Quarterback Brady Hulland readies to take a snap as he flanked by running back Joey Fahey during the Raptors win over Bacon Academy on Nov. 21. Also pictured is left tackle Jack Smith. Hulland, Fahey, and Smith are three of the team’s ten seniors who ended their high school careers by winning the Battle for the Rail.
In what turned out to be an instant classic, RHAM football held off Bacon Academy 27-21 in the annual “Battle for the Rail” at Howell Cheney Technical High School on Nov. 21. Senior quarterback Brady Hulland threw a pair of touchdowns to sophomore Caden Bellmore in the final minute of the first half to provide RHAM a lead they would not relinquish as the Raptors won a third straight in the series, which dates back to 2006. This year’s games marked the 17th time the teams have been scheduled to meet in the regular season finale, with RHAM now holding a 10-7 advantage in the series. “It’s the best feeling. We play these guys all throughout youth [football] and it’s always been a big rivalry,” Hulland said following the victory on a brisk, wet evening in Manchester. “It’s the best win of the season and we couldn’t ask for a better night to do it.” But the win didn’t come without a fight as Bacon Academy, who was technically the home team for the game, struck first when sophomore Riddick Burroughs scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak to put the Bobcats up 7-0 midway through the first quarter. Bacon Academy ran 22 of the first 28 offensive plays to open the game, forcing the Raptors offense into three-and-outs on their first two offensive possessions, yet RHAM head coach Dakota Fleming was pleased with how his team responded following the rough start. “We got down early, but we didn’t put our heads down,” stated Fleming. “We kept our heads up – it was great to see.” The tide began to turn when RHAM’s Thiago Delacruz deflected a Burroughs pass on fourth and goal, ending a 13-play Bacon Academy drive that stalled at the three-yard line. After trading punts, the Raptors offense took to the air as Hulland began to heat up, completing four straight passes, including a 28-yard scoring strike to Bellmore on fourth down with 39.5 second left in the half. “They came out and punched us in the month right away and we understood that we weren’t going to win this game without a fight,” noted Hulland. An interception by James Bucior set up RHAM at the five-yard line with 1.6 left in the second quarter before Fleming decided to roll the dice on the final play of the half. “We knew we could kick either a field goal or go for a touchdown and we went for the touchdown,” recalled Fleming. “It worked out great for us; it pretty much won us the game for us in the end.” Fleming’s gamble paid off as Hulland connected with Bellmore in the back of the end zone, giving the Raptors a 14-7 advantage at the break. RHAM’s momentum rolled over into the second half, scoring on their first offensive possession when senior Joey Fahey ended a 12-play, 69-yard drive with a short rushing touchdown. After Bacon’s Avatar Disher countered with a 58-yard touchdown run, Fahey tallied his second rushing touchdown, this time from 24-yards out to make the score 27-14 with 7:46 to play in regulation. Bacon made one more push as Disher again scored on a long touchdown scamper and the Bobcats got the ball back in RHAM territory late in regulation, but Fahey ended the game by sacking Burroughs on fourth down with under a minute to play. Fleming credited Fahey for stepping up on both sides of the ball when the team needed him most. “I’m really proud of the way he’s been playing. He’s been playing like every play is his last play and a lot of younger guys can learn from that,” added Fleming. For Fahey and the other graduating seniors, the win over Bacon was the last time putting on a Raptors uniform and they talked about making the most of it. “All we were focusing on was getting The Rail back in the trophy case at RHAM,” stated Fahey. “Being able to walk by it every day is an honor.” Bacon Academy last won the annual game in 2019 and the current group of seniors were freshmen in 2020 when the COVID-19 cancellation wiped away the season. In 2021, RHAM got ‘The Rail’ because the Bobcats were forced to forfeit following alleged Title IX violations against the program. Over the last two years, RHAM has been a consistent force, winning a total of 13 games, including both contests over Bacon Academy. Fleming, who took over as the varsity head coach in 2021 and led the program to their first playoff appearance a season ago, said the wins over Bacon are always a little more satisfying. “It’s something I take to heart. I tell [the players] as long as I’m here The Rail will be here,” said Fleming. By beating Bacon, RHAM finished the season 6-4, marking the team’s second winning season in a row. “We did a nice job fighting all year,” Fleming said following the finale. “We’ve had a long year and had a lot of ups and downs this year, but it was nice to see us go out and get this win.”
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AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
April 2024
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