D5
Mites Lose Tough Battle to Middleboro
HYANNIS
- In spite of a hard-charging defense and a much-improved offense,
the Barnstable Silver Bullets D5 Mites took a tough, 20-8 loss
Saturday night at W. Leo Shields Field and now stand at 0-3 on
the season.
Quarterback Danny Johnson played
a flawless game and his effort might have proven the difference
had an 80-yard touchdown run he made on a quarterback sneak not
been called back on a penalty in the third quarter.
Manny Perry, who collected 95 yards
rushing on 14 carries, claimed ownership of the Silver Bullets'
lone touchdown score of the day, a 54-yard jaunt on the hosts'
3rd offensive play of the game. Johnson scored the ensuing two-point
PAT.
All totalled, the Barnstable
offense ran 39 offensive plays,
the most in one game in the past two seasons at the D5 Mites'
level, but it was not enough to counter an opportunistic Middleboro
offense.
First
Quarter
Raring
to go, the Barnstable
defense came at Middleboro firing on all cylinders, pushing the
visitors back five yards at a time on four successive plays until
Middleboro gave up the ball on downs.
Perry then went to work fast, collecting
61 yards on two rushing attempts, including his first-ever Silver
Bullets' touchdown to put the Silver Bullets ahead, 6-0, early.
Johnson followed suit with the successful two-point PAT and for
the first time this still young season, the D5 Mites found themselves
ahead of their rivals.
Second
Quarter
Middleboro
returned the favor in the second quarter, and notched it at 8-8
with a successful two-point PAT. The defense held Middleboro at
bay, though, and in spite of being able to punch it on a couple
of chances, the score remained 8-8 at halftime.
Third
Quarter
Things
looked bleak for Barnstable
when, on the opening kick off of the second half, Middleboro ran
it all the way back to make it 14-8. The defense held its own, though,
stuffing Middleboro two-point PAT and giving the Silver Bullets
a chance to go ahead.
On the 20-yard line and poised to strike, Johnson bolted 80 yards
for a touchdown but a personal foul call placed the ball back at
the 20 and took the wind out the D5 Mites's sails.
Still, the Barnstable
defense persisted, and down 14-8, caused and recovered two fumbles,
enough to give the offense a chance. But the offense could not get
back on track and losing the ball on downs on its own five –yard
line, all seemed bleak for the hosts. Middleboro capitalized on
incredible field position and punch it home to make it 20-8. The
two-point Pat was stopped cold, but enough time had eroded on the
clock to leave Barnstable
with little if any breathing room for a comeback.
The final, Middleboro 20, Barnstable
8.
Kevin Huska collected eight yards
on three carries for the Bullets, followed by Eric Rogorzinski who
had 17 yards rushing on 9 carries.
Solid defensive efforts were turned in by free safety Rob Stuart
who made an 80-yard run to catch a Middleboro ball carrier poised
to land in the end zone, cornerback Timmy Rodriques who collected
six tackles, tackle Andrew Falacci who had two sacks and six tackles,
Matt Lambert with one sack and four tackles, Mark Lambert, Brian
Hardy, Marcus Cunningham and Conor Walsh who had two tackles in
the backfield and caused one fumble, recovered by Falacci.
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