BRISTOL — The Mt. Hope High School football team closed out its four-game homestand with its fourth win in a row, a simmering, last-minute 20-17 victory over the Stafford High co-op of …
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BRISTOL — The Mt. Hope High School football team closed out its four-game homestand with its fourth win in a row, a simmering, last-minute 20-17 victory over the Stafford High co-op of Connecticut Friday night, Oct. 18, at the Vendituoli Complex.
Down three in the final 60 seconds, quarterback Ethan Martel set up the locals deep in Bulldogs territory with a long completion to sophomore receiver Nick Rogers, who was drilled by a Stafford defender as he pulled in a 49-yard toss.
Moments later, after the visitors were called for a pass interference penalty in the endzone, Martel hit senior wideout Evan Rodrigues for what proved the game-winning score with just 16 seconds left on the clock.
"Trust in what was going to happen," Martel, the senior QB, said of the Huskies' mindset on what proved the game-winning drive. "I had to trust my receivers. I knew that (Stafford) were going to be spread out knowing we were going to be passing the ball, so me running was an option. And that catch deep in the field by Nick Rogers was amazing. I trusted him with all my heart on that one."
For the Huskies, the win on Homecoming Night and their first chance to ring the athletic department's new "Victory Bell," upped their overall record to 4-2 and left the locals in fifth place in the Division III standings according to the power rankings formula introduced this fall by the Rhode Island Interscholastic League. Pilgrim, Ponaganset, Rogers and Classical, in order, sit about Mt. Hope with two regular season games remaining.
The Huskies close out their league slate with games against teams also in the mix for one of the eight spots in the upcoming D-III playoffs: Friday, Oct. 25, at Cranston East, ranked eighth heading into the weekend, and Friday, Nov. 1, home for North Providence, ranked right behind the locals in sixth as of this week. Johnston holds the seventh position as games are played at the weekend.
Stafford fell to 4-3 overall. The Bulldogs are a Class S (Small) school in the Nutmeg State. They are 4-2 in the eight-team Pequot-Uncas Football League.
"Very competitive game, but we continually shoot ourselves in the foot," MHHS head coach Shane Parker said about the Huskies' performance. "But I guess that's going to happen when you have a young team. But in years past, we would have shut down when things like that happen. But this team, no pun intended, continues to answer the bell. They don't quit. We play 48 minutes of hard football, not always great football, but 48 minutes of hard football every week. And we've had a couple of games like this."
Stafford, which serves as the host school in its co-op with East Windsor and Somers, took the lead in last week's game with around three minutes remaining the contest. The Mt. Hope defense stiffened once the Bulldogs reached the redzone, but senior kicker Jack Harvell easily drilled a 31-yard field goal to put the visitors on top late, 17-14.
Martel, who had what he and Parker both said was his best game ever as the Mt. Hope starter under center, took command of the offense on the Huskies' ensuing drive. Twice he kept the ball for significant gains to keep the possession going.
He and Rogers then hooked up on the crucial throw-and-catch to put the locals in reasonable range for at least a potential tying field goal by the Huskies' likewise fine placekicker Pimental, but there was no need. The PI in the endzone gave Mt. Hope a couple of chances to find the go-ahead score, which Martel and Rodrigues did on the first play following the flag.
"I think this by far the best game he's played since I've been here," Parker said of Martel. "He was very accurate. He's always going to make mistakes. We all do. I made like 15 of them myself tonight. So everyone is going to make mistakes, but it's how you answer them. He threw the ball great. He made great decisions. He ran the ball well. As he improves and gets better it makes us a significantly better football team to open it up the way we did in the second half."
Added Martel of Stafford being his best game as a starter, "I agree. We've been working on me for almost like the last year. Last season I didn't have a great season. I've working on keeping my composure. Coach Sam Hollands (a Mt. Hope assistant), he's helped me more than I could have imagined. I've grown so much this year."
The Huskies were first on the board last Friday, reaching the endzone to conclude their first possession of the night once the Mt. Hope defense stunted Stafford's initial drive, which stalled just over midfield. The Bulldogs turned it over on downs after the stop, which included a sack by lineman Ben Martel.
Ethan Martel and Rogers soon after hooked up for a 34-yard completion, a bit of a precursor of what lay ahead, to put the Huskies in plus territory at the Stafford 28. Impressive freshman Zach Borges later ran the final 18 yards to touch for the first of what were his two rushing TDs of the evening. Pimental's point-after boot made it 7-0 locals.
Stafford answered early it the second quarter, leveling the score at 7-all following a couple of pass completions, including a 17-yard screen to the Mt. Hope one yard line. Evan Poulin then carried in for the final yard. Harvell's PAT tied the game.
The teams then exchanged punts. The Huskies' drive was curtailed by the missed option throw from Pimental to an open Rogers behind the Bulldogs' defensive backfield when the receiver couldn't cling to the well-thrown ball. Mt. Hope did get one last chance to add on points before the break. Martel hit Pimental on a swing pass to the Stafford 34, but the drive ended after the Mt. Hope QB took a sack for a loss of 10 yards.
The Huskies seemed poised to break the deadlock out of the break, driving inside the Stafford 10 on their first drive of the third quarter. Mt. Hope averted near-disaster with a poor handoff exchange, but recovered the fumble. Near-disaster, though, turned into actual disaster on the next play when Stafford's Poulin stepped in front of a Martel pass at the goal line for the interception.
Martel's legs later helped get the Huskies into the endzone early in the fourth quarter. His 17-yard keeper got the drive going. He then hit Rocco Palazio in the flat with a pass the latter took the Bulldogs' four. Pimental carried for three yards on first down, then Borges punched it in from the one. Pimental's second point-after made it 14-7 locals.
Again, however, Stafford found a response, this one immediate. Alex Brodeur returned the ensuing kickoff all the way back, 80 yards to touch. Harvell's kick for point again tied the score at 14-apiece midway through the final period.
The Huskies couldn't move the ball on their next possession, which allowed the Bulldogs to drive deep into Mt. Hope's end. The possession was halted by a stern Huskies' defense, which included a Robert Annis sack, though the visitors were still able to convert the long field goal.
And after the Huskies notched the go-ahead score, Stafford had three deep heaves fall incomplete, leaving the locals jubilant and the visitors hurting as they readied the near-two hour trek back home to central Connecticut.
Martel finished his evening 8-for-16 for 150 yards and the touchdown. He also rushed for 38 yards on six carries.
"We came in knowing it was probably the most important game so far in the season just because they were from out of state and that they're a tough team. They were winning in their division, so we needed to win it. But we didn't think it was going to be like that," Martel conceded.
Pimental followed up his 200-plus yard performance the week prior with 105 yards on the ground on 20 carries against Stafford. Borges ran five times for 45 yards and the two TDs.
Rogers had two catches for 73 yards total, including the biggest grab of the game. Pimental also have four receptions for 54 yards. Palazio had the one for 24 yards. And Rodrigues had the one for seven and six points.
On defense, Brody Cavalieri had 12 solo tackles. Tyler Rhynard had eight. Borges, Palazio and Ben Martel had seven each.
"This one is huge for us. I told them before the game this was one of those low risk, high reward games. To win this game really puts us in position to have the first home playoff game at Mt. Hope in almost 10 years," Parker said, adding of the Huskies' final two regular season games and potentially the postseason, "The key is to be one of eight, but to be one of the first four to get a home playoff game here would be great."
— East Bay Media Group and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.
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