Waterbury Career Academy went berserk, weekend review, polls, notables, etc.
Waterbury Career Academy had scored 50 points, yet trailed the Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech co-op by 14 points entering the fourth quarter last Thursday.
WCA head coach Pete Flammia gathered his team and gave them a message.
“Please tackle somebody,” a laughing Flammia said when talking about the game days later.
The first-year Spartans rallied to score 22 unanswered points and held off the Hearts, 72-70, in the most offensive game in state high school football history, according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.
The 142 combined points topped the record of 133 scored when St. Joseph beat Ledyard, 84-49, in a 2013 Class M quarterfinal.
“I think it was just there were so many athletes all over the field,” Flammia said about last Thursday’s score, “and I think both teams did a very good job getting those players in position to score.
“I’m also the defensive coordinator, so I wasn’t too happy about that (score). It was the most exciting game I’ve ever coached in my life, but it was also the most stressful.”
Josiah Rivers ran 33 times for 302 yards and six touchdowns for WCA (3-3).
“Josiah missed two kickoffs,” Flammia said. “Other than that, he was great.”
Kyren Petteway added 22 carries for 127 yards with three touchdowns, completed 3 of 9 passes for 38 yards with a touchdown and interception, and set a state-record for most 2-point conversions in a game by rushing for six.
“We don’t kick extra points, so Kyren has to run the ball,” Flammia said.
Trey Dawson completed 27 of 39 passes for 446 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions for the Hearts (3-3). Tyler Rudolph (12 catches, 219 yards, three touchdowns) and Courie Stevenson (10 catches, 150 yards, one TD) were his top targets.
“We went from a four-man front to a three-man front to try to stop Tyler," Flammia said. "The beginning of the game we doubled him and he torched us anyways. So then we were triple-teaming him, and then (Dawson) started going to other people, but I wanted other people to beat us.
“It’s funny because I had Tyler at North End Middle School. During the game, I asked him if he was getting tired of running up-and-down the field so we could get a break.”
The Hearts scored 35 points in the third quarter to take a 64-50 lead into the fourth.
Rivers ran for a 20-yard touchdown and Petteway ran in the 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to 64-58 with nine minutes, 48 seconds remaining.
SH/KT fumbled the ensuring kickoff at midfield. Petteway ran for an 8-yard touchdown and the conversion to put WCA ahead, 66-64, with 6:16 left.
WCA turned the Hearts over on downs at its 27. Rivers’ 6-yard touchdown run pushed the Spartans ahead, 72-64, with 4:26 remaining. The conversion failed.
Tiron Ferris ran for a 1-yard touchdown on SH/KT’s next possession to cut WCA’s lead to two. Its conversion attempt failed.
Flammia gambled as he had his team go for it on fourth-and-6 from their own 49 with 37 seconds left. The Hearts forced them into a 3-yard loss and got the ball back with 30 seconds left.
“We were set up for a punt,” Flammia said. “I called a timeout and discussed it with the coaches. It got heated at points. Do we punt it and give Rudolph a chance to return in the punt team? Do we put in Dawson’s hands? Or do we want to put it in Rivers or Petteway’s hands and get the first down.
“We hadn’t stopped them from 80-yards out all night, so I figured what’s the difference between 80 and 50 yards. … I had some confidence that we’d be able to stop them.”
Petteway ended the game by knocking down Dawson’s pass in the end zone.
“Oh, (the defense) is going to seeing that film a lot,” Flammia joked. “They’re lucky we’re on a bye week this week.”
Flammia couldn’t be happier with his team, though, which is playing its first varsity season.
“One win — there was our expectation going into the season,” Flammia said. “We knew we had great athletes on the team and a pretty sizable offensive line, but they’re young in the football sense. And for a few of them, they didn’t have varsity experience at other schools.
“It was going to be a feast-or-famine thing. Either we were going to play well from the get-go, or we were going to have to learn how to win at the varsity football level.”
For more on this daffy game, please check out Kountry Kyle Brennan’s feature over at the Waterbury Republican-American. It’s packed with video, stats, game charts, etc.
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A few games of note in Week 6:
The Bulldogs led 28-6 late in the first half and won with less than a minute left when Brett Bogdwicz intercepted a pass in their end zone. The Trojans (3-2) cut the deficit to 35-33 with 2:22 remaining in the game and recovered the onside kick. Weston had the ball at the Bunnell 14-yard line with less than a minute left when head coach Chris Pace opted to throw to the end zone rather than playing for a field goal. The pass was tipped and intercepted. Zhyaire Fernandes had five catches for 92 yards and a touchdown, ran for two touchdowns, and scored on a 75-yard kickoff return for the Bulldogs (4-1). Alex Fruhbeis threw three touchdowns and ran for two more Weston.
Future Yalie Major Roman caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Melquann Gomez with nine seconds left to keep the Whalers unbeaten last Friday.
The Rebels rallied back from a 10-0 halftime deficit and blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt to end the game and knock off the previously unbeaten Panthers last Friday. Masuk missed a 29-yard field goal to end the game. A.J. Pearl ran 14 times for 61 yards and a touchdown and also had 10 tackles for New Fairfield (3-2) and John Morgan scored on a 40-yard interception.
Kevin Iobbi ran FORTY TIMES for 240 yards and four touchdowns and caught three passes for 46 yards as the Cardinals’ prevailed in a matchup of Class LL hopefuls. Paul Williams had 11 tackles for Greenwich (4-1). John McElroy threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a 21-yard touchdown for the Golden Eagles (3-2).
Trinity Catholic 38, Ridgefield 33
Jonmichael Bivona scored on and a run and Nick Granata threw two touchdown passes as the Crusaders hung on to win. Trinity led 38-14 less than a minute into the fourth quarter when the Tigers (3-2) jumpstarted their passing game. It was a much needed win for the Crusaders (2-3) who struggled against a rough opening schedule. They lost to New Canaan (20-6), Greenwich (41-20), and Trumbull (24-14).
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In case you missed it, a lack of common sense got Greenwich in trouble as it used the words "Hitler" and "Stalin" to call play shifts during last Thursday's freshman game against Trumbull. Hitler meant go right, Stalin go left because of where fascism and communism fall on the political spectrum. Not a wise idea. "Cruz" and "Sanders" would be a better idea.
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BEHOLD, The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (5-0, 12 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (5-0); 3. Shelton (5-0); 4. Southington (5-0, one first-place vote); 5. West Haven (5-0); 6. Windsor (5-0); 7. Newtown (5-0); 8. Middletown (5-0); 9. Ansonia (6-0); and, 10. Bloomfield (5-0).
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The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (21 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (three first-place votes); 3. Shelton (one first-place vote); 4. West Haven; 5. Southington; 6. Windsor; 7. Newtown; 8. Middletown; 9. Bloomfield, and, 10. Cheshire (4-1). Ansonia is 11th.
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Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps: 1. Darien; 2. West Haven; 3. Newtown; 4. Shelton; 5. New Canaan; 6. Notre Dame-West Haven (3-2); 7. Greenwich (4-1); 8. Windsor (5-0); 9. Xavier (2-3); and, 10. Cheshire (4-1).
Southington is 11th, Middletown 13th, Ansonia 14th, and Bloomfield 16th.
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Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:
1. Darien
2. New Canaan
3. West Haven
4. Shelton
5. Southington
6. Windsor
7. Middletown
8. Newtown: REALLY hard to gauge how good the Nighthawks are because this has not been a banner season for the South-West Conference.
9. Greenwich: Good wins over Trinity Catholic (41-21) and Trumbull (42-32). Now it gets to play at New Canaan on Friday.
10. Cheshire: Another reminder about the rest of the Rams schedule — Fairfield Prep (4-1, Friday); at Shelton (Oct. 28), vs. ND-West Haven (Nov. 4), vs. Hand (1-5), and at Southington. Somewhere, an ECC coach soiled himself.
11. Notre Dame-W.H.: Green Knights endured one of state's toughest schedules with wins over Prep (34-7) and North Haven (40-34) and back-to-back losses to start the season at Shelton (33-21) and six-time, six-time, six-time, six-time, six-time, six-time Rhode Island Division I champion Bishop Hendricken (26-21). That would explain why CalPreps' computer model ranks them so favorably. Up next — West Haven this Friday. OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY.
12. Bloomfield
13. Ansonia: Chargers are to the Naugatuck Valley League what Newtown is to the SWC (and vice-versa).
14. St. Joseph: Preemptive strike for its inevitable Class M playoff push.
15. Xavier: Yeah yeah yeah yeah, it's 2-3. We doubt there are more than 14 teams who would've better. Lost to West Haven (27-18), Shelton (38-35), and Cheshire (26-24). Choked out NFA to start the season (36-0) and held it to 26 yards. That's the same NFA that overwhelmed Staples two Saturdays ago (33-14). Are we biased towards FCIAC and SCC Tier I teams? You bet, and the postseason results every season prove why. Thank you. Drive thru.
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NOTABLES~!
Darien QB Brian Peters was ridiculously efficient as he completed 12 of 14 passes for 274 yards and five touchdowns — and sat out the second half — in Saturday’s 54-17 demolition of McMahon. Tim Herget had four catches for 73 yards and two TDs for the Blue Wave and Mitchell Pryor ran for two touchdowns. Darien head coach Rob Trifone missed the game as he was serving the last day of a two-week suspension for slapping one of his players in the helmet during a 45-6 rout of Norwich Free Academy on Oct. 1. Senators senior Jamie Taylor scored on a 60-yard kickoff return. Taylor is a four-year lineman with Downs Syndrome.
Ryan O'Connell ran twice for 50 yards and a touchdown and had four catches for 53 yards and a score as New Canaan topped Danbury on Saturday, 37-14. ... Michigan-bound Ben Mason scored on a 1-yard run, a 9-yard pass from Justin Dunn, and an 80-yard interception return and added six tackles as No. 7 Newtown battered Bethel last Friday, 47-0. The Nighthawks have outscored opponents 224-27. Hunter Cobb also ran 19 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 7-yard pass. ... Justin Lopez scored on passes of 27 and 22 yards from Bryson Cafaro and ran for a 22-yard touchdown as Ansonia blitzed St. Paul last Thursday, 42-6.
Blake Breglia completed 10-of-16 passes for 221 yards with five touchdowns to five different receivers as SMSA/University/Classical thumped Haddam-Killingworth last Thursday, 54-21. ... Stanley Green set up both of Ledyard’s touchdowns with turnovers in last Friday’s 12-6 upset of previously unbeaten Waterford. Green recovered a fumble on the game’s first offensive play at the Lancers’ 23. Waterford had a third-and-1 at the Colonels’ 4-yard line late in the first half when Green intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 69 yards to the Lancers’ 30.
Dan Stecher needed just nine carries to amass 213 yards and three touchdowns in last Friday’s 45-0 mauling of North Branford. Garrett Burdick kicked a 37-yard field goal and returned one of his two interceptions for a 99-yard touchdown for the WARRIORCATS (4-1). Hit the link and dig Peter Huoppi's video review.
WHO CAN STOP THE STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS TRI-OP’S PATH OF RAGE? Nate LaJoie threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns as the Bulldogs drilled then-unbeaten Gilbert/Northwestern last Friday, 40-7, for its first 5-0 start in program history. Joe Mongillo had three catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns for S/EW/S and Brandon Kallenbach added four catches for 166 yards and a score.
Windham had THREE 100-yard rushers (pants) in its 47-13 beating of Griswold last Friday. Nathan Barbosa ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns, Willie Brown ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and Aaron Spicer rushed for 126 yards and a score for the Whippets (3-1). That’s hot. … Luke Desaulnier had three interceptions and kicked a 21-yard field goal as Killingly downed Montville last Friday, 46-20. Spencer Lockwood had 30 carries for 238 yards and a TD for Killingly (4-1).
Zach Davis did what Zach Davis does last Friday. The Sheehan senior ran 16 times for 281 yards and six touchdowns in a 39-0 beatdown of the CREC tri-op. Davis had rushed for 1,956 yards and 26 touchdowns on 153 carries in six games for the Titans (3-3). ... Steve Urbanski had seven catches for 135 yards and four touchdowns in Wolcott’s 46-14 beatdown of Woodland last Friday. Mike Pozella completed 13 of 18 passes for 205 yards with three scores and ran for 44 yards.
Jaylen Kelley completed 8 of 10 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns as Seymour trounced Kennedy last Friday, 48-7, for the program’s 400th win. ... Jasiah Barnes ran for 90 yards and four touchdowns as Wilbur Cross dumped the Creed/Career/Whitney Tech tri-op last Friday, 36-14. ... Kristian Sapp ran 19 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns and blocked a field goal as Cromwell/Portland beat Morgan last Friday, 37-7. Kitrell Lauray returned a blocked field goal for an 80-yard touchdown to give the Panthers (4-0) a 13-7 first-quarter lead.
Elliot Poulley scored on runs of 4, 59 and 18 yards as Staples bounced back last Friday with a 42-13 rout over Stamford. The best development for the Wreckers was that QB Andrew Speed returned after missing a game to a leg injury. … Tyler Sullivan returned from a one-game absence (knee) last Friday and completed 20 of 36 passes for 407 yards and five touchdowns in New Milford’s 39-13 win over Notre Dame-Fairfield. Anthony Fish added a 92-yard touchdown catch.
Jack Curtis ran for a 2-yard touchdown to give Fairfield Warde a 36-28 come-from-behind overtime win over Harding last Friday. Harding led 28-13 with 11:11 left in the game before Warde rallied for its first win of the year. David Summers threw two touchdowns, ran for another, kicked two extra points and threw two 2-point conversions. Eric Jones threw four touchdowns and ran for a 2-point conversion for the Presidents. … Michael Macary scored on a 37-yard fumble return and 13-yard pass from Jommar Roc in the fourth quarter as O’Brien Tech gave Cheney Tech its first loss of the season last Friday, 28-25. Kevin Dean ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns for O’Brien (3-2).
Khyon Gillespie ran 22 times for 202 yards and three touchdowns as Capital Prep/Achievement First knocked out Abbott Tech/Immaculate last Friday, 43-20. Kyle Zajack completed 17 of 27 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown for the Trailblazers (4-0) and O'Niel Robinson had eight catches for 173 yards and a TD. ... Kenny Petteway scored on fumble returns of 20 and 55 yards, caught a 23-yard touchdown from Mike Marshall, and ran for two 2-point conversions as Crosby stomped Wilby last Friday, 68-14.
Westhill defensive end Brendan Holtzclaw had five sacks, 12 tackles, forced a fumble and recovered another in last Saturday's 21-0 win over Fairfield Ludlowe. It was originally believed that Holtzclaw had eight sacks, which would've been a state record, but after further review, the video showed he was responsible for five. Still, that's one less than the record shared by Michael Debboli of Plainville (vs. Bristol Eastern, 1975), Derrick Comeaux of Weaver (vs. Bulkeley, 2004), and Ernest Wiggins of Bridgeport Central (vs. Harding, 2009).
Tyrese Wright did things for Bullard-Havens in Saturday's 42-0 whupping of Quinebaug Valley. Wright completed 7 of 11 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns, ran nine times for 161 yards and a touchdown, and had 13 tackles. Mike-Lee Joseph caught three of Wright's touchdowns (22, 9, and 67 yards).
Cory Babineau completed 24 of 35 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns (all to Philip Pasmeg) and scored on a 4-yard run as St. Joseph downed Wilton last Saturday, 31-15. … Carlelle Hill ran for 327 yards and four touchdowns in Bassick’s 46-20 win over Wilcox Tech on Saturday. Teammate Mario Hines added 124 yards and a touchdown for the Lions (2-3), and Taquan Donald scored on a 50-yard interception return. ... Dylan Myrie ran 13 times for 210 yards and four touchdowns as Torrington trucked Holy Cross last Saturday, 42-14. Dom Phengkaen added 15 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown for Torrington (2-4).
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Hand coach Steve Filippone announced last week that he'll retire at the end of the season. He's just the second coach in program history and, in 27 seasons, has a 222-78-5 record and won seven CIAC state championships. Only New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli (11) and restauranteur Jack Cochran (8) have won more state titles (Jack Hunt won seven at Ansonia, and Ed McCarthy combined for seven at West Haven and St. Joseph).
There are few coaches who have been as helpful or better to deal with than Steve.
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Thanks for reading. More soon.
Vaya con dios....
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