RUMFORD – Diminutive running backs Devin Roberts and Aaron Arsenault each scored two touchdowns, while the defense bent but didn’t break as Mountain Valley shut out Wells 28-0 at Hosmer Field Friday night..
The Falcons donned new uniforms for the game, after having won the 2004 Class B state championship. Fortunately, the Falcons still had the same old philosophy of running the ball until it hurts.
“Coach (Jim Aylward) had told us to expect Wells to be in mid-season form,” said Arsenault, who gained 176 yards on 18 rushes. “Wells is a good team and they hit hard. We played sloppy ball in the second quarter, I know I did, but we made some adjustments and opened things up.”
That included Roberts returning the second-half kickoff untouched for a 96-yard touchdown.
The back had earlier took an inside handoff from quarterback Andy Shorey and sprinted 63 yards for a TD down the left side.
“One of our goals was not to give up the big play,” Wells coach Tim Lacomb said. “That’s something we hadn’t done during the preseason. I’m disappointed, but you also need to credit Mountain Valley, because they create big plays.”
Wells trailed 16-0 and had a chance inside the red zone. QB Ryan Fenderson used two passes to Brian Matthews and the running of Nick Moulton (88 yards on 21 rushes) to drive the Warriors to the Falcons’ 7-yard line. But on successive plays, Falcon defenders Brendan Bradley and Stephen Lizotte made tackles to stymie the attempt.
“We moved the ball well at times,” Lacomb said. “It was right after that big kickoff return, but I made a mistake by trying a pass on second down. It was greedy because we had been successful running the ball.” Shorey (4-of-8, 16 yards) threw two-point conversion passes to Zach Bradley and Lizotte. Arsenault broke free for TD runs of 29 and 74 yards, in the fourth quarter. The senior also ran in a conversion.
Wells was one-for-11 on third downs and was plagued by five fumbled snaps.
“We played sloppy in the first half,” Travis Fergola said. “We surely can’t do that all season, but the mark of good team is being able to adjust and we’re a second half team. Wells was stuffing the middle, but Aaron loosened them up by getting outside.”
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