Sub QB Twomley and LeBlancs lift Red Raiders
Saturday, November 7, 1998

By Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette Staff 

Fitchburg earns Super Bowl berth 

Fitchburg 26 N.Middlesex 0
FITCHBURG -- Could there now be a quarterback 
controversy brewing in Fitchburg?
         Probably not, but sophomore Jason Twomley, making
his first varsity start at QB, filled in admirably for the
injured Dave Masciarelli and led the Red Raiders to a 26-0
Homecoming win over North Middlesex last night at Crocker
Field.
         The win snapped a two-game losing streak against
the Patriots and secured Fitchburg a Division 1 Super Bowl
berth.
         "The kids are just thrilled," Fitchburg coach
Ray Cosenza said. "Jason did an unbelievable job. He came
in in the toughest game of the year and led us to a win and
everybody responded to him. I can't say enough about the job
he did."
         Twomley ran for one touchdown and passed for
another -- firsts for him in both categories -- and showed
few first-start jitters. Masciarelli, who was hurt in last
week's game against Wachusett, is sidelined with a hip
pointer. Cosenza said it is starting to loosen, but his
status for next week's game is unknown.
         "I was a little nervous at the beginning of the
week," Twomley said. "But I got great support from the
team and the coaches. And I couldn't have done it without
Dave (Masciarelli). He's such a great quarterback. It's an
honor to back him up."
         After a scoreless first quarter, Fitchburg (9-0)
got on the board early in the second quarter. A 25-yard run
by senior fullback Dustin LeBlanc got the Red Raiders a
first down at the Patriots' 19. On the next play, Twomley
dropped back to pass, but instead ran it into the end zone
himself.
         "I rolled out, intending to pass to Dustin, but
he was covered," Twomley said.  "But I found an open
lane and just ran it in."
         Fitchburg moved deep into North Middlesex territory
again late in the quarter, but on fourth and four from the
Patriots' 18, senior tailback Andy LeBlanc was stopped short
by NM junior defensive end Brian Bigwood.
         On the first play from scrimmage in the second
half, however, there was no stopping Andy LeBlanc as he
broke free for a 67-yard TD scamper, his 15th of the season,
to make it 13-0.
         Twomley keyed the Red Raiders' next scoring drive,
faking a handoff to Andy LeBlanc at the Fitchburg 46, then
running 34 yards to the NM 30. Andy LeBlanc moved them to
the 10. On the next play, Twomley connected with a wide-open
Andy Roy to put Fitchburg up, 19-0. It was Roy's first TD of
the season.
         Dustin LeBlanc registered his 13th touchdown of the
year with just over two minutes to play to finish the
scoring.
         For the second straight week, North Middlesex
(5-3-1) had trouble generating offense. Marlboro held the
Patriots to one touchdown in an 8-7 upset win last week, but
the Red Raiders defense, led by preseason All-American Keith
Leavitt, shut them down completely.
         After driving to the Fitchburg 45 on its first
possession of the game and to the Red Raiders' 48 early in
the second quarter, North Middlesex didn't see Fitchburg
territory again until the fourth quarter. With about eight
minutes to play, a partially blocked punt by Fitchburg's
Zack Sicard set North Middlesex up at the Red Raiders'
47. NM senior quarterback Andy Jastrab ran it into the end
zone from the 26, only to have the TD called back by a
holding penalty. Two plays later, he was picked off by
Fitchburg's Saul Sicard.


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