Last modified: Thursday, December 4, 2008 1:58 AM EST Mansfield linebacker Matthew Schafer, left, and the rest of the Hornet defense drags down Bishop Feehan’s Ted Schwieger during Wednesday’s MIAA Division 2 playoff game at Bridgwater-Raynham High School. (Staff photo by Mark Stockwell) Mansfield gets its revenge on Feehan BY MARK FARINELLA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF BRIDGEWATER - There are times in the course of a football season when coaches take chances, as a means of breathing life into their teams. No doubt, Bishop Feehan High School's Tony Wood thought that this was one of those times. "Probably in hindsight, not a good call," Wood said of his team's attempt to go for a first down on fourth-and-2 from its own 31-yard line with 2:54 left in the first half of Wednesday's MIAA Eastern Mass. Division 2 semifinal at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School. Feehan's Ted Schwieger was stuffed for no gain by Mansfield's Matt Schafer, turning the ball over to the mistake-plagued Hornets at a time in the contest where something positive would go a long way toward snapping them out of their funk. Needless to say, it took just two plays for the 11-1 Hornets to turn Feehan's failed gambit into points - an 18-yard gallop by Kevon Rogers, followed by a dramatic 13-yard sprint to the end zone by Greg DiPietrantonio for a 6-0 lead with 2:39 left in the first half. That was the turning point in a game that finished as a runaway for the Hornets, a 22-6 final that punched their tickets to Saturday's Division 2 Super Bowl against Walpole at Gillette Stadium (1:30 p.m. start). "We were just trying to be aggressive and make something happen," said Wood, whose Shamrocks' year-long reign as divisional champions came to an end Wednesday. "It didn't work. They made the play. They're a very well-schooled team, they're very physical and they made some nice plays. "They earned everything they got today," he added. The validity of Mansfield's victory may yet be questioned by the MIAA, which earlier Wednesday backed away from plans to appeal a restraining order that had allowed the Hornets to participate in the postseason. But for the time being, with their focus solely on the football field, Mike Redding's charges proved what they believed of themselves all season long by holding the Shamrocks (9-2) without a first down until 2:34 left in the fourth quarter. "Our defense has been unbelievable," said Redding, "and against a very talented offensive team ... the defense came to play tonight and really won us the game. The kids were ready to play, even in the time we had to prepare." The Hornets enjoyed a whopping 16:09-3:51 time of possession advantage in the second half, following a mistake-filled first half that reflected the disruption caused by the controversy that enveloped them on Monday. With Redding having discovered that an ineligible fifth-year senior had entered two games for a total of seven plays, the town of Mansfield chose to seek a restraining order in Taunton Superior Court because the MIAA based its penalties upon one phone call with the athletic director, without an appeal process to ensure due process. That order was granted Tuesday, too late for Feehan and Mansfield to play their scheduled game at B-R, and it wasn't until 10 a.m. Wednesday when the MIAA decided not to pursue its own appeal of the injunction. Once removed from the intrigue, the Mansfield defense limited Feehan to six three-and-out possessions in the first half. The attempt to jump-start the productive Feehan offense on the fourth-and-2 play was a blessing to the Hornets, who had lost two fumbles in the first half and failed to cash in on four of their five penetrations of Feehan territory. "The wait made our offensive play a little sloppy," Redding said. "It affects your timing, and both teams were a little sloppy early. This was very emotional for both teams and I wasn't sure what we'd have left emotionally, but the kids stayed focused on the game." After the DiPietrantonio score, Mansfield's confidence returned. Shawn Doherty had trouble fielding the opening kickoff of the second half at the Hornet 12, but once he had control, he blasted through the Feehan coverage and headed to the left sideline, completing the 88-yard return for a 12-0 lead just 16 seconds into the half. Feehan again went three-and-out (with Mansfield's Doug Cockcroft and Nevin Cruz sacking Feehan's Tommy Romero, a Mansfield native, for good measure), and the Hornets embarked upon a 12-play, 67-yard drive that took 6:43 off the clock before Doherty's 8-yard sweep and Don Washburn's kick for a 19-0 lead. Eleven of the plays were on the ground, including 11-yarders by DiPietrantonio (severn carries, 50 yards) and Rogers (6-51). Doherty (16-89) added five totes for 22 yards and a 14-yard catch of a pass from Jeff Mallett. Feehan also immediately fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, giving Mansfield another three plays to the quarter break - and an 8:19-1:41 possession edge in the quarter. Mansfield turned that turnover into points at the end of a nine-play drive, with Doherty's 17-yard counter helping to set up Washburn's 22-yard field goal with 6:44 left. That was the signal for Mansfield to put in its reserves, and that gave the frustrated Shamrocks - who saw Bryan Webb held to 20 yards on nine carries - a welcome opportunity to put a score on the board. Taking over on its own 35 with 2:43 to go, Romero (3-10, 54 yards) completed two passes, including a beautiful, high-arc pass of 36 yards to Matt Boulter for the touchdown with 1:58 left. "I'm proud of the way my guys hung in there and put one in there, just to show we have pride," Wood said. Mansfield finished with a 250-60 edge in total yardage. Five sacks of Romero (two apiece by Cruz and Shawn Kelley and one by Cockcroft) helped keep Feehan on its heels. It will now be a short turnaround for the Hornets, just two days of rest before Saturda's Super Bowl against Walpole - but they seem to have proven that they can handle just about anything. "We were grateful to live for another day and play another day," Redding said, "These kids didn't care whether they won or lost, they just wanted to wear the uniform one more time. And now they get one more shot on the biggest stage in Massachusetts." MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly, at thesunchronicle.com/farinella