Barrington Pop Warner team battles in regionals

It was the Eagles of Barrington 10-0 vs. New Haven (Conn.) Steelers 10-0 in the Pop Warner Regionals on Saturday.

The Barrington defense came in having let up only one touchdown all season, New Haven boasting an unscored-upon defense. New Haven came in with size and strength: three linemen of 280 pounds, and a quarterback standing 6 foot 3 inches, and weighing 220 pounds.  

Barrington came in with speed, skill and a terrific relentlessness. The winner of this match up would go on to face the winner of the Northern New England bracket, Brockton vs. Malden, for the Pop Warner Championship of New England . 

The Eagles won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Steelers took the ball in their own end and immediately went to their power ground attack and ripped off a first down. They went right back to it on the next play, however Quinn Gaffney, cut through the large Steeler line and stood up the runner, stripped him of the football and recovered it.  

"Gaffney has been making big plays on defense all year and this was a huge break for the Eagles," stated Eagles coaches. 

They went to right to work, Brigham Dunphy ran behind Josh Nutter for a first down. Then a few plays later, Jack Murphy followed Brett Hoder and Mike Cox for a 15 yard gain down to the Steeler 15. The Eagles 8 play drive then stalled on a penalty and a misplayed shotgun snap. The Steelers took over and put together a 70 drive of their own. They chipped away down to the Eagle red zone. One play of note was the Eagles lightest player, Thomas McAdams, making an open field tackle on the Steeler QB, who outweighed him by 100 pounds. The Steelers drew first blood on an off tackle power, where their halfback got loose for a 20 yard TD run. The extra point was blocked by linebacker Tommy Rocha. At 6-0 the Eagles were down for the first time all season. 

The Eagles went back on offense after a nice return by Luke Gorham almost to midfield. Cole Reed ran the option for a first down and the undersized Eagles: Van Bree, AJ Prete and Lucas Mendonca kept hammering at their huge opponents. After several changes of possessions, the Steelers were again threatening. The Eagles got a great tackle on third down by linebacker Mike Cox and then on fourth down as the imposing Steeler QB swept around left end, Spenser Thys, Jack Murphy and Collin Phillips combined for a 4th down stop.

With 7 minutes left in the half the Eagles took over and put together a determined 17 play drive. They faced a third and 8, when Dunphy dropped back and faked a pass right while handing the ball behind his back to a Cole Glazzard who broke a tackle, and got around the speedy Steeler D for a 15 yard gain and a first down. The Eagles struggled to move the ball and faced another third and long. They ran a screen to Murphy who cut off a great block by Declan Cooke and banged down close to a first down. Facing a fourth and 3, Gorham took the ball off tackle, again behind Hoder and Cox, fought for four yards and a first.  

The Eagles ran a reverse to Murphy and he slashed his way through the Steeler defense and down to the ten.  With time running down in the second half the Eagles once again faced a fourth and goal from the 10. The Eagles shifted into a shotgun formation, Dunphy took the snap and threw a fade route to Cole Reed who went up over two Steeler defenders and pulled down a tremendous catch in the end zone! The Eagles took a 6-6 tie into half time, the first time all season the Steelers had been scored upon.

The Eagles were forced to punt on their first series of the second half and the Steelers returned the ball all the way to the Eagle 20. The defense stiffened with plays by Sergio DaSilva, Fay and Glazzard, forcing the Steelers into a 3rd down. The Steelers went behind the big line and squeezed out a first. And then two plays later scored a touchdown. With pressure from Van Bree and Nutter the Eagles again blocked the kick. (Steelers 12-6).  

Glazzard took a short kick and returned it almost to midfield. The Eagles gave the Steelers a heavy dose of Murphy: three consecutive runs and two first downs. The best of the runs was a power behind Kelleher and Mendonca with Glazzard lead blocking. Murphy made three defenders miss and gained 15.  

A penalty put the Eagles in second and 15. Dunphy hit Aiden Keenan for a four yard gain. Then on a fourth and 8. The Eagles went deep into the playbook and pulled out the “Harambe Pass.” Dunphy tossed to Glazzard who ran right, broke a tackle and then stumbling toward the line launched the ball like a javelin. It traveled deep and toward the middle of the field. Murphy had to adjust his pattern and dive in front of a Steeler defender. He extended fully and caught the ball in a spray of black rubber field turf at the 6 yard line, raising a huge cheer from the Eagle fans.  

The Steeler defense stiffened and pushed the Eagles back to the 11. The Eagles fortunes took a heart wrenching turn, as they looked to throw back to the left, the ball was intercepted and returned all the way back for a Steeler TD. The Steelers went up 19 to 6. 

The fourth quarter was starting and though many teams may have folded the Eagles went back to work. On their own 47, Gorham swept left behind strong blocking of Gaffney, Prete and Faye. Reed bootlegged right and found Karnes on the sideline for 7 yards. Murphy and Gorham made several runs. The big play happened when Reed hit Glazzard in the flats. The fullback made a tight catch inches from going out of bounds, cut back dodging three defenders and barreled over two Steelers for a 20 yard gain to the 15 yard line. Glazzard took the ball on three consecutive plays behind Cox and Hoder with Rocha lead-blocking and pounded the ball to the one inch line. Murphy then took the ball and spun in for the TD. Cooke hit the extra point making the score 19-14 with just over three minutes remaining and the shadows creeping over the field at Cranston Stadium. 

The Eagles then went for an onside kick; however, fate was not in their corner this day and the Steelers recovered.  

The Eagles abandoned sound defense and blitzed all out in an attempt to force a fumble.  The Steelers were able to hold onto the ball and actually scored with time running out — 25-14 final.

"We are proud and extremely impressed with our boys," said local coaches. "Physically outmatched, this was a test of character. The players kept the belief in each other and kept battling. This team walked off the field knowing that although they did not win this game, they won. There will be more from this group of players."