It’s been a rebuilding season for the Lunenburg Blue Knights football team that’s seen its up and its downs, however the squad had an opportunity to end the season on a positive note against Division 3A rival St. Bernards on Thanksgiving Eve.  

    Unfortunately for the Blue Knights, the turkey this Thanksgiving had a bitter taste to it since the offense squandered three opportunities in the red zone in the first half, and the defense couldn’t contain the flashy running of the Bernardian’s senior halfback Evan Brideau, as the Blue Knights fell 24-6 on the Lunenburg High Field Turf.

    “We move the ball well, and do a lot of good things, but we just haven’t finished,” Lunenburg head coach Steve Boone said.  “Our kids played extremely well… the effort they gave us was more than we could ever ask for.  We just came up short, and I had a great group of seniors and I just wish them the best.”

    Brideau had a sensational day, rushing for an impressive 229 yards on 23 carries (9.96 yards per carry), and found the end zone on the ground three times in this contest, which proved to be the difference.

    “(Brideau’s) a good back,” Boone said.  “He carried that team on his shoulders, and he made some great long runs.  They had some nice blocks for him, but he did a lot on his own, he’s an exceptional back.”

    After receiving the opening kick off, the Bernardians only needed 2:35 to trek the 78 yards to the end zone.  Faced with a third-down-and-four from its own 43 yard line on its second set of downs of the drive, the Bernardian’s handed the rock to Brideau on a toss to the right side of the offense.  Brideau scaled the sideline, getting down to the Lunenburg 40, before making a cut back to the left, which is when he found daylight, and scampered the rest of the way for the 57 yard touchdown run.  Brideau rushed into the endzone on the two-point conversion, as the Bernardian’s jumped out to an early 8-0 lead.

    “We felt that our best option was to put the ball in his hands,” St. Bernards head coach Tom Bingham said.  “We’ve been really working a lot up front with the older kids, and they stepped up.  I honestly can’t say how proud I am of the seniors.”

    It seemed as though the Blue Knight’s offense would get the equalizer on its first drive of the game.  Senior quarterback, and captain, Mike Xarras (6 of 17 passing for 61 yards) found Troy Cutter (42 yards receiving) on an out pattern which got the Blue Knights into Bernardian territory on a 25 yard completion down to the 27 yard line.  Lunenburg then ran seven run plays to get down to the St. Bernard’s two yard line.  Unfortunately, on second and goal, the Blue Knights coughed up the ball, which was recovered by the Bernardians at the one yard line.

    The Lunenburg (3-8, 1-4 Division 3A) defense contained Brideau for the remainder of the first half, but the offense stranded the ball in the red zone on its following two drives.  On the first drive, the Blue Knights got the ball down to the 13, but failed to convert on fourth and five.  On the next drive just before the break, a missed 33 yard field goal that sailed wide-right completed the third straight unsuccessful red zone opportunity.

    The Bernardians (4-6, 1-4 Division 3A) were able to capitalize on its first drive of the second half.  A Lunenburg fumble and a personal foul penalty gave St. Bernards the ball at the Lunenburg 23 yard line.  After two modest run plays and a holding penalty, St. Bernards was faced with a third and seventeen from the 30.  Bernardian senior quarterback Taylor Lively connected with Brendon Jean-Simon for a 26 yard completion.  Two plays later Brideau found the end zone on a five yard run up the gut of the offense.  Jean-Simon caught a pass on the two-point conversion which made it 16-0 St. Bernards with 6:54 remaining in the third quarter.

    Two drives later Lunenburg would get on the board.  Fueled by runs from Xarras of 16, 14, and 13 yards the Blue Knights got the ball down to the St. Bernards nine yard line.  Xarras (104 yards rushing), fittingly, did the rest keeping the option left, and stretching into the end zone for the nine yard rushing touchdown.  The conversion failed, and the Blue Knights found themselves down by two scores at 16-6 with 10:10 remaining in the game.

    “Mike Xarras is a phenomenal athlete,” Boone said.  “We put our best athlete at quarterback and he’s a great competitor… When he’s in the game you always have a chance.”

    The Bernardians put the game away on the following drive.  Brideau only needed two plays to find the end zone, rushing for 16 yards on the first play of the drive followed by a 64 yard touchdown on a sweep to the right, and after another successful two-point conversion, St. Bernards took the 24-6 lead.

    St. Bernards held the edge in total yards out-gaining Lunenburg 300 to 223, while also having a significant advantage in rushing yards at 259 to 162.  The Blue Knights held the advantage in passing yards, edging out the Bernardians 61-41.

    After the game, Brideau and Xarras were named the offensive MVPs of the game, while Greg Donovan was named St. Bernards defensive MVP and Craig Spyropoulos was named Lunenburg’s defensive MVP. 

For photos from this game go to our Lunenburg Sports Photo Gallery