Montville gets its big win, puts away Ledyard

Ledyard — Moments after it ended Friday night, even the coaches did some chest bumping — showing some impressive dexterity — jumping along with the players and with each other. Heck, even Montville High School principal Tom Amanti briefly addressed the troops, underscoring the significance of the accomplishment.

The Indians won their biggest game of the season, maybe their biggest in the last two seasons, a 31-12 victory over Ledyard that clinched a tie for the Eastern Connecticut Conference Medium Division championship and moved the Indians closer to the Class SS playoffs.

More than that, though, Montville cut loose its previous demons, not merely preserving a lead late in the game, but extending it against a solid team.

"I'm just happy for the kids," Montville coach Tanner Grove said. "They've been through a lot. There are a lot of critics out there. The kids maybe take in a lot of what people say. But they never let it get to them."

Montville's litany of close losses in recent seasons includes last-second defeats to New London and St. Bernard last November and then to the Whalers again two weeks ago. But in this game, when Ledyard rallied within 12 points and was third-and-one on the Montville 14-yard line early in the fourth quarter, the Indians (7-1, 4-0) responded with a growl rather than a whimper.

The defense held on successive plays before the offense responded with a 16-play, 86-yard drive that killed more than eight minutes in the fourth period. Quarterback J.P. Morales capped it with a 2-yard touchdown run.

"We weren't looking beyond this game," Morales said. "We wanted to make a point that we're one of the elite teams in the state and I think we did that."

Morales finished 8-for-10 for 143 yards and two touchdowns, one to Jesse Sutherland (57 yards) and one to Bobby Johnson (10 yards).

Sutherland's 42-yard interception return made it 21-0 late in the first half before the Indians surrendered Ledyard quarterback Troy Powell's 73-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Foster.

Foster caught a 56-yarder in the third quarter to bring Ledyard (4-3, 3-1) within 24-12.

With Ledyard driving late in the third, Zeke Torres got the ball on third-and-one inside the 15 and prompted a measurement from the officials. Torres was ruled to be inches — maybe even an inch — short.

"We failed on fourth down," Ledyard coach Jim Buonocore said. "But I thought that was a bad spot. We had the first down. If we get that, I think the momentum changes."

Still, Buonocore was far from irritated with his team's effort.

"My kids played hard," he said. "I've said all along that Montville is the most talented team in the league. How they lost a game is beyond me. They've got it all. Everywhere. A dynamite football team."

Tyler Girard-Floyd led Montville with 98 yards on 28 carries, grinding out critical yardage on Montville's scoring drives. Sutherland caught five passes for 82 yards.

Powell threw for 178 yards and two scores.

"Ledyard is a great team. They have been for 100 years," Grove said. "We knew coach Buonocore and his staff would have their kids ready to play. All we talked about was playing four quarters. Not one, two or three and change. The kids played four quarters."

m.dimauro@theday.com