By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – You know what was of the best part of the most recent Battle for the bell from Muzzy Field on Thanksgiving was?

The answer some people would give was that Central was able to keep the bell and that’s certainly a legitimate response.

Others might comment on the beautiful weather in what turned into a sunny, 50 degree day. 

No snow equals no go and we were all happy about how the late morning and early afternoon went along.

And there wasn’t a trace of mud on Muzzy Field that day. 

Boots were not required on Turkey Day.

However, and this is in terms of game, there weren’t any personal fouls called that day and this was during a rivalry game when emotions always run at their highest.

That’s an impressive feat between the programs.

Both teams were tremendous on that front because it’s easy for the athletes from both sides to fall into tomfoolery mode when Central and Eastern hit the gridiron.

But those guys who dressed up as zebras that day (you know, the officials) still made ridiculous calls due to some of the actions on the field.

And two calls where flags were issued seemed absolutely mind-numbing.

If Bristol Edition Sports Editor Jack Krampitz (or whatever he calls himself these days) can cue up a picture that was taken by Herve Letendre from the press box that day, here was puzzling call number one.

Look at that spectacular move by Rosa as he hurdled Eastern’s No. 11 Jeremy Kolloverja (more on him later) on his way downfield.

In fact, Rosa has the play up on his Twitter feed and said he “had some fun today.”

He looked like ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ (it was a show from the 1970s on NBC. Youtube it).

During that outstanding play, after Rosa leapt over Kolloverja, an official threw a flag and there was confusion on the penalty.

Rosa was called for hurdling and that’s a foul in high school.

Now, if Rosa – possibly on his way to UCONN after graduation to compete collegiately – did that for the Huskies, it’s a legal play.

Right around the year 2000, hurdling was made legal by the NCAA.

But to throw a flag for that athletic move on Thanksgiving was absolutely a bogus call.

And I’m not alone in my assessment.

My wife – yes, I’ve dragged her into this conversation – called Rosa’s move ‘game play’ and it was an incredible moment in scholastic sports (go to Rosa’s Twitter feed from November 25 to see the actual play).

What else do you want from the kid?!?

Are you supposed to run around Kolloverja because he’s going to tackle you if you’re running towards the Eastern standout.

You’re faulting a kid for doing something hardly anyone else can do athletically.

Could those officials ever do something like that at Rosa’s age?

The answer is probably no.

And why can’t you jump over a kid in high school?

It just seems to be a silly infraction to highlight but it wasn’t the only call that made me cringe on Thanksgiving.

Puzzling penalty number two involved a Bristol Eastern player this time around.

Let’s go back to Kolloverja again who made one heck of a kickoff return early in the third period – for 33 yards – to get Eastern to about midfield.

The return was his career best, one of three he made that day.

But not so fast.

Apparently, Kolloverja did not hand the ball back to the official fast enough and – you guess it – out came a flag.

In all my years of observing scholastic football, I’ve never seen that called after a kickoff return.

Failing to hand the ball back to the official in a timely manner is a penalty but was that play by Kolloverja a ‘deliberate action by a player to delay the spotting of the ball to begin the next play?’

No, it wasn’t and the employees from our local Foot Locker were at it again with their yellow hankies.

It was a deadball penalty, for five yards, in a game that Central was in firm control of.

If this was a hotly contested game and things were out of control, penalties are devices that can help sway those actions but the 2021 contest was a well-played affair.

Those two calls were simply unnecessary and while the ‘infractions’ were within the letter of the law, it doesn’t mean an official has to throw a badly timed flag.

Other than those two calls, however, the Battle for the Bell was a well-contested game and a tremendous 38-8 victory for the Rams.