By Michael Letendre
BERLIN – Spotting the Berlin football program any kind of early cushion can lead to a long night of gridiron misery.
And after the Redcoats scored on Bristol Eastern’s opening kickoff and then turned around and cashed in on a Lancers’ interception, Berlin controlled the contest just 6:10 into the first half – eventually leading to a 39-6 triumph over Eastern on Friday night from Sage Park off the Berlin Turnpike.
Berlin (5-0) scored just 14 seconds into the fray as Luke Maguder made a mad 90 yard kickoff return for a touchdown and when the Redcoats got the ball back, a turnover on downs gave Eastern (0-5) great field position – starting on Berlin’s 35 – but Mason DiMauro intercepted a pass from back-up quarterback Jack Hartley, rumbled into the end zone for a 78 yard score, as Berlin led 12-0 with 5:50 left to play in the first frame.
“Obviously, with [Berlin] to start with a kickoff [return for a touchdown] right away, it was obviously a huge jump for them,” said Eastern coach Anthony Julius. “Credit to our guys. We could have folded right there, but we came back out and moved the ball down the field and had a good opportunity there.”
“We took a shot in the plus territory, trying to make a play happen [before the interception].”
Eastern’s Zaveyn Tate had a couple tackles for losses while Jack Hartley and Joshua Aubin made gains over the Lancers’ ground attack.
Austin Shorette nabbed a late catch, as did Hartley, to pace the offense.
Eastern controlled the remainder of the first quarter with Adam Zavecz attempting his first rushes of the campaign as the Kingstreeters settled on the 12-0 deficit going into the second stanza.
Berlin scored early in the second as a six play, 63-yard jaunt saw Berlin quarterback Lorenzo Miele found Michael Fitzsimmons all alone in the middle of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown reception as the home squad led 19-0 with 9:27 remaining before the half.
Eastern’s Jaiden Fore (23 carries, 67 yards, TD), coming back from an injury he sustained at Avon, started churning up yards midway through the second as he found creases and seams to sprint through.
But just as the visitors were about to operate in the Redcoats’ red zone, senior Marcus Kelly-Johnson sacked Eastern quarterback Alex Corvo as Berlin got the ball back with 1:20 left on the clock as intermission loomed.
Eight plays later, it appeared that Berlin was stuck on Eastern’s three-yard line as the buzzer sounded but the program got the play off and Miele found Luke Maguder up the middle for a three-yard touchdown connection and at the half, Berlin was in charge 26-0.
“Obviously, to be down two scores early was not the ideal way to start, but I’m proud of the way the kids fought and battled,” said Julius. “The score doesn’t really show it, but I felt at times we played really well. But you’ve got to give credit to Berlin. They’re a good football team.”
To start the third quarter, the Lancers went three and out but on a punt by Gavin Damboise, the ball bounced off a Berlin offender and Zavecz recovered it for the Lancers.
From there, Fore made a few rushes, Corvo was roughed by the Berlin defense for a 15 yard penalty and Eastern operated in the Berlin red zone for the first time.
Fore made nine straight rushes and on his final attempt, he went up the gut for a one-yard TD score and with 2:39 left in third, Eastern trimmed the deficit to 26-6.
“Jaiden’s been a great runner for us all year long,” said Julius of Fore. “He’s stepped up into his role and he’s really taken it. He’s a physical runner. He’s a handful. When he came into the offense tonight, he kind of sparked us and Berlin had a really hard time bringing him to the ground.”
The Redcoats were shutout of the third period but in the fourth, the home team scored twice more.
Miele found Maguder for a 16-yard touchdown connection 52 seconds into the fourth and DiMauro ended the scoring with a 16 run TD jaunt with 1:39 to go as Berlin came away from Sage Park with a 39-6 win.
“I’m proud of the effort,” said Julius. “Obviously, we’re not trying to celebrate a loss here, but at the same time, like I told the kids, Berlin’s a good football team. There’s no denying that. They’ve proven it through the first five weeks of the season.”
NOTES…Berlin was limited to a combined nine yards in rushing and passing over first period play but thanks to the kickoff and interception returns for TDs, the home team held that 12-0 edge.
BRISTOL EASTERN FOOTBALL (CCC Tier III Football Challenge)
BERLIN 39, BRISTOL EASTERN 6
from Scalise Field – Turf Field Sage Park Stadium
Bristol Eastern (0-5) 0 0 6 0 – 6
Berlin (5-0) 12 14 0 13 – 39
SCORING
First Period
Berlin – Luke Maguder 90 kick return (kick failed), 11:46
Berlin – Mason DiMauro 78 interception (pass failed), 5:50
Second Period
Berlin – Michael Fitzsimmons 23 catch from Lorenzo Miele (Josh Grimm kick), 9:27
Berlin – Luke Maguder 3 catch from Miele (Grimm kick), 0:00
Third Period
BE – Jaiden Fore 1 run (kick failed), 2:39
Fourth Period
Berlin – Maguder 16 catch from Miele (Grimm kick), 11:08
Berlin – DiMauro 16 run (run failed), 1:39
Records: Berlin 5-0 overall; Bristol Eastern 0-5.
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