Super victory for Blue Devils in 114th game
By Steve Kendall Staff Writer
Leominster - The Leominster High football team often has been criticized for being unable to come through in the "big game." But that all changed on Thanksgiving Day. The Blue Devils came through in the biggest of games, putting together an impressive 26-8 win over Fitchburg in front of 6,000 fans at Doyle Field on Thursday morning. It was Leominster's first win over its archrivals since 1990. and it sends the Blue Devils to their first Super Bowl appearance since, coincidentally that same year. They will face Holyoke at WPI on Saturday, Dec. 6 (3:15PM). "This feels great. We've been waiting our whole lievs to win this game," said Leominster's Scott Cormier, who scored on a punt block in the fourth quarter that gave Leominster (8-3) a commanding 26-0 lead. "I can't believe we actually won this game. We've going to carry this high with us all the way to the Super Bowl." Collins runs wild Avis "Skip" Collins led the Leominster offense with 125 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Shaun JOrdan had Leominster's other touchdown. "I'm so happy for these kids, so proud of how they played," said Leominster coach John Dubzinski, "They really came together the last few weeks. It was like a big family. I think that's why we were able to come out and beat three great football teams to end the season." Leominster was dominate defensively, allowing just 173 total yards and just nine first downs. More than a third of the yardage and four of the first downs came on Fitchburg's scoring drive late in the fourth quarter. Senior inside linebacker Corey Adams was huge for the Blue DEvils on defense, perhaps playing the finest game of his career. Adams was all over the field, making 15 tackles and batting away two passes. Four of the 15 were made behind the line of scrimmage. "I was just really fired up for this game," said Adams. "This was the biggest game of my life and I wanted to have a big game." Credit to the line "The front line did a great job of filling in the gaps so me and Nick (Zekos) could get in there and make the plays. Even though they had a bigger line than us, our guys did a grat job. They played with passion and moved their guys and got in there." Andy LeBlanc was Fitchburg's offensive standout, accounting for 121 of the 173 total. The junior tailback gained 101 yards and a touchdown while also completing a halfback option to Tom Snow for 20 yards. Freshman quarterback Jason Twomley did an admirable job filling in for David Masciarelli, who suffered a neck injury in the second quarter. Twomley completed a couple of passes for 19 yards and withstood a pounding from the Leominster front seven. "What can you say, Leominster played well, they beat us," said Fitchburg coach Ray Cosenza. "I congradulate them. They did a great job." Fitchburg (6-5) threatened on its first possession as a 19-yard run by LeBlanc on Fitchburg's first play moved the ball to the LHS 33. But the drive stalled, as Adams threw LeBlanc for a 3-yard loss on fourth and 5 from the 27. The Blue Devils promptly went on a 10-play, 70 yard drive to take the lead. The drive was a combination of runs by backs Collins and Tim Nowokunski (60 yards), and was capped by a 6-yard run by Jordan on a beautifully executed option run around the left side. Big breakaway run Leominster extended its lead midway through the second quarter when Collins broke loose for a 62 yard scoring run. Running off left tackle, it looked like Collins would be stopped for no gain. But the shifty back bounced off the line of scrimmage, took it outside and outraced the Fitchburg secondary to t he end zone. Leominster went for two, but Nowokunski dropped Jordan's pass in the end zoned to keep it 12-0. "I was just thinking victory on that run," said Collins. "They didn't grab me at the line, and I just bounced outside and saw a lot of room. I ran as hard as I could for that end zone, I wanted to get there bad." A 20 yard return by Saul Sicard on the ensuing kickoff gave Fitchburg great field position at the Leominster 42. On the first play, Towmley and Snow hooked up for an 18 yard gain to the Leominster 40. A run by Andy LeBlanc and a couple by Dustin LeBlacn moved the ball to the Leominster 25, but again the LHS defense -- and Adams in particular -- came up big. Key defensive play On a second and 8 Adams drilled Dustin LeBlanc for a 2 yard loss. After Andy LeBlanc ran for a 6 yard gain of third down, Adams got a piece of Twomley's pass to keep Leominster's lead at 12 at the half. "We knew we had to stop them there and keep the momentum in our favor," said Cormier. "We didn't want to let thm back in the game before the half." Leominster looked to be driving in for another score of its frst possession of the second half, but Jordan and Richie Kurasowicz had trouble with a handoff, and Fitchburg's Andy Roy recovered the ball at the Red Raiders 22-yard line. But again the Leominster defense rose to the occasion. This time it was Cormier making the big play, forcing and recovering a fumble with a hard hit on Twomley at the Fitchbur 12. Three plays later, Collins lunged in from a yard out, and Jordan added the conversion run to make it 20-0. Another special play Another Cormier sack in the fourth quarter set up Leominster's final score, as Antonio Alford blocked Zack Sicard's put at the 9 yard line. With Cormier scooping it up at the 3 and falling into the end zone for the score. It was the second straight game in which the Blue Devils blocked a punt and it was recovered for a touchdown, as Cormier stuffed a North Middlesex punt on Friday, with Kyle Robbins recovering it for the winning score. "I was just able to pick it up. I'm not sure how I did, but the ball stayed in my hands," said Cormier, who was playing with a broken right hand. "It was an even bigger thrill than blocking the punt last week because it came against Fitchburg." The Red Raiders avoided the shutout wih an impressive 11 play, 63 yard drive late in the game. Andy LeBlanc did most of the damage, rushing for 26 yards and also completing a 20 yard pass to Snow. He capped the long drive with a 2 yard run before Twomley added the conversin run to make it 26-8. "I'm proud of our kids. They didn't give up with all their adversity," Consenza said. Having already accomplished the No. 1 goal of the season -- beating Fitchburg -- the Blue Devils must now find a way to refocus for next Saturday's Super Bowl game against Holyoke. "I think we'll be fine," said Dubzinski, "We will have some sort of letdown obviously, but these are resilient kids. They will get themselves ready for the Super Bowl and come to play." "We'll be ready," said Adams. "Even though this is really the Super Bowl to us, I think we'll be able to ride this high through next week."