Howdy,

David Wells was sacked on the first play of the Shelton's home game last Saturday against Xavier.

Wells was sacked again two plays later. And again eight offensive plays later.

There were still seconds left in the first quarter and already the Gaels' trailed by 14.

Those kind of things haven’t happened to Shelton lately. It hadn’t lost at Finn Stadium in 14 games. Heck, it hadn’t lost in the regular season in 26 games.

“We just had to find our rhythm,” said Gaels senior co-captain and center Robert Valeri. “I told the o-line, ‘Just get David Wells time because we have explosive receivers on the outside.’ We knew if we gave him time, he would find those guys.”

Shelton started getting Wells the time he needed, and before the first half was over, it had the lead.

The Gaels went on to win 38-35 in a game that had wild swings of momentum and wasn’t over until the final play.

“It was a great learning experience,” Shelton coach Jeff Roy said. “It was a confidence-builder for a lot of our kids, to be able to come back and show resiliency and stay in there and keep fighting.”

Wells completed 13 of 20 passes for 266 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions and ran eight times for 41 yards and a score for the Gaels (4-0), ranked fourth in The Day Top 10 state coaches' poll.

There was nothing about the first quarter that would’ve made someone believe Shelton could win. Xavier was the bigger team and gained yards in chunks, opting to attack with the pass instead of its trademark run game.

Joseph Galatie caught a short pass from Will Levis and took it 54 yards for a touchdown, lowering his shoulder and hammering a Shelton defender near the goal line. It was the Falcons’ fifth offensive play of the game.

Levis completed passes of 25, 18 and 28 yards on Xavier’s next drive. The latter was a touchdown to Michael Galatie and gave the Falcons a 14-0 lead with less than a minute left in the first quarter.

Shelton, meanwhile, had seven yards on nine offensive plays.

“We tell them, ‘Play the next play,’” Roy said. “We preach that to them all year and in the offseason. Get up and play the next play, just keep playing hard, and hopefully good things will happen.”

Senior co-captain Justin Greene gave the Gaels the opportunity they desperately needed with an interception return to the Xavier 25 with over nine minutes remaining in the first half. It led to a 13-yard touchdown pass from Wells to Santino Durante.

The Gaels have the extra confidence of having a nitro-powered offense that they’re taught in seventh grade at the youth level. It features a passing system that’s been among the best in the state and strikes quickly, as the Falcons soon found out.

Shelton had just gotten the ball back with over five minutes reamaining in the half and had a second-and-6 at its own 24. Wells launched a deep pass toward the Xavier sideline in the direction of receiver Anthony Schiavo.

Schiavo and a Falcons defender both leapt for the ball. Schiavo somehow caught it playing behind the defender and took it for a 76-yard touchdown. It tied the game at 14 with four minutes, 22 seconds left in the half. It also turned the game around.

“He’s got a swagger to him,” Valeri said of Schiavo. “He’s a really big guy (6-foot, 195 pounds) and he loves to play. He loves to play that physical, downright little nasty game which football is about. Sometimes you’ve got to play that way.”

Wells started the Gaels’ next drive with a 39-yard pass to Joe Zoppi and a 27-yard pass to Schiavo. It set Wells up for a 1-yard touchdown run with 34.8 seconds left in the second quarter.

Shelton had scored three times in the final 6:45 of the half to take a 21-14 lead.

“We have a pretty explosive offense,” Roy said. “We try attack. We try to continue to attack no matter what the score is.”

Zoppi kicked an 18-yard field goal late in the third quarter. Sophomore Jack Carr took a handoff straight up the middle for an 81-yard touchdown to push the Gaels ahead, 31-14, with 2:40 left in the quarter.

Xavier wasn’t finished with Shelton, though. It scored on its next two possessions to cut Shelton’s lead to 31-28 with 7:54 remaining.

The Gaels answered with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Wells to Schiavo.

The Falcons responded with a 3-yard touchdown run by Levis to make it 38-35 with 1:39 left. They then forced Shelton to go three-and-out and got the ball back at its own 24.

Xavier got the ball back at its own 24 with 33.2 remaining. It got as far as its own 47, and the game ended on a deep, incomplete pass.

“I really give props to Xavier,” Valeri said. “We always know when we play them that we’re going to get a really good game (from them).

“I think we put on a game for the fans.”

• • • •

For a Class S co-op, Cromwell/Portland has some dudes.

Panthers senior two-way lineman Ethan Roy was among the state leaders in sacks last season (12 in nine games). Junior receiver-defensive back Dianta Highsmith is built like a pro receiver (6-2, 170). And you won't find any high school player in the state who's built like senior two-way lineman Anthony Puntiel (6-6, 340).

THE dude for C/P is senior Kristian Sapp. He ran 23 times for 179 yards and three touchdowns as the Panthers' routed Valley Regional/Old Lyme on the road last Friday, 48-26.

What's especially impressive about Sapp is how tough he is to bring down. He's very generously listed at 5-10 and 170 pounds. Cromwell head coach Chris Eckert said he's about 5-8.

The Panthers had the ball at the Warriors' 13 in the final minute of the first half when Sapp got the handoff. He bounced off numerous defenders like a pinball off bumpers and eluded their grasp for a touchdown.

“His offseason this year was probably the best offseason he’s had,” Eckert said. “There’s plenty of guys around him that have stepped up today and made plays. Kitrell Lauray (1-yard touchdown run) is one of them. Jon Siena (82-yard kickoff return TD) was huge today. Sapp knows that he has to carry us a little bit. He’s going to get about 25, 30 touches a game for us to be successful and he’s ready for it.”

• • • •

Some games of note from Week 4:

No. 5 West Haven 41, Cheshire 14

Anthony Godfrey ran 20 times for 288 yards and three touchdowns as the Blue Devils crushed the previously unbeaten Rams. Kyle Godfrey added 24 carries for 159 yards and two scores for the Westies (4-0). Eric Angelone had four catches for 153 yards and a score for Cheshire (3-1) and Will Graikoski threw two touchdowns.

Notre Dame-West Haven 34, Fairfield Prep 7

Nico Ragaini had just one catch in the first half for ND. He went berserk in the second half and finished with eight catches for 221 yards and a touchdown as the Green Knights handed the Jesuits their first loss. Chris Elias completed 13 of 21 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns for the Green Knights (2-2). Prep was without Yale-bound quarterback Patrick Conte (shoulder).

East Catholic 42, Rockville 40

Connor Hills ran for three touchdowns as East Catholic held off Rockville last Friday. Josh Mendoza (1 yard) and Mark Zazzaro (5 yards) both ran for fourth-quarter touchdowns to put East Catholic ahead, 42-20. GOD’S OFFENSE. Mark Henry (still not the rassler) scored on a late 35-yard run for the Rams, but the two-point conversion failed.

South Windsor 22, E.O. Smith 21

The Bobcats scored 15 in the final six minutes to escape with the win. Connor Dunn scored on a 2-yard run with 2:58 remaining and Julian Ibes ran in the go-ahead two-point conversion. Connor Kapisak passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns for South Windsor and Mike Foley had four catches for 107 yards and a score. Dunn added five catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

• • • •

BEHOLD, The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (4-0, 12 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (4-0); 3. Shelton (4-0); 4. Southington (4-0, one first-place vote); 5. West Haven (4-0); 6. Windsor (4-0); 7. Staples (4-0); 8. Newtown (4-0); 9. Middletown (4-0); and, 10. Ansonia (4-0).

It looked last week as if there might be some movement in Week 4 of The Day's Top 10 state high school football coaches’ poll because some ranked teams would be playing quality opponents.

It didn’t happen.

Darien is still number one, and none of the other Top 10 teams budged from their spots.

Fifth-ranked West Haven laid waste to previously unbeaten Cheshire 41-14 last Friday. That same night, No. 8 Newtown handed New Milford its first loss 51-14.

Third-ranked Shelton rallied from an early 14-point deficit and held off Xavier last Saturday 38-35.

Change likely won’t be happening in the Top 10 soon, either, due to scheduling or lack of depth in some leagues.

The Central Connecticut Conference, for instance, uses enrollment based divisions. Southington (Division I) and No. 11 Bloomfield (Division III) don’t play each another, nor do they face No. 6 Windsor and No. 9 Middletown from Division II (Windsor plays at Middletown on Nov. 23).

Southington plays host to unbeaten Hall this weekend, although the Warriors haven’t been as dominant as the Blue Knights. Hall scraped past Glastonbury 9-7 last Friday. Southington ransacked Glastonbury 35-0 in Week 3.

Middletown and Windsor look to be head-and-shoulders better than everyone left on their respective schedules.

Darien has a bye this weekend, and three of its next four opponents in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference are winless. It likely won’t be challenged until it plays at No. 7 Staples on Nov. 11.

New Canaan also has a bye and will play winless Danbury after its break.

Staples plays at Norwich Free Academy (1-2) on Saturday. It may not get pushed until it plays at Ridgefield (Oct. 21) in Week 7, although the status of quarterback Andrew Speed (leg injury) is uncertain. He will miss the NFA game.

Newtown has laid waste to the South-West Conference and, barring a huge upset, will likely be unbeaten when it plays host to Masuk on Nov. 23.

No. 10 Ansonia graduated almost its entire team, but has still dominated the Naugatuck Valley League. The Chagers and Seymour should both be unbeaten when they face off on Oct. 27.

Shelton and West Haven have the toughest schedules as they play in the stacked Tier 1 in the Southern Connecticut Conference. Shelton, however, plays at Hand (1-3) this Friday, while West Haven will play host to one-win Amity. Both are on a bye next week. The Westies will play at blood rival Notre Dame-West Haven (2-2) after their break.

• • • •

The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (24 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (4-0, three first-place votes); 3. Shelton (one first-place vote); 4. West Haven; 5. Southington; 6. Windsor; 7. Staples; 8. Newtown, 9. Middletown; and, 10. Bloomfield.

Ansonia was voted 12th behind Seymour, and we opine that the writer's are getting it right ranking the WARHAWKS 10th instead of said Ansonia. They beat the latter for the S crown last season and returned more starters (the Chargers were looted by graduation). Seymour is considered the team to beat in the NVL according to both observers and coaches based on it returning so much veteran talent, but can it get past the Chargers? Ansonia has never lost to the Wildcats' senior class, and the program has an 11-game winning streak against them (Seymour last beat the Chargers, 14-6, on Oct. 16, 2014).

All shall be revealed, of course.

• • • •

We're going far too fast through our ravishing 2016 season as four weeks have passed, as unpossible as that is to believe.

It's with that in mind that we'll have the season premeire of Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps. Four weeks of data should be enough for Ned's program to start making some informed judgements.

The top 10 are: 1. Darien; 2. New Canaan; 3. Shelton (CRAZY that a computer program operating out of California is so in line with the coaches and media voters); 4. West Haven; 5. Newtown; 6. Ridgefield (3-1); 7. Notre Dame-West Haven (2-2); 8. Xavier (2-2); 9. Windsor; and, 10. Staples.

Middletown is ranked 14th, Ansonia 16th, and Southington 20th (its schedule has dragged it down).

We'll go over why the computer likes ND, Ridgefield and Xavier when we go over the ballot Polecat HQ sent Pooch Diggity Dogg over at the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT Monolith.

• • • •

Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:

1. Darien

2. New Canaan

3. West Haven: Up one spot for laying waste to unbeaten Cheshire last Friday, 41-14.

4. Shelton: Up one spot for beating Xavier.

5. Southington: Down two spots as the Westies or Gaels have both played — and perservered — against much, much tougher schedules.

6. Staples: You locals are encouraged to come check the Wreckers out at Norwich Free Academy on Saturday, even though quarterback Andrew Speed won't play. Another reason to come see Staples – it's averaged a state-high 341.8 yards rushing a game. So, so sexy.

7. Windsor: In a better and more ideal football world, teams would reguarly crossover divisions in the Central Connecticut Conference so that teams such as Windsor (D2) and Middletown (D2) could play D1 teams like Conard, Glastonbury or Southington. Or Bloomfield (D3). Perchance, to dream.

8. Middletown

9. Newtown

10. Greenwich (3-1): Throttled Trinity Catholic in Week 2 and gave Darien hell in Week 3.

11. Masuk (4-0)

12. Xavier: Lost to No. 3 West Haven and No. 4 Shelton. Like you're team would've done better. Seriously, though, it would roll a lot of teams playing lesser schedules. A. Lot. Don't forget that it beat Taxachusetts power St. John'sm too (31-16).

13. Bloomfield (4-0)

14. Ridgefield (3-1): Tigers getting it done despite starting QB Drew Fowler getting injured durind the second quarter of their Week 2 loss at New Canaan (41-21). Note that it trailed the Rams at the half, 17-14, so Fowler's injury had some effect on the final score. Ridgefield also had a come-from-behind quality win over Trumbull (3-1) to open the season, 46-33.

15. Notre Dame-West Haven (2-2): Absolutely laid waste to unbeaten Fairfield Prep on the road last Friday, 34-7. Granted, Yale-bound quarterback Patrick Conte was out hurt, but still. Lost to Shelton (33-21) and at six-time, six-time, six-time, six-time, six-time, six-time Rhode Island Division I champion Bishop Hendricken (26-21). Just get used to seeing multi-loss teams from the SCC Tier 1 as it has a bunch of really good teams cannibalizing one another.

• • • •

• Sheehan’s Zach Davis added to his ridiculous rushing totals last Friday in his most ridiculous performance to date — 40 carries for 454 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-13 trampling of Guilford. Davis scored on runs of 30, 26, 69, 62, and 71 yards for the Titans (1-3). He rushed for over 300 in his first two games and has 105 carries for 1,259 yards and 14 touchdowns in four games.

• • • •

Wethersfield had a miserable, starcrossed night against Bristol Central last Friday. Eagles head coach John Campanello had to leave during the game early because of a family emergency. Starting quarterback Tim Blasidell was knocked out in the third quarter. Reserve Craig Elliott went down minutes later. Central scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to beat Wethersfield, 28-21.

• • • •

NOTABLES~!

• Brian Peters was 19 of 25 for 301 yards and two touchdowns as top-ranked Darien thrashed Norwich Free Academy last Saturday, 45-6. ... Drew Pyne completed 10 of 16 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns as No. 2 New Canaan thumped Westhill last Saturday, 35-7. ... Anthony Godfrey ran 20 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns as No. 4 West Haven pasted unbeaten Cheshire last Friday, 41-14.

• Vance Upham needed just 13 carries to rack up 168 yards and three touchdowns and added a 21-yard touchdown catch AND eight tackles as No. 5 Southington whacked Manchester last Friday, 48-6. ... Jason Pinnock had seven catches for 140 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 70-yard touchdown, as No. 6 Windsor thumped Farmington last Friday, 40-12. Jakhari Grant threw for 245 yards and three TDs for the Warriors (4-0) and Dohnje Cassanova scored on a 70-yard interception return.

• Andrew Speed completed 8 of 15 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns and ran three times for 55 yards as No. 8 Staples downed Fairfield Warde. ... Hunter Cobb ran 13 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns as No. 8 Newtown splattered unbeaten New Milford last Friday, 54-8. Mark Hall added two interceptions for the Nighthawks, who led 27-0 after a quarter and 47-0 at halftime.

• Tyshaun James ran 16 times for 146 yards and a touchdown and threw for 99 yards and a touchdown as No. 9 Middletown belted Hartford Public last Friday, 39-14. The Blue Dragons ran 48 times for 355 yards and four scores. ... Markell Dobbs ran four times for 176 yards and three touchdowns as No. 10 Ansonia battered Torrington last Friday, 50-0. Would you believe us if we told you Dobbs did that in just the first quarter? No? Well he did, so there. Dobbs finished with 181 yards and three scores on five carries for the Chargers (4-0). Malcolm Martin added seven carries for 103 yards and a score.

• Jaylen Kelley completed 10 of 13 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns and ran 13 times for 125 yards and two scores as Seymour swamped Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech last Thursday, 64-20. Bobby Melms ran times for seven carries and 56 yards and two touchdown and had three catches for 37 yards and a score for the Wildcats (3-0) and Lucas Bowen had three catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

• Spencer Hoagland ran for 195 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 118 yards in last Friday's 35-26 win over Fitch. ... Montville had two fumble recoveries and blocked a punt in the first quarter of last Friday’s 40-0 beating of Ledyard. Sam Kury ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns for the Indians (2-2), which forced the Colonels’ offense into minus-32 yards. ... Kristian Sapp ran 23 times for 179 yards and three touchdowns as Cromwell/Portland beat Valley Regional/Old Lyme last Friday, 48-26.

• Thomas Norman (92 yards) and Ky’Juon Butler (4 yards) both scored on third-quarter interception returns as Bloomfield thumped Tolland last Friday, 32-7, in a game between unbeaten teams. Norman ran 19 times for 141 yards and a touchdown for the defending Class S champion WARHAWKS (4-0). Cody Ouellette ran 27 times for 135 yards for the Eagles (3-1), which hadn’t allowed a point through three games.

• Max Sullivan ran 11 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns as North Haven leveled Hand last Friday, 33-7, its first win over the latter in 15 seasons. Thomas Dodge added 13 carries for 130 yards and two scores for the Indians (3-1). GOD’S FATHER’S OFFENSE. ... Platt’s Javon James had a goal-line interception with over two minutes left to preserve last Friday’s 20-14 win over Newington.

• Declan Flaherty rushed for 194 yards and four touchdowns and threw a 16-yard touchdown as Conard thrashed Enfield last Friday, 52-12. … Kyle Zajack threw for three touchdowns as Capital Prep/Achievement First squished Quinebaug Valley last Friday, 48-6. ... Shane Palmer ran for a 69-yard touchdown on the game’s first offensive play as Ridgefield crushed Norwalk last Friday, 43-0. Reserve Greg Gatto completed 8 of 15 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores for the Tigers (3-1) and Palmer had 11 carries for 135 yards.

• Jack Roberge ran for 222 yards and a touchdown as Masuk beat two-time two-time defending Class M champion Brookfield last Friday, 27-16. Roberge ran for 151 of those yards in the second half. Matt Hersch also threw two touchdowns for the Panthers (4-0) and Michael Zuk scored on a catch and a run. ... John McElroy completed 6 of 17 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 103 yards and a score and a score as Trumbull rallied to beat Trinity Catholic last Friday, 24-14. The Eagles (3-1) outscored Trinity in the second half, 24-0. ... Kevin Iobbi ran for four first-half touchdowns as Greenwich beat Bridgeport Central last Friday, 49-22. The teams combined for 50 second-quarter points.

• Stamford stopped McMahon’s two-point conversion attempt with 35 seconds left to win last Friday, 20-18. Tsai Zoe scored on an 8-yard run to give McMahon a shot to tie the game. Aaron D’Annolfo threw two touchdowns for Stamford, which made it harder on itself by being flagged for eight personal fouls. … Trevor Furrer threw three touchdowns and ran for two more as Barlow won its first game of the season last Friday, 34-20 over Stratford. … Jared Mallozzi had 12 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 32-yard run as St. Joseph blanked Danbury last Friday, 21-0.

• Matt Brehon ran 11 times for 184 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown, as Hillhouse walloped Amity last Friday, 26-3. David Harris added 13 carries for 115 yards for the Academics (3-1). ... Madden Ward threw a 9-yardd touchdown to Harry White with 15 seconds left to give Morgan a 20-13 win over North Branford last Friday.

• Brian Harner had 10 tackles, three sacks and two fumble recoveries as St. Joseph blanked Danbury last Friday, 21-0. Jared Mallozzi added 12 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 32-yard run for the Cadets (3-1). … Oxford allowed a meager 53 yards in last Friday's 9-0 win over Crosby.

• Ray Iorio ran 16 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns as Wolcott shut out Watertown last Friday, 26-0. … Naugatuck’s Jalen Datil’s scored on his first three catches (54, 45, and 71 yards) in a 39-0 mauling of Woodland last Friday. Datil finished with four catches for 189 yards for the Greyhounds (3-1) while Mike Plasky was 12 of 18 for 272 yards and three scores.

• Jamill Gracia threw for 219 yards and four touchdown passes and ran for 114 yards and scored on a 1-yard run as Cheney Tech ransacked Wilcox Tech last Saturday, 46-6. … Chase Cook ran for 246 yards and four touchdowns as Old Saybrook/Westbrook beat SMSA/University/Classical last Saturday, 39-14. … Izaiah Castro-Vega ran for 216 yards and three touchdowns as Ellington downed Lewis Mills last Saturday, 35-26. Trevor Lewis threw for 269 yards and four touchdowns for Lewis Mills.

• Tyrese Wright went plumb loco for Bullard-Havens in last Saturday’s 44-6 dismantling of Prince Tech. Wright completed 6 of 11 passes for 202 yards and four touchdowns and ran 20 times for 194 yards and two more scores … Bassick's Carelle Hill ran for 270 yards, had 150 yards receiving and scored seven times in last Saturday’s 62-0 pillaging of Wolcott Tech/Housatonic Regional/Wamogo.

• Eric Jones threw for 362 yards and four touchdowns as Harding danced on Platt Tech last Saturday, 62-14. So in case you’re wondering why the tech schools want to break away from the Constitution State Conference to get away from the likes of FCIAC expats Bassick and Harding, well, this. ... Jared Neal completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns and ran 18 times for 169 yards and a score as Thames River bounced Vinal Tech/East Hampton/Goodwin Tech last Saturday, 28-8.

• • • •

Thanks for reading. More soon.

Vaya con dios....