Bullets Take Home Three Big Wins for Second Straight Week
Sept. 16, 2007
HYANNIS — The Barnstable Silver Bullets Division 1 Midgets, Division 1 Pee Wees and Division 5 Midgets all took home wins last Sunday, with the Division 1 Midgets capturing their first victory of the season versus Hingham, 12-8.
The Division 1 Pee Wees and Division 5 Pee Wees both remain unbeaten at 2-0 on the season. The Division 1 Pee Wees shutout Hingham, 10-0, while the Division 5 Midgets blanked rival Bridgewater, 6-0.
The SIlver Bullets Division 1 Midgets (1-1) staged a solid defensive effort in the game’s first series, with fine tackles by Damian Johnson, Tevin Hill, Sam Holway, Kevin Hardy and Everett Walsh.
The staunch defensive unit regrouped after a tough loss in the season opener versus Hanover to stage a phenomenal effort throughout this affair.
The Bullets were rolling on their first offensive drive of the game, highlighted by a beautiful, 25-yard pass and catch from DJ Crook to Tevin Hill, but the Hingham safety stripped Hill of the ball and the Silver Bullets found themselves on defense once again.
Fine tackles by Matt Lounsbury, Chris Lawler, Zach Stevens and Walsh then sealed Hingham’s fate in its second possession and put Barnstable back in the offensive driver’s seat.
Running back Rufus Hamilton then put Barnstable on the scoreboard first with a 60-yard touchdown to make it 6-0. The two-point conversion failed, but Barnstable seemed in control.
Hingham answered back with a touchdown and two-point conversion of its own to make it 8-6, Hingham, but with just under a minute
left in the first half and Barnstable knocking on Hingham’s door, quarterabck Crook rolled out left and launched a 35-yard pass into the back of the end zone and it appeared that no one would have a chance at catching the ball.
On the fly, tight end Everett Walsh dove for the ball and in full extension snared Crook’s pass for the go ahead touchdown. Barnstable’s two-point PAt failed, but its 12-8 lead would be all it needed to get the job done.
But the boys in Red & White would not make it look easy, by any stretch of the imagination. With over two minutes left in the fourth quarter after a scoreless third quarter, Barnstable was in the red zone and looking to seal the victory.
But four plays later, Hingham had the ball and two minutes on the clock and Hingham charged forward like wildcats.
Several plays later, including a 25-yard pass play that placed Hingham on the Barnstable goal line, the Silver Bullets found themselves having to defend their goal for four plays with virtually no time left on the clock. It was an intense, nailbiting few moments as each team used its remaining time outs to try and come up with the best strategy — one team to win, and another team to defend its win.Barnstable prevailed for its first win of the season, thanks to some gritty defense.
Division 1 Pee Wees 10 - Hingham 0
The Silver Bullets Division 1 Pee Wees combined a gritty, grind-it out offense with a relentless defensive attack to defeat an incredibly tough Hingham team last Sunday, 10-0.
Barnstable found itself on defense first and the defense came to play.
Rob Stuart, Matt Lambert, Marcus Cunningham and Conor Walsh each made exceptional tackles to yield Hingham just five yards in its first offensive set and then the Silver Bullets’ potent offensive attack took over.
Stuart, quarterback Hayden Murphy and Cunningham each contributed solid runs to push the ball downfield, but it was a nice 12-yard pass from Murphy to Derek Estes that set up a 20-yard jaunt into paydirt for halfback Darien Kaski to make it 6-0.
Murphy then rifled a straight bullet to tight end Mike Bilodeau in the back of the end zone for the 2-point PAT and Barnstable had all the lead it would need at 8-0.
Murphy had a 70-yard touchdown run called back in the third quarter on a flag, but it was late in the fourth quarter, with Hingham still viably in the game, that Murphy saved his best for last with a sack and safety to make it 10-0.
Stuart gained 47 yards on 10 carries for the Bullets, followed by Murphy (6-30), Kaski (2-27, TD), Cunningham (3-9), Max Lambert (3-10) and Brian Reid (1-14). Murphy went 4-8 passing for 30 yards. Estes caught four passes for 30 yards.
Murphy and Kaski each had fumble recoveries for the defense. Cunningham led all tacklers with five tackles, followed by Walsh (4.0),
Murphy (3.0), Matt Lambert (3.0), Stuart (2.0), Max Lambert (1.5), Bilodeau, Colby McWilliams, John Hardy, Drew Lambert, Kaski, Patrrick Thompson and Kristian Lucashensky.
Punter Mike Bilodeau also launched a 44-yard boot in the fourth quarter that put the ball on the Hingham two-yard line. It was a critical, fantastic effort by Bilodeau — who was under pressure — that gave Barnstable the edge it needed to seal the victory.
Division 5 Midgets 6 - Bridgewater 0
The Barnstable Silver Bullets Division 5 Midgets waged what has become an annual battle with Bridgewater Badgers on Sunday, September 16th in Bridgewater. In a rematch of the 2006 Pee Wee Division I Super Bowl won by Barnstable, both teams felt they had something to prove in the new year.
The first half was a defensive struggle of field position with each team trying to get the edge. The Silver Bullets defense dominated the Badgers allowing no first downs and negative total yardage. The Bullets had their chances including a bad punt snap leaving the Bullets with the ball on the Badgers 15 yard but a determined Badger defense held the Bullets out of the end zone.
The second half was much of the same with two stanch defenses controlling the play. Finally on a 3rd down play from their own 36 yard line Bullets quarterback Eric Rogorzenski dropped back and threw a perfect strike 15 yards down the middle to Terrence Mudie. Mudie made a nice move to sidestep the Badger safety, then turned up field and sprinted away from the defenders showing great speed for a 64-yard touchdown jaunt.
The extra point was no good but the Bullets were ahead and ahead for good at 6-0 with 3:35 second left in the third quarter.
It was now time for the Bullets defense to keep control of the game and that’s exactly what it did. Not giving the Badgers any space to move, the Bullets keep the score in check and finished strong in a very tough, emotional game, winning 6-0.
The offense that moved the ball at times was led by Mudie with 2 catches for 72 yards and 1 touchdown. Tight End Mark Lambert also chipped in with a reception good for 6 yards. Rogorzenski lead all rushers with 34 yards and his TD pass followed by halfback Kadeem Bailey with 30 yards and fullbacks Bryan Hardy with 18 yards and Gabe DeStefano with six yards.
The defense however was the story of the game. They held the Badgers to 10 total yards offensively with one first down. Nose tackle Ryan Litchman was dominate from start to finish leading the team in tackles with 5 ½. Defensive tackle Andrew Ellis was all over the field and had 3 ½ tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Defensive tackles Jason Frieh and Chris Billings controlled things on their side of the line as well. Defensive ends Mudie with 2 1/2 tackles and Hardy with 4 tackles controlled the perimeter of the defense allowing no wide plays by the Badgers. The linebacker crew of led by Middle Linebacker Jake Kipnes with 3 tackles with Manny Perry, Kelsey Medeiros played side line to side line making plays all over the field. Not to be outdone the defensive backfield led by cornerback Connor Jones who had 2 interceptions and a pass deflection were solid with Bailey at safety and Billy Ho making his first start at the other corner.
Lastly, the special teams played outstandingly well. Punter Litchman consistently kept Bridgewater deep in their on territory and place kicker Mudie boomed his kickoffs deep. Fine tackles where made by DeStefano and Jack Newton backing up the strong game by the kickers.
All and all it was a solid team effort for the Bullets. It’s now off to play always tough Scituate Sunday September 23rd at 1:00 at Scituate.
