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BERLIN — The Berlin Redcoats football team improved to 5-0 on Friday night, but not many Redcoats are pleased with the team’s performance.
Coming off an emotional three-point win over Bloomfield in the final seconds last week, the Redcoats didn’t execute the way they wanted to, despite beating Bristol Eastern 39-6 on Friday night at Sage Park.
“Walking in after you improve to 4-0 off a huge win and you face a team that is 0-4 on paper, we didn’t have the right mindset to start the game off with,” senior Josh Grimm said. “Eventually we pulled out with the win, which is all that matters in the end.”
The Redcoats were moved down to CCC Tier III this season and have started the season unbeaten, with three close wins over Platt, Fitch and Berlin. When the team returns from the bye, they will be facing teams that they have not lost to — on the field — in almost two decades.
Since 2004, Berlin is 40-1 — on the field — against Tolland, Avon, Farmington, Plainville and Middletown. Two of those wins were turned into losses when Berlin forfeited its first nine games of the 2015 season.
Berlin coach Joe Aresimowicz is happy with the team’s 5-0 start, their first since 2018, and admitted that he is nervous about his team looking too far ahead.
“It’s hard, I think I am nervous,” he said. “Middletown is a really good squad, Farmington is better than people are giving them credit for and Tolland is always a tough matchup.
“We have to move forward with the (mindset) the only team that could beat us, is us.”
Senior quarterback Lorenzo Miele reiterated Aresimowicz’s words.
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“We know we should beat them and that is always the standard, so we are always sticking to that,” Miele said. “Never taking opponents lightly is the biggest thing, any team can go out there and make plays, everybody has athletes. Never doubt them and go out and play our game.”
The Redcoats have played their game, which is to feed the hot hand.
Six different players have rushed for a touchdown and six have each caught a touchdown pass.
“Last year, we had Jamie Palmese, who just could just take over a game on his own,” Aresimowicz said. “(This year) we don’t have Jamie Palmese, but we have 14 kids that are really good and as long as they keep working hard the sky is the limit.”
On Friday night, it was the time for Luke Maguder and Mason DiMaruo to shine.
Maguder took the opening kickoff 90 yards for a score and after Bristol Eastern moved the ball around the redzone, DiMauro stepped in front of pass and took it 82 yards for another score.
“To be down two scores early was not the ideal way to start,” Bristol Eastern coach Anthony Julius said. “But I am proud of the way the kids fought and battled.”
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The Redcoats jumped to a 26-0 lead at halftime, with Maguder catching a touchdown pass to end the half.
Maguder caught another touchdown and DiMauro ran one in, in the fourth.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Berlin’s Luke Maguder and Mason DiMauro — Maguder started the game with a kickoff return for a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes. DiMauro had an interception return for a score and ran another one in.
QUOTABLE
“I think what we saw sneak in tonight is ‘we’re 4-0, they’re 0-4, this game is going to be a cakewalk.’ Hats off to Bristol, they brought it to us. They ate the whole third quarter running one or two plays.” — Berlin coach Joe Aresimowicz.
Editor's note: An earlier version of the story incorrectly stated that Berlin was 41-0 against its next five opponents, when in fact Berlin is 40-1.
BERLIN 39, BRISTOL EASTERN 6
BRISTOL EASTERN 0 0 6 0 — 6BERLIN 12 14 0 13 — 39
B — Luke Maguder 90 kick return (kick missed)B — Mason DiMauro 82 interception (two-point failed)B — Michael Fitzsimmons 23 catch from Lorenzo Miele (Josh Grimm kick)B — Luke Maguder 3 catch from Miele (Grimm kick)BE — Jaiden Fore 1 run (kick missed)B — Maguder 16 catch from Miele (Grimm kick)B — DiMauro 16 run (two-point failed)Records: Berlin 5-0, Bristol Eastern 0-5