RallyNorth.net

Fri, Sep 07, 2007 07:00 PM @ Concord-Carlisle

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Methuen	0	0	0	7	7
Concord-Carlisle	9	13	0	7	29

Methuen drops opener

Saturday, September, 08 By Bob Albright
Staff writer

CONCORD | Playing just minutes from the Old North Bridge and the starting point of the Revolutionary War, the Methuen football team could not get off to the revolutionary start they were hoping to last night at the Rangers fell to Concord Carlisle, 29-7.

Despite the loss, Methuen fans can take some solace in the fact that while the Patriots' band played non-stop right through the entire second half, so too did Pat Graham's team, playing the high-octane hosts out of the Dual County League even for the final 22 minutes.

Unfortunately, the Patriots dominated the opening stanza, rolling up a three-touchdown lead to spoil Graham's debut on the Ranger sidelines.

"I had some nervous energy (leading up to the game), but I was excited and I think our kids were excited," said Graham, who came away from the contest with a laundry list of football wrongs he wants to right this week, especially on the defensive side of the ball. "I just don't think we played up to our capability."

Trailing 22-0 at the half, a re-energized Rangers club took the field and promptly stuffed the Patriots on their first three possessions thanks to a pair of sacks by junior Ricky Joaquin on C-C signal-caller Dan Darcy (7-for-7, 81 yards, 2 TDs), the second coming on fourth down and setting Methuen up at its own 40.

The stop put the ball in the willing hands of Methuen QB Matt Bartlett (9-for-21, 137 yards, 1 TD) and the junior quickly connected with Dan Higgins (4 catches, 74 yards) twice, before finding tri-captain Dan Koerner in the back of the end zone from 11 yards out to ink the Rangers' first points of the year.

The score and Giuliano Pizzo's PAT made it a 22-7 game with over 10 minutes to play and another wicked hit on Darcy in the backfield by Methuen senior Chris Pierce set up the Ranger offense in good shape just minutes later. Any hopes of a miraculous rally fizzled, however, with a fumble and a 13-yard keeper by Darcy in the final minutes for the game's final score.

While the final half was more to his liking, Graham was hardly satisfied.

"I'm not happy with the way the defense tackled and I'm not happy with the way we executed the defenses. I just think we need some work," said Graham. "They had some big plays against us and we missed some tackles. They threw some stuff at us that we weren't quite ready for and I think we adjusted in the second half. I think we are moving in the right direction, but I think it's a process. I think it's going to take a while."

It often looked like the tortoise versus the hare in the first half as Methuen, behind backs Justin Marsan (13 carries, 51 yards) and Mike Bartlett (6-34) moved the ball deliberately, but effectively. Trailing 9-0, the Rangers drove all the way to the Patriots' 3-yard line, before stalling and having a chip shot field goal blocked.

"We just didn't finish and (field goals) is something that we have spent a lot of time on," said Graham.

With Methuen already nicked up heading into this one, Graham is hopeful to get some players back for Friday's home opener against Belchertown, the only club the Rangers have beaten in the last 35 games.