Barnstable Takes Home Two Super Bowl Titles

KINGSTON – The Barnstable Silver Bullets sent two teams to Silver Lake Regional High School last Sunday morning (Nov. 9) and when the dust settled, the Silver Bullets stood tall, proudly hoisting two Super Bowl trophies toward the sky.
      In the first game, head coach Paul Hickey's Division 1 Mites captured the first Old Colony Youth Football League Super Bowl Championship in a convincing, 20-8 win over Scituate .
      Head coach Kerry Delaney's Division 1 Pee Wees captured the second Old Colony Youth Football League Super Bowl title of the day – a 12-0, hard-hitting and intense affair over Marshfield .
      Both games boasted many exemplary, individual efforts, but none was more dominant than Division 1 running back Charlie Rice who collected three touchdowns on nine carries with 230 yards. Rice's touchdown runs were of 82, 55 and 80 yards, respectively, giving Barnstable all it would need to overpower Scituate on the offensive side of the ball. Following the game, Rice was awarded with the game ball by Coach Hickey.
       For the Division 1 Pee Wees, few players lit up the gridiron the way quarterback Isaiah Voegeli and defensive end Blake Blaze did, but it was Mike Kullas on defense who collected two fumble recoveries that came at critical moments and Andrew McAteer who both were awarded game balls for exemplary efforts. Voegeli returned a Marshfield punt 20 yards for his second postseason touchdown punt return while Blaze collected three sacks. Luke McGinnis scored Barnstable 's second touchdown of the day to seal the victory.

Division 1 Mites – First Quarter

      Panic briefly struck the Barnstable Silver Bullets as Scituate's James Falvey returned a deep Bobby Melley kickoff for 55 yards to start things off in the Division 1 Mites Super Bowl, but that play was all the Barnstable defense was willing to give up for the remainder of the game.
      At 1st and 10 on the 19-yard line, defensive tackle Damian Johnson made a nice hit for a Scituate gain of three yards. On the 16 and at 2nd and 7, middle linebacker Cam Crocker, defensive end Everett Walsh and defensive tackle Devin Broadley converged simultaneously on the Scituate running back to offer him next to nothing. At 3rd and 5 on the 14, Broadley again stepped up to make a solid tackle, this time for a one-yard loss. At 4th and 6 on the 15, the Scituate running back found daylight but the rough and tumble Tedaro France put the hammer down, stopping Scituate one yard shy of a first down. Barnstable took over possession of the ball on its own 10-yard line with 5:23 remaining in the quarter.
     France was rewarded for his defensive effort by getting the ball first, gaining two yards to make it 2nd and 8. The “Bear,” as he's more commonly known, took the ball again, this time for a gain of six yards to make it 3rd and 2 with 4:13 on the clock.
      Enter Charlie Rice.
      Champing at the bit, the speedy running back took the ball on the 18-yard-line and was off to the races, eluding a host of would-be Scituate tacklers for and 82-yard touchdown run and a quick, 6-0, Barnstable lead.
Quarterback P.J. Crosby attempted the two-point PAT, but to no avail. Regardless, Barnstable had quickly established its dominance.
      On the ensuing kick-off, Ryan Litchman made a spectacular open-field tackle to place Scituate at its own 45-yard line with 3:29 remaining in the quarter.
Scituate tried an end-around run, but was met head-to-head with outside linebacker Curtis Collopy who planted the running back in his tracks.
      On 2nd and 5 and on the 50-yard-line, Everett Walsh came blitzing through to hammer the quarterback hard, causing him to fumble. Cornerback Kevin Hardy raced in and scooped up the ball to give possession back to Barnstable at the 40 yard line.
      With 2:13 remaining in the quarter, fullback Cam Crocker got the nod for a three-yard gain to make it 2nd and 7 from the 37. Tedaro France was next, but this time he was met with fierce opposition for a loss of five yards to make it 3rd and 12 with 1:08 remaining. Rice got the call next, picking up six yards to make it 4th and 6 at the 36-yard line. In good field position to make something happen, Coach Hickey elected to go for the first down and pointed to Rice to get the job done, but Scituate 's defense made its best stand of the day, allowing Rice just one yard. On its own 36, Scituate took over possession as the quarter ended.

Second Quarter
      On 1st and 10, Walsh and Johnson combined on a tremendous hit to give Scituate 2nd and 7. On the ensuing play, a host of Silver Bullets met Scituate at the line of scrimmage to offer no gain and bring up 3rd and 7.      Scituate then aired it out and completed a 12-yard pass for the first down, with Joey D'Olimpio making a nice tackle to prevent further damage. With 5:54 remaining in the second quarter and 1st and 10 on the Barnstable 35, noseguard Andrew Ellis came up with a vicious stick to give Scituate nothing. Now 2nd and 10, Johnson and Hardy combined to make a nice hit, again offering Scituate zero ground. Trying to get outside, Walsh stopped the Scituate running back in the backfield for a loss of one. Now fourth and long, Hardy came up again huge to stymy the Scituate ground game altogether. Barnstable took over possession and went to work once more.
      Tedaro France got the opening nod in this stanza, churning up six yards to make it 2nd and 4 with 2:51 remaining in the half. France got the ball on the ensuing play, good for a pickup of two yards to make it 3rd and 2. Situated on the 34-yard line with 2:20 to go in the half, Crocker took the rock up the gut and made good work of it for a gain of six yards and the first down on the 40.
      The “Bear” got the ball once again, this time for a gain of three yards to make it 2nd and 7 with 1:28 to go.
      Enter Rice once again.
      Given great leeway by the offensive line, Rice burst free on the ensuing play for 55 yards and his second touchdown of the day to make it 12-0, Barnstable . Crocker got the nod on the two-point PAT, making it 14-0, Silver Bullets. Scituate took over possession after the kickoff on its own 40-yard line. With time quickly eroding in the half, Scituate wasted little time and gained 10 yards on its first play of the series. Johnson did not like what he had seen, and on the next play sacked the Scituate quarterback for a 4-yard loss to make it 2nd and 14 with just 0:26 remaining. Theo France and D'Olimpio then combined to make a saving tackle on a potential touchdown as the Scituate ball carrier gained nine yards, making it 3rd and 5. With no time outs remaining, time ran out on Scituate 's hope of cutting the lead in half. Barnstable went to halftime with a confident, 14-0 lead intact.

Third Quarter

      Kevin Hardy received the ball on the opening kickoff of the second half, but was immediately swarmed by a host of Scituate tacklers, but Barnstable maintained soild field position at its own 46.
Tedaro France took the ball first, gaining a respectable five yards to bring up 2nd and 5. Rice got the ball next and picked up two yards to make it 3rd and 3. France got the nod again, this time picking up two yards to make it 4th and 1. Crocker was the obvious choice to bust through for the first down and he made it, but Scituate was also called offsides giving Barnstable an automatic first down on the Scituate 40-yard line.
Rice took the pigskin on 1st and 10 and picked up three yards to make it 2nd and 7. Rice took the ball again, but this time was met by a stingy Scituate defense for no gain, making it 3rd and 7. The Silver Bullets – in control and chewing up the clock – looked like they had a shot, bit Scituate thought otherwise and dropped Crosby for a loss of 13 yards to make it 4th and 20.
       Devin Broadley fell back to punt and launched one, an incredible 40 yards to put Scituate back at its own 30-yard line. Few things on this cold but brilliant day would intimidate the staunch Barnstable defense.
Raring to go, Crocker hit the Scituate ball carrier hard as he attempted to go up the middle, making it 2nd and 7 with 2:46 remaining in the quarter. Seeing an opportunity to pounce upon the Scituate offense, Walsh broke through and chased the ball carrier through the backfield, dropping him for a loss of five yards. Now at 3rd and 12 with 1:40 left, Barnstable appeared ready to shut Scituate down for good. But the plan did not work and on a naked bootleg, the Scituate quarterback broke free for a gain of 17 yards and a first down. With 1:14 left, Crocker and Broadley connected at the line of scrimmage to offer Scituate just one yard, making it 2nd and 9. Cornerback Stephen Huska then nailed the ball carrier on an end around. On 3rd and 5, D'Olimpio followed Huska's hit with a solid hit along the Silver Bullets' sideline, but it was just barely good enough for a Scituate first down. A sea of silver and red then washed over the Scituate ball carrier, dropping him for a loss of five to bring up 2nd and 5. Hardy followed suit with a beautiful solo hit for no gain, to make it 3rd and five once more, and time expired in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

      Situated at midfield and armed with perhaps its last best chance to put points upon the scoreboard, Scituate picked up another first down. Johnson made another great hit in the backfield to bring up 2nd and 14. Collopy added in a precociously hard solo tackle to bring up 3rd and 10. The point of no return came for Scituate on the ensuing two plays as Tedaro France made a saving tackle to bring up 4th and 1. Scituate called time out, but Ellis and Walsh cared little about the opponent's strategy as the pair converged on the ensuing play to stuff Scituate and recover the ball for Barnstable on its own 37-yard line.
      Crocker quickly went to work picking up two yards to bring up 2nd and 8 with 4:43 remaining. Rice gained one on the next play to make 3rd and 7. Tedaro France then broke through the line for an exciting, 20-yard jaunt and the first down but it was called back for offensive holding. Barnstable was pushed back to its own 20-yard line, now facing 3rd and 27.
      Rice quickly erased any doubt and broke free, cruising down the opponent's sideline for and 80-yard touchdown. The deal had finally been sealed and Barnstable led, 20-0. The two-point PAT failed.
Melley launched another fine boot, leaving Scituate at its own 41 with 3:24 remaining.
Jake Kipnes made the first hit on defense, followed quickly by Tyler Kennedy who stepped in at noseguard to drop the quarterback for a loss of two yards. On 3rd and long, Scituate then gave Barnstable a small but inconsequential taste of its own medicine, breaking free for a 5-yard touchdown run. With 1:31 remaining, the two-point PAT was good, but Barnstable 's lead and impending Super Bowl victory was intact.
      A brief scare washed through the Silver Bullet stands as Scituate attempted and succeeded in recovering an onside kickoff, placing the ball on the 50. On its first play oif its final possession, Scituate broke free for 10 yards and the ball carrier was taken down on a nice hit by Huska, but it was good enough for another first down.
Out of time and out of time outs, though, Scituate had little choice but to concede the ball game. Ellis and Johnson stuffed Scituate on its next play for no gain and in the last play of a fantastic season, Huska and Tedaro France converged to end it as time ran out. The D1 Mites finished at 7-1-2 , with two 0-0 ties.
      Exceptional blocking for Rice, Tedaro France and Crocker was handed in by offensive linemen Chris Lawler, Zach Stevens, Kevin Ostrom, Alex Grove, Cam LaRiviere, Broadley and Walsh.
      Tedaro France picked up 19 yards on eight carries. Crocker picked up 14 yards on five carries, including a successful, two-yard, two-point conversion run.