Barnstable D1 Mites Roll Over Marshfield

MARSHFIELD - Led by a well-balanced running attack and a hard-hitting defense, the Barnstable Silver Bullets Division 1 Mites hammered 20 unanswered points into the end zone Sunday afternoon at Marshfield High School to defeat the host Vikings, 20-8.
“This was one of the toughest opponents on our schedule,” Head Coach Paul Hickey said, following the Mites' 2003 season opener. “I'm darn proud of them all.”
Barnstable 's dominance did not show, however, until the squad's first-quarter jitters had ended and new life began with the second quarter.

First Quarter
After receiving the kick-off and fumbling the ball at midfield on its first possession, the Bullet defense watched as Marshfield 's Brian Mooney scampered 40 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead. Following a successful two-point PAT, Marshfield led the Bullets, 8-0, with 3:43 remaining in the first quarter.
      Bullets' Kevin Hardy returned the ensuing Marshfield kick-off for five yards to the 47 yard line, but a series of miscues forced the Bullets to punt. A solid punt by Devin Broadley placed Marshfield at its own 35-yard line with 0:18 to go in the first. Trying to get outside for another score, the Vikings were stuffed hard on the corner by defensive tackle Damian Johnson and defensive end Bobby Melley. The hit gave Marshfield a loss of 7 yards, putting Marshfield at its own 28 yard line. The first quarter ended, 8-0, Marshfield , but the Silver Bullets' defense had finally awakened.

Second Quarter
On second and 17, Marshfield was called for illegal procedure, pushing the ball to the 23 yard line and making it third and 23 for the hosts. Defensive end Everett Walsh and Johnson converged on the ensuing play, again punishing the Marshfield backfield. Marshfield had little choice but to punt and they elected to do so, but a Silver Bullets' receiver touched the ball and let it loose, giving the Marshfield offense yet another chance.
      With 5:48 on the clock and Marshfield on its own 13, middle linebacker Cam Crocker decided enough was enough, bolted through the pit and put the hammer on the Viking quarterback. Broadley and Melley followed suit on the ensuing play, again offering Marshfield nothing more than negative yardage. On third down and still mired near their own end zone, the Vikings' offense was this time punished by Steven Huska, Johnson and Jonathan Ellis. With one play remaining to try and get a first down, Johnson and Melley again converged and stopped Marshfield short. With 3:57 left in the half, Barnstable took over possession on the 24 yard line.
      Substituting for quarterback P.J. Crosby, Joe D'Olimpio rolled right on 1st and 10, making a bid to get outside and gained one yard to make it second and 9 at the 23. On the next play, Crosby returned and handed the ball to Melley who barreled up the middle to the nine-yard-line for a gain of 14. With 2:42 remaining in the half, Marshfield was called for encroachment, the five-yard penalty placing the ball on the four-yard line. Again Crosby handed the ball to Melley and Melley answered the call, hitting paydirt and making it, 8-6, Marshfield still in the lead.
      With 1:54 remaining in the half, Barnstable elected for the two-point PAT. Crosby faked the hand-off and rolled right, hitting Walsh in the end zone with a perfect pass to even the score at 8-8
      Little did the Silver Bullets realize that they would soon get a chance to go ahead before halftime.
      On the ensuing kick-off, Melley booted one fairly deep and high, enough so that the Marshfield kick returners would jumble it and Silver Bullet Charlie Rice would recover it. With 1:38 remaining in the half, the score knotted at 8-8 and in possession of the ball at the Marshfield 45, the Bullets found themselves again in great field position to score. Rice took the first bid and bounded 10 yards to the 35. Tedero Franz then took his turn and punched it 7 yards deeper into Viking territory. With 0:48 remaining, Franz took the rock again, this time gaining 14 yards and another first down. Deep enough to finally punch one home, Rice swept outside and jaunted in for the score, but it was called back on a holding penalty. Another pass attempt from Crosby to Walsh went too deep and clock expired. At halftime, the score remained, Barnstable 8, Marshfield 8.

Third Quarter
The Silver Bullets began the second half just where they had left off in the first, recovering a fumble on third and nine after a vicious Broadley sack.
At midfield, the Bullets began to chip away at Marshfield . Melley for a couple. Crocker for four. Rice for one… a first down and the Bullets were breathing heavily down Marshfield 's neck. On the 28-yard line and poised to strike, Melley again barreled his way for seven more. Franz followed suit with 15 of his own. On first and 10 and on the 13, Crosby rolled right, this time keeping it and scampered in to give Barnstable the lead, 14-8. The two-point PAT attempt up the gut was denied, but the Silver Bullets' collective effort had finally paid off.
      Melley's kick-off was deep and Mark Vigeant made an outstanding hit on the returner to put the ball at the 44. On the first Marshfield run attempt, Broadley made a great tackle for a gain of only two. On second and eight, Marshfield sent three receivers wide left, opening the whole wide for Walsh who hit the Viking QB hard, then was immediately followed by an almost simultaneous Broadley hammer. The hit put the Marshfield QB out of the game. Another sack and then a 4th and 12 hit by Huska gave Barnstable the ball on the Marshfield 43. The third quarter clock then ran out.

Fourth Quarter
Barnstable again chipped away at Marshfield, and little by little it made it to 4th and four to go with 4:48 remaining. Rolling left, Crosby turned the corner and looked as if he might not make it as the Viking defender wrapped him up and took him down but a face mask call gave the Silver Bullets a critical first down on the Viking 40.
Again, Barnstable chipped away, pounding the ball up the middle and off tackle, but this time the Viking defense seemed unwilling to relent. On 4th and 8, it was up to Rice to get outside and turn it on and turn it on he did for 32 yards and the Bullets' third score of the afternoon. Ahead 20-8 with 1:26 remaining, the PAT failed but the job had been done.
      With the ball at midfield, Marshfield appeared as if it might gather some final steam but any hope of that was quickly erased on perhaps the hardest hit of the entire game when outside linebacker Jake Kipnes fired in on the quarterback and stopped him dead in his tracks.
      Melley had 37 yards and one TD rushing on 10 carries. Crosby had 24 yards and one TD rushing on three carries and was 1-2 passing for 10 yards. Crocker had 17 yards on five carries. Franz collected 36 yards rushing on four carries and Rice had 48 yards rushing and one TD on three carries. Walsh had one reception for two points. D'Olimpio had one yard on one carry.
      The D1 Mites Silver Bullets take on Bridgewater this Saturday night ( Sept. 13) at 5 p.m.at W. Leo Shields Field at Barnstable High School . The D1 Mites fell to Bridgewater last season in the Div. 1 OCYFL Super Bowl.