Barnstable Can't Solve Brockton Puzzle

HYANNIS, MA — The Red Raiders fell to 0-2 last night (Sept. 17) at W. Leo Shields Memorial Field, falling to the visiting Brockton Boxers, 28-0, before 2,000 fans.

    The Barnstable Quarterback Club hosted "Youth Night" at W. Leo Shields Field, welcoming and introducing some 400 Barnstable Silver Bullets youth football players and cheerleaders as well as former players and cheerleaders from the 1951, 9-0, BHS team. Alumni, represented by 1951 co-captain Caleb Fraser, Fran Fermino and others, presented the Quarterback Club with a check for $2,000 to help launch the BQC's Field of Dreams Project.

    The project hopes to raise $1 million for the installation of a new synthetic grass surface, new track and locker room addition to Building M.

    The Barnstable defense actually played quite well against a usually potent Brockton offense, holding the visitors to a 14-0 lead by halftime and causing five fumbles.

    But Brockton senior running back Richard Johnson proved too much for the Red Raiders to handle as he cruised to 210 yards on 13 carries. All totalled, Brockton collected 369 yards on the ground, in sharp contrast to Barnstable's 122 yards rushing.

    Senior running back Bobby Nunes carried the ball 10 times for 35 yards, followed by sophomore running back Zach Wilson (28 yards/six carries).

Play-by-Play, Provided by the Cape Cod Sports Report/Frank Finn
      The game began with Brockton kicking off to Barnstable and the home team getting its first first down of the day on a run up the middle by Zach Wilson. But that was about all Barnstable could do on offense for the first half.
      On defense, Artie Doherty recovered Barnstable punt to give Barnstable its best field position of the half, but the home team could do little with the opportunity.
Brockton took over after four BHS downs and added its second touchdown for a 14-0 lead.
      Later on in the first half, Mike Burke added a fumble recovery, and quarterback Kevin Riley added the team’s second first down. Bobby Nunes also played well the first half.
     In the second half, Rone Ferguson had a nice stop on Brockton’s kickoff return. But Brockton scored its third TD when its runningback slipped a tackle and the score was 21-0.
      Two Barnstable receivers then got their signals crossed when both tried to make the catch on a Brockton kickoff and the ball got loose for a Brockton recovery. Fortunately for the home team, the Boxers soon after fumbled the ball away as Bryce Christian recovered and Barnstable took over.
      The Red Raiders then got a first down on runs by Wilson and Nunes, but an incomplete pass on third-and-seven stalled the drive.
      A quarterback keeper for a long gain was prevented from turning into a touchdown on a tackle by Ferguson and Thaddeus France. And with Brockton at the Barnstable 12-yard line, the Red Raider defense, including tackled by Mike Deluga, Burke, CJ Ellis and Mike Slavinsky, pushed the Brockton offense back to a third-and-15 situation, and at that point, the visitors fumbled and Keith Collings recovered.
      Barnstable took over, but runs by Nunes and Wilson resulted in just a fourth-and-three.
      Brockton gained some good yardage on its next drive, but a tackle for a loss by Mike Noonan and a pass breakup by Mick Wilson forced the Boxers to punt to close the third quarter.
      After Barnstable’s next punt, Brockton took over and in about two minutes, had its fourth TD for a 28-0 lead with 7:27 left to play.
      The subs for both teams took over at that point, but neither team scored after that.

    The Red Raiders' schedule does not get much easier from here on out. Next week, Barnstable faces fourth-ranked St. John's Prep.

    To see where other high school teams rank in Eastern Massachusetts, click here.