Here comes the postseason.
With two regular-season games still on the November slate, the top-ranked unbeaten Barnstable High School football team (8-0) defeated the host Bridgewater-Raynham Trojans, 27-25, and in so doing captured its second straight Old Colony League championship and secured a spot in the MIAA playoffs after Thanksgiving.
With Lincoln-Sudbury's victory last night over archrival Acton-Boxborough, a win that ensured the Dual County League Large championship for the Warriors, it looks like Barnstable will once again face Lincoln-Sudbury in the playoffs in four weeks. Last year, the Red Raiders lost to L-S in the playoffs.
Barnstable has not won back-to-back league titles since 1961 and 1962 under then head coach John "Jack" Parker in his first two of only three seasons at the Red Raider helm. This time, 40 seasons later, the 2011 and 2012 league titles come under second-year head coach Chris Whidden who beamed after the victory.
"We've reached two of our four goals," he said following Barnstable's first football road victory over B-R since 2002. "We're 8-0... I'm very proud of that zero."
But last night's win seemed anything but assured, at times, throughout a game that featured the first-ever interception by a defensive lineman returned for a touchdown in Barnstable's 120-year history, and some hair-raising wild moments.
Bridgewater-Raynham opened the second half down just 14-6 after a tumultuous, defense-oriented first half and it opened on its own 28-yard line. Following a short gain by senior fullback Ryan Murphy, B-R quarterback Jordan Cohen fumbled a shotgun snap for a loss then on 3rd and 10 turned left to throw a screen pass.
Defensive star of the game Jason Frieh read the play perfectly and bolted straight into the backfield and directly into the passing lane and intercepted Cohen's offering at the 18: he ran untouched into the end zone to make it a quick, 20-6. Frieh then split the uprights with his PAT kick to make it 21-6 and chants of "Jaaaay-son, Frrrr-yyyy" reverberated through the visitors' bleachers.
But B-R never gave up hope. Following the ensuing kickoff, Cohen and company marched downfield from their own 26 until the Trojans caught a slight break on the Barnstable 16, some 10 plays into the possession. Cohen rolled right and looked for senior Ryan Scripter only to throw the ball into heavy coverage. Barnstable's Tedaro France leaped into the air in the end zone and tipped the ball: straight into the awaiting arms of Scripter to make it 21-12. Captain Kevin Wadsworth's PAT kick was good and the score was just as quickly 21-13, following Frieh's heroic and history-making interception.
The two teams exchanged possessions until the end of the third quarter and then Barnstable regained its composure. With three powerful running plays executed by Hayden Murphy, as well as a 23-yard catch from Dylan Morris, quarterback Nick Peabody culminated his orchestration of an efficient six-play drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to France. With France's catch, the score stood at 27-13 (7:31). The PAT kick went wide, but momentum seemed on the Red Raiders' side.
That is, of course, until the ensuing kickoff which was returned 80 yards for a touchdown by B-R's Ryan Martin. Martin's score envoked an eruption from the B-R stands as the score then stood at 27-19. The Trojans then attempted a fake PAT kick, two-point PAT pass, but it failed and the score remained the same, 27-19 withj just 7:17 to go.
But the excitement just would not cease.
On the ensuing kickoff by B-R to Barnstable, the sure-handed France took the kick and was hammered and the tackle caused him to fumble the ball uncharacteristically for a second time. This time, however, the Trojans recovered the ball (Mike Clifford) on the Barnstable 20-yard line.
It appeared as the hosts were going to knot things up.
But an attempted run by Brandon Gallagher was stopped in the backfield, again by Frieh, for a loss of threee yards on 1st and 10.
Cohen then rolled out left on 2nd and 13 and fired a missile midfield only to be jubilantly picked off by Andrew Ellis, his third interception in two games.
But was Barnstable going to take advantage of this critical miscue, or not.
Apparently, it was not.
With time ticking fast away in the 4th quarter, Peabody took a sack at the line of scrimmage to bring up 2nd and 10, and then on 2nd and 10 he was sacked again, this time losing the fumble to B-R on the 5-yard line.
Gallagher ran the ball three times until he struck paydirt to make it 27-25. The Trojans' Connor Reid then attempted a two-point PAT rush for the tie but he was stuffed in the backfield by senior captain Ryan Litchman and cohort Frieh.
The Trojans attempted an onside kick to the Red Raiders, but Derek Estes recovered it and then the guests attempted to run the clock down, but ended up having to accept a punt from Litchman.
B-R gave it all it had left in the tank but Hayden Murphy's first-ever career interception put and end to all hope for the hosts.
Peabody went 11-22 passing on the night for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for his team's second score of the game. He also ran the ball 14 times for 73 yards. Murphy ran the ball 15 times for 101 yards rushing. Morris caught six Peabody passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. France caught four passes on the night for 91 yards inclduing a 30-yard touchdown.
Peabody's 198 yards put him at 2,047 yards passing on the season and made him just the second Red Raider quarterback to ever eclipse the 2,000-yards passing mark. D.J. Crook had the first two seasons on record in the 2,000-yards plus category. Peabody also remains atop the state's Division 1A quarterbacks with 25 touchdown passes.
Barnstable welcomes Plymouth North (2-5) next Friday night (Nov. 9) to W. Leo Shields Memorial Field at 6:00 pm.