On their home field, the Scituate Sharks were held to one score on a kickoff return and the Bullets handed the home team a frustrating loss.The Bullets also intercepted three passes, and Scituate only had two offensive drives that showed any promise, one where Barnstable held the Sharks back four straight downs inside the six yard line near the end of the first half.
The Silver Bullets recieved the opening kickoff and began their drive, with Terrance Mudie (44) and Tedora France (23) sharing most of the running duties. Kevin Hardy (1) ran for twelve yards and a key first down to keep the drive alive then France was brought down in the backfield. Mudie made up some ground and, on third down, Quarterback Hayden Murphy carried the ball himself coming two yards short of a first down on the Scituate twenty. Mudie ran for five yards on fourth down, and two plays later, he weaved through and around defenders drawing first blood. Coach Delaney called for Mudie to carry on the point after attempt but he was wrapped up as he tried to get through the line.
Kadeem Bailey (25) kicked off into the wind and before Scituate got far Jason Frieh (57) and Ryan Litchman (64) converged to make the stop. Frieh then stopped a run up the middle for a short gain and on second down Jake Kipnes (22) broke across the line and stopped the run for a four yard loss. On third down Scituate attempted to throw to their right but Kipnes and France were covering the Scituate receivers so tightly the pass was incomplete. The Sharks punt made it to Barnstable's forty five yard line and the offense hustled back to work.
Mudie ran for five yards on first down, ten more on second, then broke into open field thanks to huge hole openned by Andrew Elllis (77), Tom Harrington (72) and Frieh, He never looked back and ran thirty one yards into the end zone. This time Delaney called Ellis's number for the two point conversion and he delivered, as he had twice last week. Kadeem Bailey kicked deep into Shark territory and Shane Haggerty (8), Scituates Quarterback, kicker and kick returner, ran it back through the bullet defense all the way for the only Shark score of the afternoon. He resumed his role of QB and was flushed out the pocket as Barnstable's defense broke through the line and the secondary smothered receivers leaving Haggerty no options for the two point conversion.
Connor Jones (21) fielded the kickoff and dodged tacklers for a fifteen yard return, giving the offense the ball at the forty yard line. France took first down fifteen yards upfield and the Bullets drive was refreshed at the forty five yard line of Scituate. Terrance Mudie carried next, and dragged a Shark Tackler upfield as he gained six more. Two plays later Mudie went around the left side and was met by a host of Sharks, as he tried to push forward through a gang of tacklers, France came in and pushed the pile almost to a first down. A Scituate lineman grabbed Murphy's facemask, pulling him back as he crossed the line of scrimmage on a fourth and short, and after the yards were marked off Barnstable had another first down. Kevin Hardy ran for four yards, but the Bullets lost yardage on the next two plays. Faced with fourth down and ten yards to go in Scituate territory, Hayden Murphy threw a swing pass out to Bryan Hardy (88), he read the defense perfectly and hard working Frieh layed a block on the only defender who could stop Hardy's touchdown run. Barnstable's conversion fell a yard short and the scoreboard remained 20-6.
The only promising drive for the Sharks took up most of the remainder of the first half, they made it to the six of Barnstable, but Terrance Mudie, Andrew Ellis, Jason Frieh, Jonathan Eldridge (55) and Trevor Sayers (50) all combined to force Scituate to throw on fourth down. The ball was snapped at the four yard line and Haggerty found what he thought was open reciever in the end zone but Frieh reached in front of the Scituate reciever, knocking the touchdown pass attempt down, giving Barnstable possesion with 1:06 remaining in the half. The Bullets played it safe, even calling for Murphy to take a knee on third down, to avoid a possible turnover.
Bailey kicked off to start the second half, the Sharks got fifteen yards on the run back but did'nt get much farther as Frieh slammed a Scituate runner for no gain on first and Jake Kipnes made a big stop on second down. Haggerty dropped back to pass on third down to Scituates #89, but Connor Jones came out of nowhere to steal the pass away near midfield. The Bullets did'nt get far though, on second down Mudie was dragging a couple tacklers toward the first down marker when the ball came loose and a Shark defender was there to reel it in. Barnstable's defense stepped it up a notch as Kipnes took out Haggerty at the line on a Quarterback keep play. Jones deflected a pass away from a Scituate reciever on second down, then Mudie sacked Haggerty as he was looking for an open reciever, which brought up fourth and fifteen. Scituate punted and gave Barnstable good field position at the Scituate thirty eight yard line.
Barnstable turned the ball over on downs after a short drive, and on Scituates first play Kipnes cut in front of a Scituate reciever but could not hang onto the ball. Ellis and Litchman broke up a pass play on second and the Scituate Quarterback threw deep and just out of reach of his reciever, forcing another Shark punt. Barnstable's ensuing drive looked promising, as Mudie got an immediate first down following a block by Frieh and Manny Perry (48) ran a pitch three towards another first down but the Bullets were forced to punt. Bailey kicked deep into Shark territory and followed the play making the tackle as Shane Haggerty weaved through his blockers, taking him out by the legs. Scituates Drive went nowhere attempting four straight passes. Barnstable took over but also had little success, they moved the markers once and ate up valuable time but were faced with fourth and twelve and elected to punt from the Scituate thirty five, the punt rolled into the end zone before any Bullets could get to it.
Scituate started their most promising drive of the game but after two first downs Barnstable showed their strength as Harrington, Eldridge, Mudie and Frieh broke through the line and smothered Haggerty. Trying to regain yardage, Haggerty attempted a pass to Connor Dooley on second and twenty but Andrew Ellis was there for the second interception of the game. Patrick Thompson (43) threw a great block, setting Mudie free for nine yards on first down run and on second down Perry ran past the first down yardage marker but as he hit the turf the ball came out, the officials decided it was a fumble and gave the ball back to the home team.
On First down Haggerty tried to connect with Dooley again but Tedora France cut in front of the reciever and picked off the pass. As he headed upfield a Scituate player took France down by his neck, a brief confrontation occurred and cooler heads prevailed. Barnstable's offense lined up near midfield with a little more than two minutes left to play and handed off to Mudie who ran for fifteen yards through a host of Shark defenders. Colby Blaze (3) ran the ball next as the seconds kept ticking and Murphy handed to Kevin Hardy for the final play, as time expired and a victorious Bullet squad set their sites on a super bowl game a week away in Plymouth against Marshfield who they tied earlier in the season.
