Falcons hope to turn back clock with Haverty

Courtesy of John Conceision, Telegram & Gazette

While Fitchburg State football isn’t known for a long winning tradition, the players well know how the school’s victorious chapters were written. 

Though the Falcons have won only three games over the past two seasons, they know coach Pat Haverty’s teams won 60 percent of their games from 2002-06 and played in two ECAC bowls. 

“Just the other day, we were watching the highlight tapes from those years,” said Jesus Moore, a senior defensive lineman and captain. “That’s what we strive for, that’s where we want to be. 

“Maybe not this year or next year, but down the road. Or maybe it could be this year or next year. We know it’s possible here because he’s done it before.” 

Haverty’s second tour at Fitchburg started last July, so things were thrown together at the last minute last season when the Falcons finished 2-8. 

There are some key losses to overcome — among them wide receivers Jeremy Kimber of Fitchburg and Carlos De La Rosa, linebacker Anthony Bizzotto of Leominster, and defensive backs Chris Rose, Mike Vaughn and Sean Golden. But Haverty notes that progress continues to be made. 

“We’re definitely ahead of last year and we’re definitely behind where I want to be,” said Haverty, who assembled a recruiting class of 62 newcomers. “We’re improved from last year but we’re still a long way off from where we have to be.” 

There’s a healthy competition at quarterback where freshman Christian Lopez is pushing sophomore Brian McDonald, the incumbent, for the starting job. McDonald also is expected to take over the punting chores. 

Former Fitchburg High standout Steph’fon Teague rushed for nearly 500 yards as a freshman, and junior ends Brian Wallace and Anthony Brooks (Quabbin Regional) hope to fill the voids left by Kimber and De La Rosa, who combined for 65 of the team’s 96 receptions last year. 

Juniors Dan Della-Giustina and Pat Johnson are back to anchor the offensive line, where Haverty hopes several newcomers blend in. 

Much of the team’s leadership comes from the defensive line in senior captains Moore and Bob Booth, along with seniors Andrew Lizotte and Mark Millett. 

Bizzotto led the team in tackles for his last two seasons at linebacker. 

“I thought he was one of the best defensive players in the conference,” Haverty said. “That alone is a huge, huge loss, and our job is to find that next mike linebacker that’s going to take over.” 

Stepping up could be junior Joe Sasso, the Falcons’ second-leading tackler last fall. “He’s taking charge, he really trained harder than he has ever trained,” Haverty said. “Having Joe there is going to help our younger guys. 

“We’ve got a whole new secondary pretty much,” the coach added. “We may be vulnerable to the pass, so we’re going to have to shore that up.” 

At 5-foot-3, Luis Cruz, now a senior, filled in for an injured Taron Seaforth and contributed 32 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Seaforth remains in the picture as a sophomore. 

“We’re trying every combination to see who’s going to be in our secondary,” Haverty said. “We’re still waiting to see how that emerges.” 

The preseason poll places the Falcons last in the New England Football Conference’s Bogan Division. 

“Everybody asks me how I feel about those polls — we didn’t do anything to deserve anything higher last year,” Haverty said. “They don’t give away rankings, they put you where you deserve to be. We did nothing to deserve any higher, and our job is to try to show them that next year’s poll, hopefully, we can be higher.” 

“That’s why they call it a preseason poll,” Booth said. “It really doesn’t matter what you’re ranked before the season. It matters where you’re ranked after the season. We’re going to put our best foot forward, and we’ll do what we have to do to win.” 

“We love to be the underdog, no one expects anything,” Moore said. “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people and they’re going to have to start respecting us.” 

Fitchburg State at a glance
Coach: Pat Haverty (seventh season, 32-28). 

League: New England Football Conference, Bogan Division. 

2011 record: 2-8, 1-7 conference. 

Top returnees: So. QB Brian McDonald (77-188, 807 yards, 5 TDs, 12 INTs), So. RB Steph’fon Teague (Fitchburg; 133 carries, 485 yards, 3 TDs), Jr. LB Joe Sasso (54 tackles, 4-1/2 for loss, 2 fumble recoveries), Sr. DL Jesus Moore (37 tackles, 6 for loss), Jr. C Pat Johnson, Jr. OL Dan Della-Giustina. 

Key losses: LB Anthony Bizzotto (Leominster; 106 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT), WR Jeremy Kimber (Fitchburg; 38 catches, 530 yards, 4 TDs), WR Carlos De La Rosa (27 catches, 218 yards). 

Notable newcomers: Fr. QB Christian Lopez, Fr. RB Luis Felix (Clinton). 

Schedule: 

Aug. 31…at Becker, 6 p.m. 

Sept. 8…Curry, 1:30 p.m. 

Sept. 15…Salve Regina, 1:30 p.m. 

Sept. 22…Maine Maritime, noon 

Sept. 29…at Coast Guard, 1 p.m. 

Oct. 6…Framingham State, 1:30 p.m. 

Oct. 13…at Mass. Maritime, noon 

Oct. 20…Bridgewater State, 1:30 p.m. 

Oct. 27…at Worcester State, 1:30 p.m. 

Nov. 3…at Westfield State, noon