Red Raiders Catch Boxers

By Jim Clark

Fitchburg -- The roller-coaster ride that is the Fitchburg High
football season provided some more thrills Friday night at Crocker
Field.


Having watched a 10-point halftime lead evaporate at the hands of
visiting Brockton, the Red Raiders found themselves in yet another
down-and-out situration.  But in a game that was microcosm of their
season so far, the Raiders refused to be counted out.  A clutch drive
in the final two minutes was capped by David Maschiarelli's second
touchdown of the game, giving Fitchburg a 16-12 win over Brockton.

Masciarelli's sneak from 2 yards with exactly a minute to play put the
Raiders back on top, and they were able to hold off a comeback attempt
by the Boxers, who were losing for the third week in a row to drop to
2-3.

Much-needed victory

Fitchburg faced a similar sub-.500 mark had they not pulled this one
out.  Perhaps fate dictated a victory in this alternate win-loss
pattern, which would have naturally followed up last week's 40-28
disappointment at Shrewsbury.


"This is a great group.  I don't know what it is, but to come back and
win today after last week.... I'm speechless," said Riaders coach Ray
Cosenza.  It could be that old CRocker magic at work; FHS is 3-0 on
the bome turf, 0-2 off the bus.  "Maybe we shouldn't go on the road
anymore," Cosenza joked.


He will be happy to note that the Raiders will be at home for their
next three games, and it's quite possible this victory could be the
ultimate turning point for the team.


"It's been a little bit of a roller-coaster ride," said Masciarelli,
the junior quarterback.  "This is a big win.  Hopefully we can keep it
going."

Providing a kick

If Masciarelli turned out to be the designated scorer, the key role
player had to be Zack Sicard.  The junior kicker had another
outstanding game, booting a crucial field goal late in the first half
and pinning the Boxers deep with his will-placed kickoffs.  Field
position played a huge role in the game, and it helped the Raidrs when
they took over on a punt at the Brockton 40 with two minutes left.
Fitchburg hadn't had a lot of success moving the ball, but got two key
plays when they were needed most.


On first down, Dustin LeBlanc busted up the middle for a 12-yarder.
The next play, Masciarelli took a quick drop and found tight end Rob
Seguin over the middle for 25 yards to the 3.  "Coach (Mick) O'Reilly
up in the booth and all the coaches, saw that the middle was open,"
said Masciarelli.

Fitchburg comeback stuns Brockton, 16-12

"I don't know what to say.  I truly, truly don't know what to
say." -- Brockton coach Armond Colombo.


Trailing 12-10, Fitchburg could have positined itself for another
Secard try at a three pointer, but he wouldn't get the chance.  Andy
LeBlanc got a yard on first down, and then Masciarelli took the rest
on a sneak over the blocking of B.J.Keenan, Keith Leavitt, Matt
Bourgault, Matt Hudson and Seguin.


"We ran a great two-minute offense," said Cosenza.  "It's something we
work on every week, and the kids executed it.  David Masciarelli's
pass was great execution.  I'm proud of this group."


Fitchburg's work wasn't done, especially since Brockton is more of a
pass-happy unit than football fans might be used to seeing.  Even with
starting quarterback Mark Pileski out (disciplinary suspension), the
Boxers did some second half damage with Eric Boatwright (7 for 17, 125
yards) and speedy Jamal Burke.


But Secard did his thing again, forcing Burke to bobble the kick and
then fall on it at the 12.  After a procedure penalty, the clock
expired on three straight incompletions as the Raiders celebrated
their second straight win in the series.


"I don't know what to say.  I truly, truly don't know what to say,"
Brockton coach Armond colombo said in the aftermath.

Great start for special teams

Sicard had started the game in similar fashion, his boot inadvertantly
being downed by the Boxers at their own 1.  "His kickoffs were right
where we asked him to put them.  You kick it to Brockton and they have
three guys who can take it back all the way," Cosenza said.  "Our
coverage was great.'

Key first score

Brockton eventually punted, giving the Raiders great position at the
33.  After a key 11-yard pass to Seguin on a middle screen on third
down, Masciarelli bolted up the middle from 22 yards for the score --
a vintage Fitchburg play that worked so well when Devin Gates was
running it in recent seasons.


"He's a lot bigger than me," Masciarelli said of his predecessor.
"W wanted to quick count, and the offenseve line did a great job
blowing them off the ball."


Brocketon never got past midfield in the first half, unable to put
forth the kind of ground game that has killed area teams so often in
the past.  Lindsy Ferebee was the top rusher with 61 yards on 11
carries, and the Boxers managed only 38 yards on the ground thanks to
five sacks of Boatwright.


"Having Keith Leavitt back (from a foot injury) helped us a little
bit," Cosenza said.  "Our entire run defense was good."


Steven Bean, Seguin and Andy LeBlanc had big sacks of Boatwright in
teh first half, and the secondary kept Burke from shaking free.
Russell Walker had one particularly jarring hit on Burke to break up a
pass.


Walker's play forced a punt that gave the Raiders the ball at their
own 35 with 1:42 left in the half.  Methodically they drove down
field, with another key screen pass to SEguin (20 yards) and a nice
13-yard burst by Andy LeBlanc.  The drive stalled at the 15 as Saul
Sicard just missed conneccting with Tom Snow on a halfback option pass
that would have hit paydirt, but Zack Sicard booted a 32-yard field
goal with l6 seconds left in the half, sending the Raiders into the
locker room with a 10-0 edge.


The tone changed dramatically in the third quarter as Boatwright
heated up with his designated target, Burke.  They hooked up three
times on the drive, the third a nice curl up the right side by Burke
for a 22-yard score that cut the deficit to 10-6.


Then, after another Fitchburg punt, Brockton went back to work.  A key
facemask penalty on what would have been a sack of Boatwright kept it
alive, and he found burke for the go-ahead score.  Burke caught the
pass at the 15 reversed his field and outran three defenders into the
end zone.


" They have so many great athletes.  They had us beat, and they had
better speed than us," Cosenza said.  "We knew that was going to
happen sooner or later."

Hangs tough in fourth

But Fitchburg wouldn't back down, nearly taking the lead when Dallas
Heckel dropped another Saul Sicard halfback optoin pass.  The defense
tightened up and forced the punt with two minutes left, and the
Raiders went on their final march.


"It was just a great job by the team keeping it together,"
Masciarelli said.  "They scored those two quick touchdowns at the end
of the third quarter, and we thought they were going to come back and
pound us.  But the team did an unbelievable job."


"We just wanted to come out and play hard-nosed footbll, and the score
would take care of itsself," Cosenza said.