GLOUCESTER — Any upcoming opposing coach looking to pull a fast one on the Gloucester High School football team, by opting not to exchange game films, should look at this past Saturday as a reason to avoid that strategy.
That method was used by Barnstable head coach Doug Crook last week, leaving the Fishermen with very little relevant information for Saturday's game against the Red Raiders. However, the plan could not have backfired any more than it did.
In what was one of the biggest blowouts in recent memory in local high school football, Gloucester topped Barnstable 67-6 at Newell Stadium. The Fishermen, who improved to 4-0 on the season and won their 18th straight game, probably could've made the score look even worse for the Division 1 Red Raiders. Just ask Crook.
"When is the last time someone scored 67 points on someone," said Crook, whose team dropped to 2-2. "It doesn't happen very often. Gloucester is a very strong football team. They probably could've put up 100 on us if they wanted to."
The Fishermen were able to rest their starters beginning in the middle of the second quarter. Gloucester jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter, then tacked on 33 second quarter points to take an incredible 54-6 halftime lead.
Several players got a taste of the action for the Fishermen and nine different players scored touchdowns. Barnstable had no answer for the Gloucester offense, which racked up 375 total yards. The Gloucester defense held the Red Raiders to just 107 yards of total offense (15 rushing yards) and forced eight turnovers.
"We played very well on offense and defense," said Gloucester head coach Paul Ingram. "Our kids don't let up. Sometimes you score easily and the kids start to let up. But our kids stayed tough and kept focused."
It was a near-flawless performance by the defending Division 2A Super Bowl champs, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
On the third play of the game, senior Ross Carlson picked off a pass by Barnstable's freshman quarterback Doug Crook Jr. (7 of 19, 92 yards). The play set the tone for the day, as Gloucester scored on the ensuing drive when senior captain and offensive lineman Robbie Lowe scooped up a fumbled snap and ran it in from nine yards out.
Barnstable then fumbled for the first of three times on first down of its next drive and Gloucester recovered at the Red Raiders' 13-yard line. Carlson then scored an 8-yard touchdown run two plays later to give Gloucester a 14-0 lead just six minutes into the game.
"It was a great game by our defense and our secondary," said Lowe, who added a defensive fumble recovery in the second quarter. "They really answered the call. We wanted to really put pressure on their freshman quarterback."
Senior Dylan Maki had an oustanding day for Gloucester, intercepting three passes and twice returning the picks to the Barnstable 2-yard line. That kind of great field position was a constant for the Fishermen, who started their first six possessions in Red Raiders' territory. They scored on all six.
Meanwhile, the Gloucester offense was also tremendously efficient. Junior running back Conor Ressel scored two touchdowns, while Taylor Burbine, Giacomo Romeo, Gilbert Brown, Luis Hernandez and Jordan Shairs each added one. Shairs, a sophomore, was the game's leading rusher with 95 yards.
Senior quarterback Rick Gallant was also terrific, going 4 of 5 for 86 yards and a TD pass to Maki ( 2 catches, 60 yards).
"We were able to unleash our whole offense," said Gallant. "It was working on all cylinders and we just have so much depth."
Last year, Gloucester made the near-two-hour bus ride to Barnstable and defeated the Red Raiders, 28-20. But Ingram admitted that a long trip like that can make it difficult to play well.
"It's hard to come up here just like it was hard for us to go down there," said Ingram. "It makes for a long day for the kids. But if you're going to play up here, you need to come prepared because our kids play hard here."
Perhaps on that long bus ride back home on Saturday night Crook was wishing he had exchanged game tapes with Ingram.
"It makes for a better game," said Ingram. "He probably could've used one of our films. It's hard to go play a team and not know what exactly they do."
