Barnstable No Match for the New Bedford Whalers

For three quarters the Red Raider defense held true.

But the fourth quarter proved differently Friday night at W. Leo Shields Memorial Field as the visiting New Bedford Whalers blanked their hosts, 14-0.

Sacked six times, Barnstable junior Quarterback Griffin Burke could find few answers for the spirited Whaler defense, going 12-28 in the air for just 76 yards. The Red Raider ground attack didn’t fare much better as the hosts garnered just 57 yards on 25 cumulative carries. Burke had 10 carries for just one yard against the blitzing New Bedford defensive front. Junior running back Ryan Dauphinais - who collected 103 yards in his first varsity start last week versus the top-ranked Zaverian Hawks - was a bright light, however. He carried the ball five times for 40 yards, averaging 8 yards per carry. Back from a brief injury, senior DeMichael Johnson took the brunt of New Bedford’s aggression, taking the ball nine times for an uncharacteristic 19 yards.

Defensively, senior Henry O’Shaughnessy was three quarters worth of viciousness as he sacked New Bedford quarterback and captain Chandler Debrosse twice but it was simply not enough. New Bedford’s Jonathan Moraes scored a pair of touchdowns in the 4th quarter and Barnstable was faced staring at its fifth straight loss.

A Barnstable High School football team has not lost its first five games of the season since 1975, nearly four decades ago.

Interestingly, the Red Raiders ran 71 plays versus New Bedford’s paltry 50 plays on offense. The Whalers also amassed -60 yards in five penalties and fumbled the ball twice but it was still not enough for Barnstable to catch a break. With the score deadlocked at 0-0 as the end of the first quarter drew near, Barnstable found itself with 1st and goal on the New Bedford 2-yard line only to watch the line of scrimmage gradually ebb back to the 20-yard line. Senior kicker Akeem McPherson attempted a 36-yard field goal with 0:005 seconds remaining but it was deflected by the New Bedford defense.

Senior Bo Delaney had four catches for 25 yards and a 51-yard kickoff return while sophomore Andrew Atsalis, in his first-ever varsity game, made three catches for 32 yards. Senior Jon Rezendes and sophomore lineman Jack Kennedy both had fumbles recoveries for the Red & White.

Barnstable takes a bye week before welcoming Bridgewater-Raynham to Hyannis on Friday, October 17 in the first league match-up for the Red Raiders this season.