WARRIORCATS Warriorcats-up, games of note, notables, polls, and other things
Tim King was worried well over a week before his Valley Regional/Old Lyme Warriors playing Ellington last Friday, but that’s what coaches do.
Coaches have an innate ability to find the gloom in anything. Their team is flawed. Their opponent is a juggernaut. The sky is always gray, menacing and falling.
You can imagine, then, King’s frame of mind when quarterback Matt Sapere injured his ankle against Ellington and nearly missed the entire second quarter.
“It was a nightmare,” King said. “I don’t know how many injuries we had. We had cramping, 13 or 14 penalties, you name it.”
Valley/Old Lyme won, 14-7.
So things aren’t that dreary with the WARRIORCATS.
“We walked out of there just happy to win because we made so many mistakes,” King said. “We did just enough to win, which was a positive because if we had cut out the penalties and stuff like that, we may not have been panicking at the end.”
King had some reasons to fret about the game as the Warriors have fewer numbers than in years past, not good given that low numbers led to forming the co-op. The majority of the offensive and defensive lines are new, and there’s not much brawn.
The Knights were a bad Week 1 draw for Valley/Old Lyme because they had experience and size up front. They also had two experienced running backs in Izaiah Castro-Vega and Wellington Silva, the latter who was the 100-meter champion at the CIAC Class M outdoor track and field championship last spring.
“Our offensive line played pretty darn well,” King said. “Matt had a couple of hurries here-and-there and got knocked down, but they didn’t give up a registered sack. He was flushed out of the pocket a few times, but Matt is a really good athlete and scrambled and got us a first down.
“The defense did well and did what they had to do. … They’d toss it out there (to Silva) and they’d chase him and run him down. The big thing is we contained him.”
Sapere ran for a 7-yard touchdown in the first quarter and threw a 54-yard touchdown to Dan Stecher in the second quarter to put the Warriors ahead, 14-0. It was shortly after that play that Sapere injured an ankle.
“(Offensive coordinator) Kevin (Woods) did a great job using our running back (Stecher) and our back-up quarterback (Mike Cullina),” King said. “Mike did a good job holding down the fort. I’m pretty proud of the kids as he didn’t take many snaps during the week. We moved Danny from running back into a wildcat (direct snap to Stecher) type of deal. We may have to start putting in some more packages for him.”
Sapere completed 10 of 18 passes for 149 yards and ran six times for 49 yards. Garrett Burdick added three catches for 42 yards and two interceptions.
“Burdick had a great game,” King said. “He almost had a third (interception) on (Ellington’s) last drive that was right in his hands. Roan Sullivan also had a pick.”
The Warriors will play at Old Lyme High School for the third straight year at 1p.m. Saturday against Old Saybrook/Westbrook.
“They’re the same as Ellington, except that they don’t have a sprinter,” King said. “They have a fullback (Chase Cook) who is 220 pounds and runs like a horse. Their offensive line may be even bigger than Ellington’s. It’s going to be another smashmouth game.
“We played a lot of kids (last Friday) which was huge. Some of the kids got a lot of experience because guys were running out of gas, so that’s a positive. A lot of kids got on the field, got some experience, and that’s going to help us out way down the line.”
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A few games of note in Week 1:
The Rams slipped by for the win after North Haven missed a 41-yard field goal with 49 seconds left last Friday. John Raba completed 15 of 20 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams. Tom Dodge ran 11 times for 43 yards, caught a 38-yard touchdown pass, and threw a 4-yard touchdown for North Haven.
Mcclay Marshall ran 21 times for 139 yards and a touchdown as the Yellowjackets rallied from a 13-0, first-quarter deficit for the win last Friday. Dominic Manna ran 15 times for 71 yards and two scores for East Haven. The Easties continued their dedication to the manly discipline of the running arts by attempting just three passes (three too many) while running 56 times for 321 yards and five scores. The Titans’ Zach Davis nearly ran for that same amount by himself. He had 20 carries for 302 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 40-yard punt return.
Fairfield Prep 26, Hand 20 (OT)
Patrick Conte threw a game-winning 8-yard touchdown to Connor Bryne for the Jesuits last Friday. The Yale-bound Conte completed 21 of 36 passed for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Note that Hand has scrapped its spread offense and gone back to its roots with the I-formation.
This sucker went from one extreme to the other like an infant’s mood as the Tigers went on a 30-0 run in the final 13 minutes last Friday. Sure. Drew Fowler was 20 of 30 for 297 yards with four touchdowns and an interception for Ridgefield and Shane Palmer scored on touchdown runs of 17, 31 and 39 yards. John McElroy completed 24 of 41 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Eagles.
Brookfield 17, Notre Dame-Fairfield 14
The Bobcats stopped Taevian Jackson on fourth-and-1 at the their own 2-yard line with seconds remaining to hang on for the win last Saturday. Nicholas Merkle completed 6 of 8 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown and ran for another for Brookfield, which led 17-0 to start the third quarter. Jackson, a 6-foot-1, 225 pound FRESHMAN, ran 18 times for 107 yards and two scores. Jackson was originally from Bridgeport, moved to North Carolina, and returned back to the state more than week before the season.
Capital Prep/Achievement First 56, Bullard-Havens 42
Kyle Zajack completed 12-for-18 passes for 225 yards four passing touchdowns, and ran for 62 yards and one touchdown in the Trailblazers’ win last Saturday. Khyon Gillepsie ran for 225 yards and two touchdowns for CP/AF and John Edwards had two catches for 170 yards and two scores. Defense is for chumps nowadays.
Kevin Iobbi ran for a 5-yard touchdown with 48 seconds as the Cardinals rallied for the win last Saturday.
North Branford 21, SMSA/University/Classical 20
North Branford stuffed the TIGERHAWKS at its 1-yard line as time expired for the win last Saturday. Nick Mancini scored on a 1-yard touchdown with 3:30 remaining to put the Thunderbirds ahead. Jeff Jablonski completed 11 of 26 passes for 183 yards with a touchdown and ran for 63 yards for North Branford. Blake Breglia was 18 of 38 for 303 yards with a touchdown and scored on a 1-yard run for the tri-op.
Tyrell Diaz ran for a game-winning 3-yard touchdown with 13 seconds left as the Black Knights won a thriller last Saturday. It was likely an extra special win for Stamford head coach Jamar Greene as the school let him go after three seasons, but won the job back on appeal.
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BEHOLD, the season debut of The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (1-0, 12 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (1-0); 3. Southington (1-0, one first-place vote); 4. Shelton (1-0); 5. Windsor (1-0); 6. West Haven (1-0); 7. Staples (1-0); 8. Newtown (1-0); 9. Xavier (1-0); and 10. Middletown (1-0).
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The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (23 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (three first-place votes); 3. Shelton (one first-place vote); 4. Southington; 5. Windsor; 6. West Haven; 7. Staples; 8. Xavier; 9. Newtown; and 10. Middletown.
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Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:
1. Darien
2. New Canaan
3. Southington
4. Xavier: Find out this Friday if we were right ranking X ahead of the Westies.
5. West Haven
6. Staples
7. Ridgefield: Could vote the Tigers ahead of Staples based on last year's head-to-head win, as well as returning their passing game.
8. Middletown
9. Windsor
10. Newtown
11. Shelton
12. Masuk
13. Conard
14. Hillhouse
15. Trumbull: Well, it was leading Ridgefield until the latter went into "HULK SMASH" mode. We could've voted Fairfield Prep instead.
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NOTABLES~!
First-year starter Brian Peters completed 15 of 25 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns as defending Class LL champion Darien routed St. Joseph on Saturday, 48-14. Mitchell Pryor added 11 carries for 158 yards and a touchdown. ... Ryan O’Connell scored on runs of 3 and 1 yards and had two interceptions as three-time, three-time, three-time defending Class L champion New Canaan beat Trinity Catholic on Saturday, 20-6. … Junior Will Barmore completed all seven of his passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns in his first start as Southington smashed Enfield last Friday, 53-0. The Blue Knights led 32-0 after the first quarter.
First-year starting quarterback David Wells threw a touchdown, scored on a 25 yard run, and blocked a punt that resulted in the game's first touchdown as Shelton routed Amity on Friday, 42-6. The Gaels allowed 125 yards, 75 of which came on two runs. ... Jahkari Grant threw for 320 yards and five touchdowns and scored on a 50-yard run as Windsor blanked Bristol Central last Friday, 47-0. Timothy Gardner-Russaw had four catches for 130 yards and two scores. ... Elliott Poulley ran 16 times for 141 yards and a touchdown and added an interception as Staples pulled away from McMahon in the second half for a 38-13 win on Friday. Andrew Speed threw a 41-yard touchdown to Daniel Thompson and scored on runs of 2 and 9 yards for the WRECKERS. It was also Staples head coach Marce Petroccio's 200th win.
Hunter Cobb ran 13 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns and returned a fumble 42 yards for another as Newtown thumped New Fairfield on Friday, 34-0. Cobb scored on runs of 58 and 54 yards. Ben Mason ran for touchdowns of 48 and 53 yards. ... Xavier’s defense choked out Norwich Free Academy in Friday’s 36-0 win. The Falcons allowed just 27 yards. Will Levis completed 10 of 19 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns for Xavier, which plays host to West Haven in THE game of this weekend. ... Tyshaun James ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns and threw for a 58-yard touchdown as Middletown beat Platt on Friday, 49-24.
David Harris ran 12 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns as Hillhouse christened the (FINALLY) renovated Bowen Field on Friday with a 35-0 win over Creed/Career/Whitney Tech. Matt Brehon ran eight times for 149 yards and a TD. C/C/WT is the program formerly known as Hyde/Career/Whitney Tech. It joined the Southern Connecticut Conference this season. ... Kyren Petteway ran for five touchdowns and threw two more as Waterbury Career smashed Wilby, 58-13, in its first varsity game.
Dexter Lawson ran 10 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns as defending Class S champion Bloomfield ran down Berlin last Friday, 36-14. Thomas Norman added five carries for 73 yards and two scores and Ky’Joun Butler scored on a 37-yard interception return. … Markell Dobbs ran 12 times for 160 yards and four touchdowns as Ansonia blitzed Wolcott on Friday, 62-21. The Chargers led 28-0 after one first quarter. … Jaeshawn Wilson scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 34-yard run in the fourth quarter of Conard’s 17-14, come-from-behind win over Glastonbury on Friday. Conard trailed 14-0 in the second quarter and scored twice in the fourth.
Melquann Gomez ran 12 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns and threw for two scores as New London began the Juan Roman era on Friday with a 47-19 win over East Lyme. … Nate Lajoie completed 10 of 18 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns as Stafford/East Windsor/Somers beat Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton last Friday, 41-23. Brandon Kallenbach had four catches for 101 yards and three scores and John Kopek had three tackles for S/EW/S.
Cromwell/Portland's Kristian Sapp ran 11 times for 192 yards and four touchdowns in Friday’s 55-0 win over Coginchaug. … Spencer Lockwood ran 30 times for a career-high 286 yards with four touchdowns as Killingly trucked Bacon Academy last Friday, 35-0. … Nicholas Dellapiano scored on runs of 2, 4 and 5 yards and added an interception as Masuk routed Stratford last Friday, 49-7.
Edison Galan (great name) was 11 of 23 for 288 and four touchdowns and ran seven times for 64 yards as Manchester downed Simsbury last Friday, 32-13. Jevin Frett had five catches for 229 yards and caught all four of Galan’s touchdown passes. ... Jamill Garcia ran for 61 yards and three touchdowns in Cheney Tech’s 33-8 win over Bassick last Friday. … Michael Castelot was 12 of 17 for 241 yards and three touchdowns as Bunnell routed Bethel last Friday, 47-6. Zhyaire Fernandes scored on touchdowns of 45 and 8 yards and returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.
Trey Dawson was 20 of 35 for 326 yards and four touchdowns as Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech beat St. Paul last Friday, 34-22. Courie Stevenson had five catches for 131 yards and five touchdowns for the Hearts, who ran for just a yard. Pierce Piana ran 22 times for 198 yards and two scores for the Falcons. … Jasiah Barnes ran for 227 yards and Dyante Howard ran for three touchdowns as Wilbur Cross raced past Foran last Friday, 40-21. … Jaylen Kelly completed 6 of 11 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown and ran 11 times for 92 yards and two scores as Seymour blitzed Torrington last Friday, 49-7.
Jared Neal threw five touchdowns passes and ran for another as Thames River beat Wolcott Tech/Housatonic Regional/Wamogo last Saturday, 54-28. ... Zach Mauro ran nine times for 158 yards and a touchdown, threw for another, and ran for a 2-point conversion as Nonnewaug beat Canton last Saturday, 28-0. The game was called at halftime due to heat. ... Chase Cook ran 23 times for 189 yards and two touchdowns and kicked five extra points as Old Saybrook/Westbrook trounced Haddam-Killingworth last Saturday, 41-13.
Rocky Hill and GOD’S OFFENSE ran for 327 yards and five touchdowns in last Saturday’s 49-15 rout of Avon. Joseph Ferreira ran 12 times for 119 yards and a touchdown and Joseph Catania added six carries for 108 yards and two TDs. The Terriers led 35-0 after a quarter.
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Thanks for reading. More soon.
Vaya con dios....
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