Groton — For all the things that can go wrong in a high school football game after a year off due to a pandemic, including a blocked punt late that could have cost it the game, Fitch High School picked exactly the perfect time to get it right Friday night.

Fitch won 13-7, but after a Stonington blocked punt and touchdown and a personal foul call against them, the Falcons found themselves back at their own 43-yard-line, third-and-10, perhaps preparing to punt once again.

That's when sophomore quarterback Ben Perry, whom coach Mike Ellis estimates is 5-foot-9, 145 pounds, found Aidan Greaves for 11 yards down the left sideline and a first down. Four straight carries by senior Greg Santora later, the Falcons were able to run out the clock on the opening day victory.

"We've been talking all year about 'together or nothing' and they were at the end," Ellis said. "It was a tough blocked punt and score but then they finished. ... We kind of controlled the ballgame but we couldn't put them away. To pull it together in the first game with a sophomore quarterback when we had some injuries, I'm proud of them." 

Fitch broke open a scoreless game with 5 minutes, 9 seconds left in the second quarter on a 9-yard touchdown rush by Perry, who fought for extra yardage on third-and-4. Charles Cabusao kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Both teams then exchanged dramatic fumbles in the final moments of the half.

Stonington drove down to the Fitch 29 with under two minutes remaining on the tails of Josh Mooney, who gained 15 yards to the right and drew a late hit, as well, fueling the drive. The Bears fumbled the ball back to Fitch, however, who took over at the Stonington 48 after a penalty.

On second down, Perry delivered a perfectly thrown 36-yarder to Greaves over the middle for first-and-goal at the 3, but a Fitch fumble on the ensuing play was recovered by Stonington's Patrick Obrey inside the 1-yard line.

Fitch finally was able to take advantage of a Stonington turnover with 2:39 remaining in the third quarter when the Bears fumbled a bad pitch deep in their own territory. Fitch took over at the 13 and Melakai Maddox scored in one play to put the Falcons up 13-0.

In addition, Stonington quarterback Dorian White left the game just prior to that with an injury, giving the Bears a rather difficult path to a comeback.

The blocked punt came on fourth-and-7 from Fitch's 20-yard-line. Stonington took over first-and-goal at the 8 and soon found itself with fourth-and-goal from the 18 after a bad snap put the Bears back 15 yards. Following a Stonington timeout, quarterback Lucian Tedeschi found receiver Brady Mullen for 18 yards in the left corner of the end zone and Mooney kicked the extra point.

Stonington coach A.J. Massengale, whose team was 0-10 when last they played a pre-COVID-19 season in 2019, said his team came to Dorr Field on Friday fully expecting to win, something he wouldn't have even thought of as an upset.

"We had some first-game execution things," Massengale said. "I don't blame our kids. It was first-game execution stuff and we had moments as coaches, too.

"... I love the way our kids play. They're aggressive. They weren't going to back down. It's not a moral victory thing. This is literally a different team (from 2019). I can't even do it (compare them). It's not even a thing we talk about."

v.fulkerson@theday.com