NFA, Ledyard, Stonington, Week 7 revue, notables, etc.
Howdy,
Norwich Free Academy wouldn’t make the CIAC Class LL playoffs if the season ended this week. The top eight teams qualify in each class and the Wildcats are ranked 12th.
NFA should be moving on up pretty quickly, though.
The Wildcats (4-2) have a much more favorable schedule moving forward compared to other Class LL hopefuls. An astounding five of the top eight spots belong to Southern Connecticut Conference teams who are going to pick one another off.
Chances are good, then, that Wildcats would qualify for states provided they take care of their own business and win their final four games.
NFA plays Ledyard (3-3, Friday), winless Bacon Academy (Nov. 4), at Stamford (3-3, Nov. 12), and closes the regular season at unbeaten New London on Thanksgiving.
The Wildcats will be favored to win the first three of those games. Two of Ledyard’s three wins are over winless teams. Stamford’s wins are against teams with a combined record of 1-16.
Now compare NFA’s schedule to the SCC contenders. No. 4 Shelton (6-0) plays No. 6 Cheshire (5-1, Friday), No. 8 Fairfield Prep (4-2, Nov. 4), and No. 5 West Haven (6-0, Nov. 11), the latter which will be one of the most highly anticipated games of the season.
Cheshire still has to play Class L contender Notre Dame-West Haven (3-3, Nov. 4) and No. 2 Southington (6-0, Thanksgiving).
No. 7 Wilbur Cross (4-1) has the good fortune of being in the SCC’s Tier II instead of being subjected to the weekly cannibalism in Tier 1. It does, however, play New London (Nov. 4), Xavier (3-3, Nov. 17), and Class M contender Hillhouse (5-1, Thanksgiving).
Fairfield Prep plays this Friday at Xavier and ends the season with North Haven (3-3, Nov. 11) and West Haven (Thanksgiving). Xavier is far better than its record shows (it beat Massachusetts power St. John’s, and lost to Cheshire, Shelton and West Haven). North Haven has scored 34 in its last two games and lost to Notre Dame-W.H. (49-34) and Shelton (35-34).
Other teams ahead of NFA are going to pick one another off. No. 9 Ridgefield (4-2) plays host to No. 11 Greenwich (4-2) on Nov. 11.
No. 10 New Britain (4-2) plays host to Southington this Friday.
The Wildcats, then, would be in great shape should they win their next three games. It would also add extra significance to the New London game in the continuation of America’s longest high school football rivalry.
Here’s a look at the other divisions involving playoff contenders:
CLASS L: New London (6-0) is ranked third in the division and on a bye week. It closes the season against Wilbur Cross, Ledyard (3-3, Nov. 11), Waterford (4-1, Nov. 18) and NFA.
The Whalers aren’t the only Class L hopeful with a tough schedule. Top-ranked and three-time champion New Canaan (6-0) plays Trumbull (4-2, Nov. 4) and unbeaten Darien on Thanksgiving.
No. 2 Middletown (6-0) plays at No. 3 Windsor (6-0) on Thanksgiving Eve. Both should be unbeaten at that time.
No. 5 Masuk (5-1) plays this Friday at Bunnell (4-2), which had unbeaten Newtown on the mat last Friday before losing (35-34). The Panthers also play at Newtown on Thanksgiving Eve.
No. 7 Naugatuck (5-1) has games left against Wolcott (5-1, Nov. 4) and unbeaten Ansonia (Thanksgiving).
Everyone else in the division has at least two losses and more on the way. No. 8 Platt (4-2), for instance, plays No. 10 Maloney (4-2) on Thanksgiving. No. 9 Wilton (4-0) plays at Darien on Saturday.
It’s likely, then, that a three-loss team will qualify.
CLASS M: Valley Regional/Old Lyme (5-1) is atop the division and gotten through the toughest part of its schedule. Lewis Mills (3-3) is its only remaining opponent that doesn’t have a losing record.
Waterford (4-1) is seventh with five games remaining. Starting next week, it plays at Stonington (3-3, Nov. 4), at Plainfield (4-2, Nov. 11), and against New London.
Every team after Waterford has at least two losses, increasing the likelihood of a 7-3 team qualifying.
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NFA put its explosive, opportunistic offense on display in Saturday's 38-22 win over Stonington. The Wildcats piled up 26 points in less than a quarter and a half.
Trailing 22-12 with four minutes, 36 seconds left in the third quarter, the Wildcats quickly responded. They took only seven plays to score two touchdowns and take a 25-22 lead into the fourth quarter.
They took advantage of a short field to go 21 yards in four plays in another march to the end zone and needed just four plays to go 55 yards in their final scoring drive.
To sum up, their last four scoring drives covered just 15 plays and went a combined 166 yards. The Bears certainly contributed to NFA's prime field position.
The Wildcats became more efficient and effective on offense once they cleaned up their mistakes.
“When we didn't do that, put us in a second and long, or third and long, or turn the ball over, we moved the ball down the field,” coach Jemal Davis said.
It helps to have a talented player like Jawaun Johnson, who rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns, on NFA's side. Sophomore Elijah Parker (four touchdowns — two passing, two rushing) made a sparkling starting debut at quarterback.
Davis has learned a lot about his team this season. He had a lot of questions positively answered against the Bears. Starting quarterback Shea McManaway, who missed Saturday's game with a concussion, will be ready to play next week.
“For us, as I told the kids, each week we're learning something new about ourselves…,” Davis said. “What's going to happen? How do we respond if we're down? How do we respond when a team has the momentum, can we come back?
“Right now, we're answering 'yes' to all those questions.”
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Despite the loss, Stonington coach A.J. Massengale saw some bright spots in his team's play.
“We did a lot of things well. Our kids gave a great effort. The kids are very disappointed, and they should be. They're disappointed because they care about it and they work so hard at it. We had opportunities. In the end, we didn't finish things off the way we needed to.”
Stonington's best two drives came at the start of each half and both produced touchdowns.
On their opening series, the Bears marched 63 yards in 11 running plays with senior Kyle Whipple finishing it off by plowing in from the three. They opened the second half by 80 yards in 13 running plays with quarterback Liam Wallace sneaking in from the one.
The Bears were forced to abandon their run-dominated attack when they fell behind later in the game.
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It was easy to spot Ledyard senior Austin Brandt on the field on Saturday. Brandt made a significant contribution to his team's 32-12 victory over East Lyme. He was a disruptive presence on defense, recording two sacks in the second half. He hit some long kickoffs and converted a couple point-after attempts.
“He's a great player for us,” coach Mark Farnsworth said. “He's very important to what we do offensively and defensively. He doesn't touch the ball much offensively. But he's a great athlete.”
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Senior Herman Winston, who scored all four of his touchdowns after intermission, credited his coach's halftime speech for Ledyard's strong second half. The Colonels scored 25 points in the final two quarters.
“What really helped us open it up after halftime was probably our coach going into the locker room and giving us a pep talk,” Winston said. "We really needed that. We really needed to know the game wasn't over and this was a team that was going to come play with us. They weren't going to sit back and relax.”
Saturday's performance was a positive step for the Colonels, who hope to build on the win.
“We've got to focus on more complete play all-around — special teams, offense, defense,” Farnsworth said. “Every once in a while, we have a tendency to lapse, so we've got to get on that in practice and make sure we're focused all the time.”
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Wowwowwowwow, there were SO many games of note from Week 7:
No. 2 New Canaan 40, Greenwich 16
Dang, New Canaan. Look what you did to the Cardinals.
Greenwich (4-2) had been playing well and gave top-ranked Darien all sorts of trouble in a 42-35 loss on Sept. 24.
Drew Pyne completed 11 of 20 passes for 184 yards and four TDs and ran nine times for 69 yards for the Rams (6-0). So FCIAC supremacy will again be determined (for the fifth stragith year) at the annual Thankgrabbing New Canaan-Darien game.
No 3 Shelton 35, North Haven 34
The Gaels' Anthony Schiavo caught a game-winning 10-yard touchdown from David Wells with 3:48 left in the game, followed by a Santino Durante interceptoin to ice the game. This game had WEIRD momentum swings. Shelton jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. North Haven countered with 21 unanswered points. The Gaels went ahead 28-21 at halftime. Mark Montano's 11-yard run put the Indians back ahead, 34-28, with 11 minutes, 5 seconds left in the game. North Haven (3-3) had a chance to pad its lead as it got to midfield when Shelton's Armando Martinez intercepted a pass with 6:37 remaining to set up the game-winner.
David Wells threw three touchdowns for Shelton (6-0). It plays host to old Housatonic League rival Cheshire (5-1) this Friday. Great to see that game be so important as, during the nineties, the teams played the final Friday night almost two weeks before Thanksgrabbing. It was arguably the state's best rivarly at the time, too.
As for North Haven (3-3), jeez, it’s learned fast how brutal life is playing its first season in the Southern Connecticut Conference Tier I blood pit. Ray Curren of the GameTimeCT Monolith noted after last Friday’s game that the Indians scored 34 in successive weeks and lost twice. Notre Dame of West Haven beat them, 49-34 (Oct. 7) in a game North Haven led 27-14 early in the second half. North Haven now gets to play at West Haven this Friday.
Oh, SCC Tier I, how we adore thee.
No 5 West Haven 36, Notre Dame-West Haven 16
Anthony Godfrey ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns for the Westies (6-0) and made the game's biggest play on defense. The Green Knights had the ball at the West Haven 15-yard line late in the third quarter trailing 21-13. The ball was snapped way too early and skittered downfield, and Godfrey slapped the ball to Tyrese Cowes, who returned the fumble 68 yards to the ND 2. Kyle Godfrey (92 yards, two TDs) scored on the next play to push the Westies ahead, 28-13.
FINALLY, someone in the South-West Conference punched back at the Nighthawks and forced the latter to show if they had any guts. Newtown did. It trailed by 11 points to start the fourth and rallied thanks to Justin Dunn. He threw a 13-yard touchdown to Michael Garner and later scored on a 20-yard run with over seven minutes left for the go-ahead TD for the Nighthawks (6-0), which won their first five league games by a combined score of 224-27. Zhyaire Fernandes raised hell for the Bulldogs (4-2) as he ran for four touchdowns and threw for another. Bunnell plays host to Masuk (6-1) this Friday in what should be an ode to Big 12 offenses (and its sacrificial lamb defenses).
Hey — a game in which both teams played good defense. YAY.
Jack Raba completed 20 of 32 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown as the Rams (5-1) survived the first game of its death march. Their next four games are at Shelton, Notre Dame-West Haven (Nov. 4), Hand (Nov. 11), and at fourth-ranked Southington on Thanksgrabbing.
Prep (4-2) is close to falling out of LL playoff contention as it continues to struggle without injured Yale-bound quarterback Pat Conte (shoulder).
Well, this was unexpected.
This was supposed to be a competitive game between two Class LL hopefuls. Instead, it turned into the Shane Palmer Show at Tiger Hollow. He ran 17 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers (5-1). He had five catches for 57 yards and a score. And he had a 69-yard punt return for a TD.
Ridgefield’s win is even more impressive given that second-year starter Drew Fowler still hasn’t returned at quarterback after being knocked out in the second quarter of a 41-21 loss at New Canaan in Week 2 (the game unraveled for the Tigers after Fowler's injury). Fowler is back at receiver and had seven catches against Staples as head coach Kevin Callahan told Ryan Lacey of the CT Post that they're easing him back into the lineup.
If you don’t mind a long drive and want to see one of Connecticut’s prettiest football facilities, then head to Ridgefield on Nov. 11 when it plays host to Greenwich as it should be a Class LL eliminator.
It was the second time in three weeks that the Wreckers (5-2) got wrecked as it lost at NFA, 33-14, on Oct. 8. Very disappointing as Staples had so much back this season and projected to be a Class LL contender. It likely needs to win out to make states against (get this) St. Joseph (5-1, Nov. 4), Darien (Nov. 11), and at Greenwich on Thanksgiving. O-ooooffff.
Maloney 34, Bristol Central 27
Here's your second-best finish from Friday night — Mitchell McEwen intercepted a pass at the Maloney 1-yard line with 9 seconds left to stake Central. The Spartans (4-2) absolutely manned up on defense in the fourth quarter. The Rams had first-and-goal at the Maloney 1-yard line midway through the fourth, but the latter turned them over on downs. Central had first-and-goal at the Maloney 8 with 29 seconds left. It threw three incomplete passes before the interception. Larue Graham completed 18 of 30 passes for 244 yards and five touchdowns, including three to Victor Marquez, for the Spartans. McEwen added 15 tackles, including a sack. Isaiah Miller completed 10 of 22 passes for 210 yards and two TDs and score on runs of 2 and 4 yards for Central.
And here's your best finish from last Friday night. Dig this — Hall’s Burke Martindale chucked a Hail Mary from the 50-yard line as time expired. The ball bounced off two defender’s hands and into those of Hall’s Andrew Craveldi, who ran it in for a touchdown to cut the Hurricanes lead to a point. The extra point failed. Ow. Jafari Newman threw touchdown passes of 36 and 70 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for the Golden Hurricanes (4-2). The Warriors (4-2) outscored New Britain in the fourth quarter, 19-6, to make for a daffy finish.
This was as good as any NFL game played Sunday as Killingly scored the game's final 14 points with four minutes left. Kyle Derosier ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 3:23 remaining to cut the Whippets lead to 14-8. Derosier threw a game-ending 5-yard touchdown to Josh Montpelier for the win.
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NOTABLES~!
Variety is the spice of life, and Southington receiver Anthony Plantamuro dumped it all over Conard in the fifth-ranked Blue Knights 42-14 laugher. He threw a 65-yard touchdown to Jack Herms on the game's first play. He ran for a 7-yard touchdown. He caught a 20-yard touchdown. He would've had another touchdown catch had it not been nixed by a penalty. ... De'Andre Cassanova had nine tackles and two sacks as No. 6 Windsor beat E.O. Smith on Friday, 21-0. …
Dexter Lawson had one of the most ludicrous games in recent memory as No. 10 Bloomfield squished Rockville last Friday, 52-0. He completed 10 of 18 passes for 210 yards and four touchdowns, ran for 55 yards and a touchdown, scored on a 46-yard punt return, AND had three interceptions. That’s a lot of things.
Mike Aresco tied a state-record with four field goals, including a 52-yarder, as eight-ranked Middletown crushed Farmington last Friday, 40-0. Aresco tied the record set by Roberto Inesta of now defunct St. Mary of Greenwich during a Sept. 26 game against LaSalle, N.Y, according to the Connecticut High School State Record Book. Aresco’s 52-yard field goal was two yards short of tying Rico Brogna of Watertown, Tyler Timion of Fermi, and Matt Paola of Pomperaug for the state-record. He’s tied for the fourth-longest field in state history with Brogna and Charles Gallagher of Hartford Public. Aresco’s other field goals were for 30, 25 and 42 yards. Tyshaun James ran 16 times for 95 yards and a touchdown for the Blue Dragons (6-0) and completed 8 of 19 passes for 150 yards and two TDs.
Dalton Carden ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns as Branford held off Amity last Friday, 28-27. Colin Beaulieu ran for a 62-yard touchdown with 56 seconds left for Amity, but was stopped on the two-point conversion. Branford recovered the onside kick. Beaulieu ran for 214 yards and four touchdowns. ... Will Levis scored on a 1-yard touchdown in overtime and Xavier ended the game by tackling Hand’s Brett Bilcheck at the 2-yard line on fourth down to win, 20-13. Levis also threw touchdowns of 54 and 29 yards for Xavier (3-3).
Matt Hersche competed 13 of 14 for 170 yards and six touchdowns in the first half as Masuk christened its new turf field by giving New Milford a spiked piledriver (and from the top rope) in its 62-12 rout. Nicholas Dellapiano scored on touchdowns of 12, 11 and 27 yards for the Panthers (5-1), which play at Bunnell on Friday. Lest anyone think New Milford is a pushover, it’s 4-2. ... Seymour had its way with Derby last Friday in a 42-0 clubbering. Jaylen Kelley ran 20 times for 166 yards and a touchdown and completed 5 of 12 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats (5-1) while Bobby Melms ran 10 times for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
Harding scored 40 unanswered points in its 40-7 beating of Abbott Tech/Immaculate last Friday. Ramir Johnson scored on runs of 57 and 55 yards for the Presidents (4-1) while Morgan Cleveland ran for touchdowns of 19 and 11 yards. … Cory Babineau completed 18 of 25 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a 1-yard touchdown as St. Joseph thumped Fairfield Warde last Friday, 41-14. Jarred Mallozzi scored on catches of 46 and 5 yards and threw a 72-yard touchdown to Phil Pesmeg for the Cadets (5-1).
All Khyon Gillespie needed was 10 carries to run for 155 yards and four touchdowns as unbeaten Capital Prep/Achievement First laid waste to Cheney Tech last Friday, 54-8. Kyle Zajack completed 10 of 15 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown for the Trailblazers (5-0) and Daniel LeBron (47-yard fumble return) and Corey Googe (95-yard interception return) both scored. ... Sean Penney ran for 171 yards and three touchdowns as Simsbury bounced Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver last Friday, 42-6. Riley Shanley also completed 13 of 25 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another for the Trojans. … Julice Sams scored on runs of 1, 1, 30 and 1 yards as Glastonbury downed Manchester last Friday, 37-24.
Efrain Santiago ran 14 times for 144 yards and a touchdown and was a terror at safety and on special teams as New London blanked Fitch on Saturday, 39-0. Melquann Gomez completed 8 of 20 passes for 118 yards with four touchdowns for the Whalers (6-0) and Gio Lopez had three catches for 52 yards and two touchdowns. ... Herman Winston ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 74-yard interception return as Ledyard thumped East Lyme on Saturday, 32-12.
Spencer Hoagland ran 17 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns, completed 7 of 14 passes for 96 yards and a score, kicked a 27-yard field goal and three extra points as Waterford beat Griswold on Saturday, 30-12. Luke Barrs had 14 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown for Waterford (4-1). ... Jawaun Johnson ran for 178 yards and two touchdowns as Norwich Free Academy rallied to beat Stonington on Saturday, 38-22. Elijah Parker ran for 54 yards and two touchdowns and completed all four of his passes for 51 yards and two scores for NFA (4-2), which scored the game’s final 26 points.
Jared Neal completed 9 of 22 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns and ran 21 times for 146 yards and a score as Thames River beat Quinebaug Valley on Saturday, 30-16. Marquez Hamilton had catches for 172 yards and caught all of Neal’s touchdowns. Will McGlyn ran 23 times for 200 yards and a touchdown for the Pride. ... Jack Leslie and Ryan Weitz each had two sacks as Ellington stuffed Stafford on Saturday, 27-7. Iziah Castro-Vega ran 26 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns for the Knights (5-1), which had seven sacks.
Mitch Mazlowski ran seven times. He earned himself 171 yards and four touchdowns as Berlin ran wild over Avon on Saturday, 42-7. Alex Halkias had nine carries for 138 yards and two scores for the Redcoats (5-1), who used GOD’S OFFENSE to achieve victory. ... Mike Bevino, Antonio Addorisio and Micah Brantley of Notre Dame of Fairfield had interceptions on Bethel’s first three possessions Saturday to win, 38-20. Bevino returned his interception for a 60-yard touchdown and caught a 65-yard touchdown from Micah Brantley.
Alex Segaline ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns as Haddam-Killingworth trounced Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Windsor on Saturday, 41-16. ... Jamie Bryant scored on a 59-yard catch and 83-yard interception return for Hartford Public in Saturday’s 28-7 win over South Windsor. ... Kameron Janice ran for 268 yards and four touchdowns as Woodstock Academy downed Vinal Tech on Saturday, 48-30.
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Thanks to Gavin Keefe for providing the notes from East Lyme, Ledyard, NFA and Stonington.
• • • •
Thanks for reading. More Monday (or Tuesday).
Vaya con dios.
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