D1 Mites Deadlock in Battle with Bridgewater

HYANNIS - Halfback Bob Melley churned up 80 hard-earned yards, including a 20-yard run on his first carry of the day, but the Barnstable Silver Bullets D1 Mites could not put the ball in the end zone Saturday night, ending in a 0-0 tie with archrival Bridgewater .
      The game was the first time the two teams had met since last season's Old Colony League Super Bowl, when Bridgewater defeated the Bullets, 21-0.
      The Barnstable defense, however, played phenomenally well, shutting down a potent Bridgewater offense with hit after hard hit throughout the game.
      Curtis Collopy had an exceptional game at right side cornerback, collecting five tackles on the day, including a critical fourth quarter open-field tackle on a reverse sweep by the visitors.
      Other outstanding defensive efforts included a 3rd down sack with 1:19 left in the fourth quarter at midfield by defensive end Everett Walsh, causing a loss of 10 yards on the play and putting Barnstable in superb position at midfield to make one last bid for paydirt.
      Middle Linebacker Cam Crocker, the captain of the Bullet defense, collected five tackles on the day, followed by Jonathan Ellis, linebacker Dominique Tillman, Steven Huska, Damian Johnson, William Joyce and Melley.
      Melley, while dominant on offense, was equally impressive from his slot at defensive end, collecting five tackles on the day. Crocker, also a force up the middle in the Bullet running attack, collected 42 yards on five carries. Tailback Tedero Franz again showed guts and speed, collecting 46 hard-earned yards on six carries, including one 23-yard run in the second quarter. Quarterback P.J. Crosby was 1-1 on passing, completing a five-yard pop pass to Walsh.
“We beat them up and down the field,” Head Coach Paul Hickey (1-1) said after the game. “But we win as a team and we lose as a team.”

First Quarter

Barnstable lost the coin toss and kicked off with a tremendous boot by Melley, leaving the Barnstable defense to do its work at the Bridgewater 40. On 1st and 10, Joyce made the stick on a run up the middle, followed by the Bridgewater quarterback getting tripped up for a gain of two yards on 2nd and 10. On 3rd and 8, Bridgewater broke it open and looked like it was heading for glory when Theo Franz stepped up and made a nice, TD-saving tackle. Collopy followed with a fantastic hit, leaving Bridgewater at 3rd and 9. Johnson made a great hit at the line of scrimmage, leaving the visitors with 4th and 9 to go. Bridgewater opted to punt and the ball was received by Walsh at the line of scrimmage.
      With 3:54 remaining in the first quarter, Melley busted it wide open for a 20-yard gain and the Bullets looked like they would drive downfield to glory. Crocker quickly followed with a headstrong gain of six yards to leave the hosts at 2nd and 4. Again Crocker took the rock up the gut, collecting three yards to make it 3rd and 1. At the Bridgewater 15, Barnstable was poised to strike when an offsides penalty ensued, givng the hosts a still feasible 3rd and 6. Tailback Charlie Rice got the nod, but was stuffed at the line of scrimmage for no gain, making it 4th and 6. Barnstable called a time out but was forced to punt in hope of putting the ball deep in Bridgewater territory and leaving it in the hands of the hard-charging defensive unit. A bobbled snap, though, gave Bridgewater better field position than it hoped for, and with time ticking out on the quarter, the visitors found themselves at the 34-yard line.
      On 1st and 10, Huska stepped up and plugged the hole, giving Bridgewater 2nd and 8. With one play left before the end of the quarter, the visitors opted to sweep but the Bridgewater running back took a heavy hit in the backfield by Walsh for a loss of one to make it 3rd and 9.

Second Quarter

Faced with a 3rd and 9 and an unrelenting Barnstable defense, Bridgewater had little room to run. Enter first-year Mite noseguard Ellis who stepped into the hole and plugged it, the visitors barely gaining one yard on the play. Following Ellis was middle linebacker Crocker. On 4th and 8, the stocky captain stuffed the hole and at just 7:14 in the quarter, the hosts took over on downs.
      With 1st and 10 on the 41 yard line, Tedero Franz took the rock and flew like the wind, zig-zagging his way to the 18-yard line on a tremendous, momentum-building, 23-yard jaunt.
      Melley then barreled through on 1st and 10 for a gain of eight yards, putting the ball on the Bridgewater 10-yard line. Poised from the fullback slot, Crocker then took the ball from Crosby and punched it through to the seven-yard line for a gain of three. Franz got the ball but found no daylight on the ensuing play, getting hit hard behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of one. Still red hot in the red zone, Barnstable could practically taste a touchdown as the first half clock ticked away to 4:57 .
     Crosby then got the nod and rolled right, but rolled too wide and was sacked for a loss of five yards on the play. On a critical third down play in scoring position once more, Barnstable was again called for off-sides. On 4th and goal with 2:07 remaining on the clock, a false start flag then came tumbling down on the Silver Bullets' scoring hopes. Again, the home squad was pushed back five yards. Crosby rolled out again, but before he could take two steps was peppered in the backfield and Barnstable lost the ball on downs, leaving it to Bridgewater at the 23.
      With 1:22 remaining in the half, the visitors came at Barnstable and came hard, first with a 34-yard run, then with another run of 12 yards. Appearing as if it would be first to score, and with only 0:49 left on the clock, Bridgewater fumbled, leaving it with 2nd and 15 on the Barnstable 28. Two plays and a Melley hammer later, Barnstable had the ball back with 0:21 left in the half. At 1st and 10 on the 34, Crosby rolled right again but was hit hard at the line of scrimmage. A Barnstable holding penalty pushed the hosts back to the 39 and 1st and 15.
      Walsh then went out for a pop pass from Crosby for a two-yard completion, stopping the clock. Franz then got the call and took it 10 yards, but the half expired, with both teams deadlocked at 0-0.

3rd Quarter

Crocker returned the kick-off for a gain of three yards to give the hosts fairly good field position at the onset of the second half. The fullback then followed suit with a two-yard gain up the gut to make it 2nd and 8. Melley, shouldering his way for yardage, picked up five more yards on the next hand-off. Franz then picked up the first down on 3rd on 3 and at 5:33 on the Bridgewater 46, Barnstable looked again ready to push forward toward glory.
      On 1st and 10, Melley picked up eight yards to make it 2nd and 2 with 4:55 on the clock. Melley went at it again on the next play to garner the first down for the hosts, picking up six yards. Now on the 24 yard line and 2rd and 1, Franz picked up a loose ball and tried to make the best of it, but to no avail as three Bridgewater tacklers converged on the rough and tumble young man.
      On 3rd and 3, Melley took the rock but got nowhere fast, losing two more yards on the play. Could Barnstable get the job done this time? On 4th and 5 and situated on the 28, a false start pushed the hosts back again with one last shot. The Bridgewater defense hammered through the offensive line and with 1:33 left in the quarter, had taken the ball over on downs.
      Successive hard tackles by Crocker, Johnson and Tillman were not enough to stave the speedy Bridgewater offense, though as the ball was soon at the 50-yard line. Fortunately, for the hosts, time would soon expire in the third stanza.Bridgewater's momentum had been blocked, almost as if by fate itself.

Fourth Quarter