Bishop Fenwick Game Preview: Rushins is Coming, Rushins is Coming

Or more accurately, the Pioneers are going to Rushins.

Friday night in Peabody, Lynnfield will be playing their third straight road night game of the young season and the big story - and I do mean big - is Bishop Fenwick's 6'2", 225 lb sophomore running back Rufus Rushins. The lineman sized running back has topped the century mark in both of the Crusaders' wins so far, going for 125 in a 22-14 win against Northeast Metro and 126 in the 39-22 victory over Pope John.

Both wins were on the road, so this one will be the home opener for BF.

The Crusaders last year used a smorgasbord of offenses that gave defenses a lot to prepare for. This season they have settled on the spread with Rushins setting his huge frame next to the quarterback. Against Northeast, the quarterback was Fran Hannon, who is actually a little bigger than Rushins, forming a scary two man tandem that led BF to a 14-0 lead over Northeast.

Unfortunately, Hannon was involved in a scuffle with several Northeast players and he along with receiver James Traversy were ejected for fighting. Northeast came back in the second half to tie the game, but Rushins took over in the final game winning drive, picking up 54 yards and the TD.

Normally an ejection for fighting means a two game suspension after the game in which you were ejected. The pair did not play in the win over Pope John's so there is a good chance they will not suit up for this game as well.

Taking Hannon's place at quarterback if he doesn't play would be Nick Bona, who started last year's game against the Pioneers and was 4 for 14 for 108 yards and a touchdown. Much of that came in the fourth quarter after Lynnfield had built up a 35-0 lead enroute to a 35-8 win.

Rushins had a big year last season as a freshman, rushing for 1,040 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Pioneers pretty much shut him down, holding him to 38 yards on eight carries and kept him out of the endzone.  Some of that was due to the fact that the Pioneers built up a big early lead taking BF out of their running game and forcing them to throw more than they might have wanted to.

When Bona is not handing off to Rushins, he will be tucking and running himself, or throwing to solid receivers in Charlie Maistrellis and Eric Razney.

Bona and Maistrellis lead a Crusader defense that is quick to the ball and completely bottled up the Northeast offense until late in the game when they had to stage a comeback after being tied 14-14.

The big BF line is anchored by center Dave Gleason, guards Charles St. Pierre (6'4", 240 lbs) and Brandon DeBeradinis (6'1", 220 lbs).

The Pioneers will hope to solve their ball security issues which looked to be settled by the second half of the Amesbury game. After eight turnovers in the first six quarters of the season, the Pioneers played clean in the second half against the Indians.

"Did I think it was going to be one of those years?" answered Pioneer head coach Neal Weidman when I asked him if he started to get nervous with three more quick turnovers in the first half against Amesbury. "Of course you have a little bit of that but these guys have really done a good job even when things aren't going well. They've done a good job sticking together and being positive realizing there's an ultimate goal. And even if things didn't work out (against Amesbury), the ultimate goal is still attainable. They're not one of those teams that just gets down. They don't quit. They're going to play hard."

The Pioneers will be looking for another big game out of running back Kyle McGah who has been running with a vengeance and is coming off a four touchdown game last week. In two games, the junior bruiser has 244 yards on 34 carries - an amazing 7.1 yard per carry average. He is only seven yards behind Rushins so it will be an interesting night watching two talented backs go at it.

This will be the third meeting between the schools with the Pioneers having won last year and also in 2010 by a 42-21 score.

I asked the coach if the Amesbury game could be the turning point of the season.

"I hope so," he replied. "We have a ton of stuff to fix. We have to get a lot better. The second game of the year everybody does. The first couple of games there's always a lot of mistakes."

Game time in Peabody is 7 pm.

Also just another reminder about The Lynnfield Pioneer Football Club's fundraiser at the 99 on Salem St. in Lynnfield on Monday 9/24 from 5pm to 9pm to support the LHS Football program. Just present a voucher (available from any football player or football parent) to the waitstaff in order for the LPFC to receive a portion of the total check as a donation from the 99.

In addition, according to Stephanie Hines, "there will be lots of fun and interesting baskets that are being raffled off to raise additional funds. It is important to note that the voucher can be used on dine-in, take-out, bar dining and GIFT CARDS!"

Any questions or if you need more information contact Stephanie (mom to Connor Lordan, senior) c: 781-696-0808.

That's it for now, check back Friday night for my first thoughts on the game.