RUMFORD — With their starting quarterback hobbled for the second straight week, the Mountain Valley Falcons christened Chet Bulger Football Field with some old-school smashmouth football that would have made their home field’s new namesake proud.

Matt Duka (12 carries, 110 yards, three touchdowns) and Brady Fergola (14 carries, 104 yards) both topped the century mark on the ground as part of a 303-yard total team rushing night for the Falcons in a 41-0 shutout of Gray-New Gloucester Friday night.

“It’s hard to come back from what we had last year (in the backfield),”
Duka said, referring to the two-headed monster of Justin Staires and
Matt Laubauskas that led Mountain Valley to the state title. “But we’re
trying to start something new and hopefully people will look back on us
like they look back on Justin and Matt.”

The former Hosmer Field was renamed after another Rumford legend, Chet Bulger, in pregame ceremonies (the complex remains Hosmer Field Athletic Complex). Bulger graduated from Stephens High School, attended Auburn University on a track scholarship and played football there, then went on to become an All-Pro lineman on the Chicago Cardinals 1947 NFL championship team. After his death in 2009, Rumford selectmen voted to rename the football field in his honor.

Bulger’s cousin, Cam Kaubris, was to be the starting QB for the Falcons (2-0) this year, but he sat out last week’s opener at Lake Region after being banged up in preseason and had to leave Friday night’s game midway through the second quarter after attempting one pass.

Chris Day relieved Kaubris for the second straight game and completed three of four attempts for 37 yards, but it was the combination of Duka, Fergola and Tyler Mason (7 carries, 42 yards, TD) that churned up the Patriots (1-1).

“If we can get production in our running game from all three and we can get Cam back healthy, we could be a really good offensive team,” Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward said. “Chris Day is doing a great job. I’d like to think our best offense is ahead of us.”

The Falcon defense is now unscored upon in eight quarters this season. It gave up a 50-yard run to Patriot fullback Taylor Valente (22 rushes, 76 yards) on the game’s second play from scrimmage, then limited the Patriots to 35 total yards the rest of the evening.

“I think we came out a little overconfident, thinking that we were invincible,” said sophomore defensive tackle Ryan Glover. “Them running that down our throat opened our eyes up.”

“We came out kind of flat-footed. After that run, it kind of rung a bell,” Duka said.

The Patriots drove to the Falcon 10 after Valente’s big run, then kicker Evan Kenney lined up for a 27-yard field goal attempt on 4th-and-10.  The snap was low and bobbled by the holder, causing Kenney to hesitate and opening the door for Travis St. Pierre to block the kick. Fergola scooped it up and returned it to the Patriot 40. Two plays later, Duka ran around the left side for a 33-yard score that put the Falcons in front for good 2:21 into the contest.

Gray-New Gloucester managed just two first downs the rest of the half, which helped set up the Falcons with prime field position.

The average starting point for the offense for the first half was the Patriot 45, and the Falcons took advantage with scoring runs of 31 and 16 yards by Duka.

“We have a great front line and I give them most of my credit,” Duka said. “I just saw the field and picked my lane and kept going.”

Cole Clark’s fumble recovery in the end zone on a three-yard Fergola run helped Mountain Valley build a 28-0 lead at halftime. Mason made it 35-0 with a four-yard TD run in the third quarter. Kyle Duguay capped the scoring with a one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter.

“I thought Gray played really well,” Aylward said. “No disrespect to anyone, but that’s the best I’ve seen Gray play football in the history of their program. They played us hard.”