I
just wanted them to come out and play hard and our kids did just that.

MASCIARELLI SCORES

The Boxers (2-3, losers of three straigh) took a 12-10 lead late in
the third quarter.  Fitchburg came up empty on its first two
possessions to begin the final quarter.  Likewise, the Red Raider
defense put a muzzle on the Boxers.


With two minutes to playk Fitchburg started on the Brockton 40-yard
line following a Boxers' punt.  A 24-yard pass from David Masciarelli
to Rob Sequin set up a Masciarelli 2-yard dive into the end zone for
the game winner with a minute to play.


"This is a great group of kids," Cosenza said.  "This is a great win
for us.  We ran a great two-minute offense and our kids executed it
well. This may not be the most talented team that we's\ve had but it's a
team with a lot of heart."


The Red Raiders, who beat the boxers last year, 14-7 were dominant in
the first half.  On its inital possession, Fitrchburg drove 34 yards
on just four plays before Masciarelli bolted into the end zone from 21
yaards out.  Zack Sicard's PAT gave the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead with
4:24 left in the first quarter.

BOXERS REGROUP

Fitchburg, which held Brockton to 108 yards, kept the Boxers in check
throught the first half, limiting them to just 59 yards.  Sicard would
add a 32 yard field goal to pad Fitchburg's lead to 10-0 with just 16
seconds remaining before the half.


The Boxers regrouped in the second half, scoring on their first
possession.  Starting at their 44, Brockton moved to the Red Raider
22.  Backup quareterback Eric Boatwright connected with wide receiver
Jamal Burke for the score.  Boatwright was playing in place of
starting signal-caller Matt Pileski who was suspended for rules
violations.  the PAT missed and the Boxers trailed 10-6 with 6:48 to
go in the third.  Following a Fitchburg punt, Brockton was on the move
again.  A 17-yard run by running back Lindsey Ferebee set the stage
for Burke's 35-yard scoring reception with 1:35 left in the third.
The 2-point conversion try failed, but the Boxers were on top, 12-10.


"We knew that we weren't going to shut them out," said Cosenza his
club amassing 169 yards of offense.  "We knew that if their receivers
got the gall they would be in a position to run with it.  We just hung
on long enough.  Our defense really camne through when we needed
it."


On its first possession to begin the fourth, Fitchburg drove to the
Boxer 27.  On a fourth down play a Sicard halfback option pass was
dropped in the end zone.  But the Red Raiders didn't wilt as they
shnowed trememdous poise to pull out the victory.