Dragons Top Lions in Shore Conference Battle

Last week, the Brick Green Dragons football team held on with the crosstown rival Mustangs, all the way until the final play before bowing out with a loss to the perennial power.

Many skeptics claimed Memorial might have had an off game, or that it was just first game jitters.

But the Dragons came out and made a statement to the Shore Conference on Saturday with a 16-7 win over Lacey; as the head coach said following the game: Brick football is back. 

Dual-threat quarterback Brandon Kieslor led the way for the Dragons going 7-for-18 passing totaling 103 yards and a touchdown. The senior also rushed for 67 yards on 15 tries.

Over half of those passing yards came on the first play of the game, hitting Kevin Matthews in stride down the sideline for a gain of 57. Although the Dragons came away with no points after a botched field goal attempt, it made the Dragons believe they could play with the team that beat them 38-0 last year.

"It was huge," said Brick head coach Robert Dahl. "We can throw the ball around with Brandon back there and we will. He can do it with his feet and his arm."

Most importantly, the defense came out and dominated, holding the Lions to negative two yards of total offense in the first half. After jumping offside on 3rd-and-5 on the Lions' first drive, the Dragons did not surrender another first down in the half, forcing four straight three-and-outs.

Senior Tom Winters was all over the field on defense, giving the Lions nothing.

In the middle of the second quarter, Brick jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the Dragons took over from their own 43, thanks to a nice job by the defense stopping Lacey before they could get anything started.

An offside penalty gave the Dragons a first down on 4th-and-2 from midfield. Two plays later, John Fuino took a jet sweep reverse 38 yards and into the end zone for a touchdown, following a huge pancake block from junior lineman Andrew Cruz. Prior to the play, it appeared Dahl and the sideline had checked to the reverse call, seeing something they liked in the defense, after they were biting hard on the earlier Brick jet sweeps.

On 3rd-and-7 from the Lacey 36 yard line, Jesse Lyon snuffed out a screen pass perfectly, and stopped the Lions for a four yard loss. This would force a punt and a chance for Kieslor and company to put more points on the board.

Junior Doug Cuccinello started the drive of from the Brick 35 with two runs totalling 27 yards, part of his 18 carries for 83 yards on the day.

Kieslor would pick up 15 on a read-option play putting the ball down to the Lacey 14. On 3rd-and-11 with 1:15 to play in the half, Kieslor found John Fuino on a broken play in the endzone, giving the Dragons a 13-0 lead at the half.

Things seemingly were easy for the Dragons in the first half, but Dahl was much more proud of how his boys held up in the second half.

"In comparison to last week," said Dahl, "We were up at the half, they started with the same comeback, our boys faced adversity, responsed, and held on for the win."

Lacey came out of the half getting the ball to start and proceeded to march right down the field scoring a touchdown to cut into the lead. Brick fumbled the kickoff at their own 30, and the game looked as if it was spiralling out of control. Yet the defense came up with a huge stop on 4th-and-12 as Cuccinello chased down Lacey quarterback Brandon Boos before the first down marker.

Brick's offense stalled throughout the second half but sealed the game with a six minute eating drive starting at the Brick 12 and resulting in an 18 yard field goal from Steve Ferlisi, making it a two score game with 4:07 left. Kieslor took off for 36 yards to bring the ball to the Lacey 14 as the big play of the drive.

Just before the drive, Lacey was driving to the Brick 33 as the fourth quarter started. A sack and a loss of five pushed the ball back to the Brick 45, ensuring a punt on 4th-and-22. On Lacey's last possession, Brick came up with a stop on 4th-and-3 for a three yard loss, turnover on downs, with 2:30 left in the game.

"The way they responded to adversity tonight was incredible," said Dahl. "We were able to get defensive stops, one after another. Word by word the Shore Conference is going to be hearing more and more about us.

"Brick football is back."