D1 Mites Bear Down to Handle Hanover

HANOVER – In a well-executed, gutsy performance Sunday afternoon in Hanover , the Silver Bullets D1 Mites football team staved off a fourth quarter charge by the hosts, defeating Hanover , 12-6.
      Head Coach Paul Hickey's squad now stands at 2-0-1 on the season, on the heels of a tough, 0-0 tie last week versus Bridgewater .
Running backs Tedero Franz and Cam Crocker notched the two scores for the Bullets, each individual touchdown run placing an appropriate exclamation mark on respective drives deep into Hanover territory. Fellow running back Bobby Melley collected 54 hard-earned yards on six carries. All totalled, Crocker collected 44 yards on 11 carries. Franz collected 49 yards rushing on six carries, including one 20-yard jaunt that helped set Barnstable up for an eventual score.
      The defense was led by cornerback Curtis Collopy who stepped his game up a notch for the second consecutive week, this time collecting eight solo tackles on the afternoon, one of which stuffed Hanover's sole two-point conversion attempt of the day. Defensive ends Melley and Everett Walsh also handed in gutsy performances on the day, as did cornerback Steven Huska and the front line of Devin Broadley, Damian Johnson and Andrew Ellis. Linebackers Crocker and William Joyce also played hard all afternoon. Clutch special teams tackles were made by P.J. Crosby, Jake Kipnes and Theodore Franz. Charlie Rice made a critical fumble recovery on a Broadley punt following Barnstable 's first offensive possession of the game.

First Quarter

Barnstable kicked off and its defense immediately got to work with great tackles by Johnson, Huska and Collopy to set the tone, but on 4th down and 7 yards to go at midfield, the Silver Bullets got burned on a 50-yard touchdown run by Hanover to put the D1 Mites behind, 6-0. Collopy then came up huge to stop the host's running game, as Hanover tried to punch the two-point PAT into the end zone around the corner.
Crocker then picked up the kick-off and rambled 10 yards up midfield to put the Bullets in good position on their first offensive possession. Crocker, Melley and Franz then chipped away at the Hanover defense, but it was not enough as Barnstable found itself in a 4th and six position. The punt team was called in and Broadley lofted a beauty, deep enough to be tipped by the would-be Hanover receiver, and deep enough for Rice to recover it. This time, the Silver bullets would take complete advantage of the momentum it had created and the solid field position it had found itself in.
      Melley took the first hand-off and hammered his way nine yards to the 28 yard line for a 2nd and 1 situation. Crocker picked up the first down on the ensuing play, steamrolling five yards to put the ball on the 23. With 0:29 remaining on the first quarter clock, the Bullets then went to their proverbial spark plug, Tedero Franz, who notched another five yards toward glory. With the ball on the 18-yard line, the quarter ended and Barnstable stood ready to push the rock home.

Second Quarter

Crocker got the nod first, shouldering his way three more hard-earned yards to make it 3rd and 2, the ball on the 15.
      The 3rd-year Mite, got the call again, this time barreling six yards forward to place the ball on the Hanover nine. Poised and focused on evening the score, Crocker got the ball again and again he churned up five yards, putting the Silver Bullets on the 5-yard line. On second and goal, Crocker took it once more, putting the ball on the goal line. One 3rd and goal, number 48 punched it in and the score was evened at 6-6. The two-point PAT, however, failed.
      The defense then got to work, beginning with a solid backfield tackle by Walsh and Broadley for a Hanover loss, and then another hit by Walsh to make it 3rd and 15 on the Hanover 38. Franz and Joyce then connected for a solid hit, giving Hanover little ream to breath on 4th and 4. Joyce answered the call again, stopping the Hanover drive just short of a first down. Barnstable took over on offense.
Situated on the 48-yard line, Franz took the ball for a gain of four yards to get things rolling, but an ensuing carry by Melley did not gain the ground expected and with 2:07 on the clock, the Bullets found themselves at 3rd and 6. Unfortunately, Barnstable could not capitalize on its previous defensive stint and fumbled, giving Hanover the ball with 1:30 left in the half.
      With the clock ticking, Melley made an amazing stick around the end, placing Hanover in a precarious 3rd and 10 situation with 0:25 to go and the ball on its own 19-yard line. Huska then came up big with an all-out tackle. In a 4th and 12 situation with 0:20 to go, and the score knotted at 6-6, the ball was on the 17 and Hanover opted to punt.
      Johnson raced in and blocked the punt and Barnstable found itself in a potential scoring position with the ball on the 17 and 0:12 to go. Crosby rolled out wide right and connected with Walsh but Walsh could only make it to the Hanover five yard line before being brought down. One more play was not enough to finish the job as time expired in the half.

3rd Quarter

Rice set the tone for Barnstable domination in the second half with a fleeting 18-yard kickoff return to put the Bullets in great field position at the 48-yard line.
Crocker picked up one on the first run to make it 2nd and 9, followed by a Melley two-yard lunge. With the ball on the Hanover 45 and 3rd and 7, Franz made like lightning, weaving and fighting for 20 yards and a first down on the 25-yard line. Charged up, Crocker then carried the ball to the 19 on a six-yard run, making it 2nd and 4. Franz got the rock again, and again “The Bear” collected a first down, placing the ball on the Hanover 7-yard line.
      Melley took the ball 3 yards to make it 2nd and goal, and Crosby rolled out, but could only gain one. Crocker mashed his way toward paydirt, almost punching it in, but instead had to settle for the ball on the goal line. On 3rd and goal, Franz looked for the hole off-center, but there was no daylight. Making a split-second, precocious decision, Franz then kicked out toward the left end, found some breathing room, and punched it home. Barnstable took the lead, 12-6, and it was all the visitors would need to call this game their own (the ensuing two-point PAT failed).
      Kipnes kept the Barnstable “D” revved up with an open-field tackle on the kick-off return, giving Hanover the ball on its own 35. Melley followed suit with a tremendous sack for a 5-yard Hanover loss. Tyler Kennedy then came in and joined Melley on the next hit, a tag-team, dual hammer that may very well have taken the wind out of what little sail Hanover had left. A five-yard false start penalty on 3rd down made it 3rd and 18 for Hanover . Collopy stepped in to make a solid tackle for no gain and Hanover was staring face-to-face with 4th and 16, the ball deep in its own territory and 0:35 remaining in the 3rd quarter. A 25-yard Hanover punt placed the ball in Barnstable 's hands and time for one play. Crosby went on a quarterback sneak but could gain only one yard. The quarter ended but Barnstable had established complete control of the ball game.

Fourth Quarter