9/5/11 1:30pm @ Stoughton: KP Win 21-0TD's scored by Andrew D, Joe Fruci & a touchdown pass thrown by Tommy to Ben Furfari. Extra points scored by Ben Furfari & Tommy Flaherty. Great interception made by Aiden Bender. Great way to start the season!
9/11/11 1:30pm @ KP vs. Brockton 19-6 KP Victory TD's 2 for Andrew Dittrich one running and one receiving completed pass by Tommy Flaherty; Ben Furfari on a running TD and extra point. TD saving tackles at safety by Aiden Bender. Joe Fruci put the kill on and unfortunately broke an ankle of an opposing team member in the process (who happened to be the Brockton star running back).
9/18/11 1:30pm @ KP vs. East Providence - KP Victory 40 to 12; the boys worked really hard for this game, a new offensive scheme was put in to counter EP's aggressive blitz package and some new pass plays were designed to expose EP's D. The boys executed flawlessly, posting 6 TDs (5 passing - 3 from Tommy, one each to Andrew D, Andrew G and Ben F) and 2 from Ben F, both to Aiden) and one running TD (Ben)). The D was great again, other than two missed tackles that led to both of EP's scores, the D was stiffling and the offense put up somewhere in the range of 280 yards of total offense. It was an impressive win...
9/25/11 1:30pm @ KP vs. Franklin KP Victory 13-0; this game was a little sloppier than last week. There may have been a bit of a let down after the EP game and the boys were facing an 0-3 Franklin team. They may have thought they could just show up and win this game, which was about accurate as KP had 3 turnovers (1 pick and two fumbles, a botched punt of 5 yards and penalties that took back about 50 yards of offense). With all that, said Tommy had a 30-ish yard TD run on a QB keep and Ben F threw a TD to Aiden (who has 3 TD catches total in the last two games) and the offense still controlled the ball and tempo at will and the D was filthy, barely allowing a first down the whole game. The boys can expect a tougher week of practice this week to get the intensity back for a 1-3 Hopkinton team coming in.
10/2/11 1:30pm @ KP vs. Hopkinton -KP Victory 21-0 – this game was close until half time at which time it was 7-0 – Chiefs. The boys started at little slow and really picked it up after the half, The defense was strong all game and the offense really got going putting up 2 more touchdowns.
10/9/11 1:30pm @ KP vs. N. Attleboro - KP Defeat 13-6, this game came down to an extra point, we get our in regulation and this game is a W for us, however we missed the point after and went to OT, where we ended up on the wrong side of the score. I told the boys after the game that it would be the best thing that happened to us and it turned out to be the case (as I am writing this 3 weeks later…after our latest win against Foxboro.) Tommy scored on a Keeper after a long pass for Andrew D (he made a great catch). There were some questionable calls laid against us by the officials, but we as a group of coach’s and team learned a lot from how we reacted to this adversity. N.A. was also a cheap team and it really riled our guys, also a learning point for them. So all in all, despite the loss, this was a good thing for us – thank you N.A. for showing us that if we want to be a power football team we can and will be and if we want the outside, we’ll take that from you too, but most importantly, it showed us how to be cool under “fire”…We hope we see N.A. again in the playoffs, but it is not likely unless they beat Hyde Park in their last game because of of right now they are 5-3 in a crowded, competitive division...
10/15 or 10/16/11 TBD @ Hyde Park - KP Victory 20-6,it was a meeting of two 5-1 teams at the time. It was in Hyde Park so we already had that going against us. We completely changed our game plan and offense after the N.A and it completely took HP by surprise, a point which their coach noted to our coach after the game. We pounded the ball in between the tackles and then hit the outside once they tried to close the middle. It worked perfectly. It was 20-0 at half and pretty much over at that point…TDs in the first half were two by Joe F and one by Aiden Bender on a pass from Ben F with 16 ticks left in the 1 st half on a 4th and something from the 20…
10/22 @ 7p - Foxboro- KP Victory 7-6, this was a re-do of the N.A. game for us, but with much bigger stakes as we were at 6-1 and Foxboro at 5-2 and again, without that N.A. game, I am not sure how we react. We were trailing 6-0 at the half, we had devastating penalties on D that set up their score in the first half and we had tough calls on us in the 3rd Q on O that really slowed us down. We found a way though, with a big pick by Ben F that set up our TD. Of note, Ben had the play of the game when he crushed Foxboro’s star back on the goal line during their point after try. We then proceeded to pound the ball down the field and hit with them with a well executed LE end around play that totally had them fooled. We then took a TO for the point after to make sure we had the play we wanted – something we did not do against N.A. and it was huge for us as we pounded that point after in and then held for the remaining 7 minutes of the game. It was a perfect win for us, total composure by the boys and the coach’s…we are a dangerous team right now.
10/29/11 5:30pm @ Norfolk - Loss 6-0 This game did not quite turn out the way we'd hoped. We had a snow storm come through on Saturday, 10/29 and the game was moved to Tuesday, 11/1. We had prepped and had the boys ready for Saturday night, but I feel like the 3 day delay with some families still without power had an impact. It sounds like an excuse and in any event we lost 6-0, but it was a hard fought tough game and somewhere I wonder if we had played as scheduled, if the outcome may not have been different. Regardless, the Norfolk team was better on Tuesday night by one score, which came with 1:51 remaining in the 4th quarter. Norfolk went on to Regionals and was bounced in the first round and we decided to go to the Superbowl...and...keep reading.
Playoffs - On the road to the Super Bowl:KP hosting North Attleboro 3 - Wednesday, 11/9 - KP 26 - N.A.3 - 6This game was over after the first drive. N.A.3 fumbled the kick-off, we recovered and went with the Green offense for a quick score to go up 7-0. We went mostly with power football and played Wishbone and IForm. We could run inside and outside at will. We never looked back as Ben Furfari (2 scores), Jeremy Elpus and Dan Cobb got us on the board. Our defense was dominant in this game and technically shut this team out. We put our second D in for the 4th quarter and N.A. scored with 1 minute left in the game. It was a complete team win and it was a relatively "easy" win for the boys.
Foxboro hosting KP - Sunday, 11/13 - KP 13 - Foxboro 6 (OT) We had met in week 8 and came away with a 7 - 6 win in regulation. This one proved a little tougher as it went to OT. In truth, the game should have been a 6 - 0 win for us but a terrible pass interference call on us on 4th down from our 20 lead to their only score. We hold them there, they don't see the end zone, but it was similar to the last time we played in Foxboro. Untimely penalties on us and some decent defense by them, made it closer than it should have been. We got the ball first in OT and powered home a score on our third play. We buried the extra point and we knew this one was ours. We learned from the N.A. 1 loss in week 6 to take the ball first in OT. Once we scored you could see the wind in their sails leave the field. Plus, as an offensive play caller, it changes your calls when you know you absolutely have to score in 4 plays. Jeremy Elpus made a huge TD saving tackle on their 3rd down play that left them with 4th and 4. They had an illegal shift call on 4th down that we declined because the pass fell incomplete anyway and the game was ours. It was an exciting game...what both teams referred to afterwards as the Super Bowl...
Super Bowl Saturday - N.A. 1 hosting KP (although we were the home team on their field). This was a redemption game for us. As coaches and I think as parent's we felt the first loss to them was a fluke. A combination of the Camp Bournedale week for our older lighters and the intense heat of that Sunday (80 degrees). For this game we had a full week to prepare, the temps were in the 50s and we showed everyone that week 6 was a fluke. This game was a laugher, over at half time, if you ask me. We were up 13 - 0 at half and N.A.1 did not have a single first down on offense to that point. We were sweeping on them at will based on one small simple adjustment we made with the backs. It was awesome to watch the boys execute the game plan to a "T". We ended up winning 25-0 with TDs from Ben Furfari (2) and Andrew D (2). We also won without our starting Right End and Inside Linebacker, Andrew G. Jeremy Elpus and Philip Migniaca filled in well on O and D, respectfully. The D was absolutely relentless, not allowing a first down until late in the 4th quarter...it was total domination on both sides of the ball for 40 minutes. The whole team played well and it was extremely satisfying to both avenge that loss for them and have the season end the way it did...we are back to back champs with an eye towards a three-peat in 2012...
Congrats to all the players and coaches and a thanks to the parents for putting up with all practices and games. We started 8/1 and finished 11/19. It was a long season, but I am sure all those involved would say it was worth it.
And in terms of not going to Regionals, I say this, "it is better to have something on your jacket, than nothing at all..." All score and standing info can be found here: http://kpchiefs.org/schedule%20scores%20standings.htm We are in the Patriots conference (D1), Seminole Conference and are in the Jr. Pee Wee (D)...
