In the midst of spooky season, it’s a trope well-known by horror movie fans.
Despite knowing that the monster lies in wait, you still jump when it pops up on screen. The knowledge that it’s coming doesn’t make the scare any less effective.
It’s the same thing with opponents of the St. Bernard’s football team. They know that the Bernardians will run the ball on the vast majority of snaps, but stopping St. B’s ball carriers is a task easier said than done.
That will be the objective of Northbridge (3-4) when it visits the Bernardian Bowl tonight: slow down red-hot St. Bernard’s, which has won five straight games and sits at 6-1 on the season.
While offenses have struggled to get going against St. Bernard’s rugged defense, opposing programs have had no answers when the Bernardians have the ball. Save for a 24-6 loss to an outstanding Stoneham High team in the second week of the season, the Bernardians are putting up 42 points per contest, with the two-headed rushing monster of Damien Jones and Antonio Mancini piling up yards and touchdowns.
What’s a team to do?
Two weeks ago, the Bernardians squared off with a Sutton team that entered the contest 4-1. St. Bernard’s took control immediately, claiming a 50-8 halftime lead en route to a 50-16 victory. And last week, St. B’s wen up 22-0 in the first quarter and rolled to a 46-6 win over Blackstone-Millville/Hopedale.
The offensive line has been able to make space for Jones, Mancini and company this season, with St. B’s backs often breaking big runs with little or no contact made on the ball carrier. Getting in the backfield to disrupt plays has proven to be tough as the O-line is both fairly sizable and quick, in addition to being well-coached and well-versed at picking up blocks.
The Rams will have to break out all their tricks in order to avoid being the latest team treated to a heavy dose of big runs by the Bernardians.
Red Raiders on the rise
Two weeks ago, Fitchburg High picked up its first win of the season. Last week, the Red Raiders (1-6) gave Nashoba Regional a scare and came up just short in a 28-20 defeat.
It seems Fitchburg has turned things a corner, so to speak, midway through the season. The Red Raiders are playing inspired football down the stretch.

That’s not to say the effort hasn’t been there all season, but consistency was an issue. Now, the Red Raiders will have a chance to claim another win against a team that has had its struggles this season, traveling to Worcester to face 1-6 Doherty tonight.
With the intensity the Red Raiders have shown in recent weeks and the newfound ability to put together a complete 60-minute effort, expect a solid performance out of Fitchburg High.
Aiming for .500
When Oakmont Regional travels to Townsend tonight to square off with North Middlesex Regional, one team will head home at the .500 mark.
Both programs have seen up-and-down campaigns and enter the contest at 3-4. The Spartans are coming off a 38-33 upset of Maynard, while the host Patriots fell 49-34 to a strong Hudson team last Friday.
Action elsewhere
Leominster (6-1) hits the road to face Shrewsbury (4-3), while Nashoba (5-2) is at Tantasqua (2-5). Abby Kelley (3-4) visits Bulldog Field to square off with Monty Tech (5-2) at 6 p.m. and Ayer-Shirley (5-1) welcomes Murdock (5-2) to the Harold G. Norton Athletic Complex.
On Saturday, Lunenburg (4-3) hosts Tyngsboro (2-5) at 2 p.m.