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Home : News : Sports : Sports
Speed leads Dragons to win
By PAUL NICHOLS, Middletown Press Sports Editor
09/21/2004
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MIDDLETOWN -- To describe Middletown High’s season-opening game as a wild one would probably be an understatement.

There are usually plenty of bizarre happenings in the first game of a season, but when the officials and scoreboard operators get into the act it really complicates things.

Shamarr Carr and Jashone Cunningham each scored twice as the Blue Dragons defeated Enfield 40-20 at Miller-Fillback Field Monday afternoon in a Nutmeg Football League game filled with big plays. There were nine touchdowns, five of 40 yards or more, and three others -- all by Cunningham -- disallowed because of penalties.

To add to the fun-filled game, there were plenty of penalties, some interesting spots of the ball, the clock running when it should not have been, and an extra point kick by Todd Hettrich that never made into Middletown’s total on the scoreboard.

Despite the things that went wrong, there were plenty that went right to make Middletown coach Eric Marzsalek happy. One, in particular, stood out in his mind.

"For the most part our executionof the offense," he said. "Assignment wise, we were where we were supposed to be. Defense, same thing. We aligned correctly most of the time. We were blitzing the right gaps."

Carr had a standout day with 172 yards rushing and 155 more through the air on an eight-for-15 on passing.

Cunningham’s numbers were not as impressive, but only because most of his best work was negated by teammates who committed infractions during his broken-field running. He finished with 19 yards rushing and 50 more on two pass receptions, and the three TDs that didn’t count.

Carr opened the scoring with a 60-yard run in the first quarter on what looked like a broken play. His quickness got him out of danger and down the right sideline.

Following a fumble recovery early in the second quarter by Teyron Carr, Korey Speller scampered 11 yards to the left with an escort to make it 14-0.

After a three-and-out series by the Raider, Cunningham tried the right side and scored from seven yards out and Hettrich’s third straight conversion made it 21-0.

Michael Bradley and Carr teamed for a 60-yard score with 2:02 remaining in the half.

Enfield’s offense revived in the second half, mostly because quarterback Pat Jubrey ran the ball more. He ended with 54 yards on the ground in 24 attempts, and he also passed for 114 more with an eight-for-25 afternoon. He scored a pair of touchdowns for the visitors after the intermission.

Enfield’s late flurry was softened by a pair of big plays by the Dragons. Carr and Cunningham combined for a 60-yard score early in the final quarter, and Carr scampered 73 yards for another with 2:49 remaining.

On Carr’s score, the Middletown total on the scoreboard only went from 34 to 39 -- and no one noticed.

Enfield got on the board again with six seconds remaining when Jubrey threw a 60-yard strike to Alex Anderson, but the excitement wasn’t over yet.

Cunningham took the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to the end zone as time expired, but it was disallowed because of a penalty.

Although a half can not end on a defensive penalty, Middletown was granted a final play even though it committed the penalty.

"We made a lot of mistakes on special teams," Marszalek said in summarizing.

"The extra days helped. It gave us another walk-through day (of practice) and allowed some guys to get healthy that weren’t."


©The Middletown Press 2010

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