Rocky Hill senior QB Andrew Jenkelunas

The Rocky Hill Terriers thought they would have to win a road game on Thanksgiving in order to secure a home playoff game. Instead they wound up having to win at the friendly confines of McVicar Field to earn the coveted home playoff date. Their Thanksgiving Day tilt verse conference rival Northwest Catholic was originally slated to be played at Northwest Catholic High School, but was moved to Rocky Hill High School due to poor field conditions at the West Hartford based school. The change didn’t affect the turnout for the turkey day game, as both schools had standing room only crowds in attendance. The Terriers exploited the unexpected home field advantage and beat the Indians 21-6, just in time to take the turkey out of the oven. The victory earned a well-deserved home playoff game for Rocky Hill and keeps their championship aspirations alive.
 
The chilly and windy conditions on Thanksgiving morning favored Rocky Hill because the two teams have vastly different offensive philosophies. The Terriers use a ball-control, run-oriented offense and the Indians run a spread offense, featuring four and five wide receiver sets. Despite the apparent weather advantage, Rocky Hill was clinging to a 7-6 lead midway through the second quarter and had trouble establishing the line of scrimmage against the physical Northwest Catholic front-seven. The Indians’ defense was led by hard-hitting safety Delano Robinson, who finished with eighteen tackles and had the incredibly difficult task of containing Rocky Hill phenomenon Chris Young. Young was hounded early by Northwest defenders, often being hit by two or three players, even when he didn’t have the ball.
 
“They {Northwest Catholic} were a physical team,” Young said, “We knew we had to match them physically.”
 
The contest was a stalemate until Rocky Hill punter Josh Zawisa changed the dynamic of the game when he boomed a punt 59 yards, which was downed at the Northwest Catholic 7-yard line. The Indians were unable to move the ball and went three-and-out, punting the ball back to the Terriers with 6:13 left in the half. Rocky Hill proceeded to drain the first half clock and methodically moved the ball down to the one-yard line. Facing a fourth and goal with only ten seconds to play in the half, Rocky Hill coach David Coyne could have opted to take the easy points and allow kicker Greg Marzilli to extend the Terriers lead, but he instead decided to give the ball to the extremely reliable Young. The senior tailback delivered, taking the handoff and sweeping to the right before quickly cutting back into the heart of the Indians’ defense and striking pay dirt. The last-second score sent the hometown faithful into a frenzy and extended their halftime lead to 14-6.
 
“I couldn’t tell you how I did it myself” Young said referring to the last second touchdown, “My instincts took over and I cut back at the right time.”
 
The hometown fortune continued into the halftime festivities when three Rocky Hillians were victorious over three Northwest Catholics in the first annual Punt, Pass, and Kick competition. The Rocky Hill success continued to spew over into the second half, as the Terriers aggressive defense started to exert their will on the Indians’ pass-happy offense. Even after Rocky Hill fumbled the ball away at their own 30-yard line with 5:29 remaining in the third quarter, the Terriers ferocious defense pinned their ears back and made one of their trademark stands. Following the fumble, Rocky Hill defensive captain Tommy Seaver recorded the first of his two sacks on the afternoon and Nick Carducci intercepted a third down pass to spoil Northwest Catholic’s best field position of the game.
 
“Our defense likes stepping up in those moments,” Seaver said, “Our focus is always getting the ball back for our offense.”
 
Seaver and his defensive mates thoroughly dominated the third quarter, allowing the Indians to run a mere seven offensive plays, but they still only held an eight point lead after the first 36 minutes.
 
The Terriers have become synonymous with their fourth quarter excellence and Thursday was no different. Holding a 14-6 lead, Young was swarmed and tackled by a host of Northwest Catholic defenders on a fourth down run to start the fourth quarter, but that merely fueled the sensational senior’s fire. On the play following the turnover, Indians’ quarterback Christian Flynn attempted to throw deep down the left sidelines, but Young perfectly tracked the ball through the sunny, clear sky and made a tremendous leaping interception in front of a would-be Indians receiver.
 
“I knew that pass was coming,” Young said, “Our scout offense did a great job in practice all week allowing us to be prepared for everything they ran on offense.”
 
Young’s interception swung the momentum back to Rocky Hill and he put the final nail in the coffin two plays later when he dashed 38 yards for the game’s final score. On the game clinching touchdown run, he burst through the right side of the Indians defense and outraced a helpless Robinson to the right corner of the end zone. 
 
“The {offensive} line made that play work,” Young stated, “The hole was huge and I was able to break free. It felt great.”
 
Young totaled 147 rushing yards on Thanksgiving and finished the regular season with an astonishing 30 touchdown runs.  
 
Rocky Hill will host the Prince RVT Falcons from Hartford on Tuesday. If they can pull off the home victory, they will play either Ansonia or Cogincaugh Regional on Saturday for a spot in the Class S championship game. 
 
“We just have to keep this momentum going,” Seaver said, “We’re trying to carry this momentum into each game.”
 
 High School Football Round-Up
 
 Wethersfield Edges Rival Newington
 
Matt Sanzaro threw for 188 yards and a touchdown to help the Wethersfield Eagles knockoff cross-town rival Newington 16-14 at Arute Field on the campus of Central Connecticut State University. Sanzaro also rushed for 118 yards and score another touchdown on the ground. Wethersfield finishes their season on a seven game winning streak, but fell just short of making the Class L postseason.
 
Isaiah Young nearly helped Newington pull the upset, rushing for 114 yards and a touchdown. Despite the loss, Newington (5-6) finished the season winning four of their final six games. Both teams should return better than ever in next season, with plenty of upperclassmen returning. Both signal callers, Sanzaro and Newington’s Jake Hedberg, will be looking to build on fantastic junior seasons in 2014.   
 
 Cromwell Unable to Pull Upset
 
The Cromwell Panthers were hoping to shock the high school football world by beating the playoff bound Coginchaug Regional Blue Devils on Thanksgiving, but even home field advantage couldn’t prevent the Panthers from losing their sixth straight game. The Blue Devils scored early and coasted to a 35-6 victory.
 
Cromwell, whose roster is filled with underclassman, will have a majority of their starters returning next season. The valuable experienced the young Panthers gained this season should allow them to be a juggernaut over the next couple of seasons.   
 
 Middletown is Playoff Bound
 
The Middletown Blue Devils held off the Windsor Warriors 13-6 last Tuesday night. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but forecasted heavy rain and wind moved the kickoff up a day. Middletown’s explosive and fleet-footed quarterback Dario Highsmith ran for 162 yards and scored touchdowns from 62 and 24 yards out.
 
Middletown (10-1) has earned a spot in the Class L postseason and will rematch the New London Whalers on Tuesday night. New London (9-2) handed Middletown their only loss this season on a last-second field goal and the Blue Dragons would love nothing more than to end the Whalers’ season. If the Blue Dragons can slay the Whalers, they will play the winner of the Darien and Hand game, with the victor earning a spot in the Class L championship game. 

​If you lived in Connecticut during 2005, you most certainly remember the name Amari Spievey. He was one of the most dynamic high school football players in the state’s history and he would awe local football fans with his speed, power, and athleticism on a weekly basis. He’s a local kid that made it to football’s biggest stage and he may have one or two of those awe moments left in him before hanging up his cleats.
 
Spievey burst onto the Connecticut football landscape during his freshman year at Xavier High School and his coach, Sean Marinan, knew from the day one that the new freshman running back was going to be special.  “First time I ever watched him in a freshman game.” Marinan answered when asked when he first thought Spievey had a unique gift that could eventually make take him to the next level. 
 
Marinan had the privilege of coaching Spievey for four seasons at Xavier, which concluded with a Class LL state title during Spievey’s senior season. Spievey was also selected as the 2005 Connecticut Player of the Year that same season. He finished his illustrious high school career with an astonishing 60 total touchdowns and a school-record 3,606 rushing yards.
 
Spievey is blessed with a ton of natural athletic ability, but it was another trait that allowed him to flourish at football, according to his coach. “[Amari] was tough,” Marinan said, “He never ran out of gas and was a tremendous competitor.”
 
Spievey graduated from Xavier and was recruited by a number of Division-I colleges. He ultimately chose the University of Iowa where he would become one of the nations most feared defensive backs. At Xavier, he played both running back and defensive back, but his coach at Iowa, Kirk Ferentz, recruited him as a cornerback. Spievey became a starter in 2008 and during his junior season in 2009 he took the country by storm, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
 
Following his spectacular junior season, Spievey decided to forgo his senior season at Iowa and enter the National Football League (NFL) draft. Many draft experts dubbed him as a sleeper leading up to the draft. A sleeper is defined in draft circles as someone that may not be a top draft pick, but possesses the ability to excel at the next level.  Professional general managers loved his coverage skills, thriving as a cornerback against elite Division-I competition. Professional coaches loved him for his physicality, never shying away from contact and rarely missing a tackle in college. This desired combination allowed Spievey to move up NFL draft boards prior to draft day.
 
The Detroit Lions selected Spievey in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL draft. The Lions were coming off their two worst seasons in franchise history, in which they compiled a record of 2-30. Detroit’s defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham decided to move Spievey from cornerback to safety in an effort to maximize his physical abilities and allow him to play in space more often. The move paid off as he finished his rookie season with two interceptions and three pass deflections in nine starts. In 2011, Spievey’s role expanded and he continued to prosper. He started 15 games, finishing with three interceptions, four pass deflections, and 65 total tackles. His excellent play in the secondary helped the Lions finish 10-6 and they earned their first playoff berth in eleven seasons. Things were looking up for the former Xavier superstar until he suffered a concussion during a Wild Card playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. Concussions have become a hot topic and point of contention in the NFL over the past couple of years due to the long term ramifications of head injuries. The good news for Spievey was that he had the entire offseason to recover and he returned as the Lions’ starting strong safety to begin the 2012 season. However, seven weeks into the season, he suffered the second concussion of his NFL career in a Monday night loss to the Chicago Bears. The concussion ended his season and he has yet to play another game in the league.
 
Spievey was still under contract with Detroit following the 2012 season and he was medically cleared to resume playing. However, during the 2013 offseason, he ran into legal trouble when he was charged with third-degree assault on March 26th in his hometown of Middletown. He became the seventh Detroit Lions player to be arrested in a two year span. Unlike his teammates, Spievey had all of the charges against him dropped on June 28th of this year and was ready to put the incident behind him and return to action.
 
Whether it was his legal troubles or lack of production, the Lions released Spievey on August 31st and the former Xavier standout became an unrestricted free agent. Despite all of his abilities, he faced the uphill challenge to sign with another team because he happened to enter a free-agent market loaded with several other talented safeties. This market included former Pro-Bowlers Kerry Rhodes and Michael Huff. Ironically, Spievey had a workout with Chicago on September 17th, but the Bears decided not to sign him following the workout and he has remained unsigned ever since.
 
If Spievey does get another chance to be on an NFL roster, expect him to make the most of his opportunity. He is only 25 years old and he can lean on the fact that former NFL players such as Otis Smith have paved the way for defensive backs in their late twenties to have success during the latter stages of their careers. Smith, who fell out of favor with the Philadelphia Eagles in the mid-nineties, was out of football until he had two stints with both the New York Jets and New England Patriots. He was a key contributor for both teams, even recording an interception in Super Bowl XXXVI as a member of the Patriots. The interception helped launch the New England dynasty. Don’t be surprised if the story of Middletown’s hometown hero ends in a similar fashion.  

​Just one month ago the Cromwell Panthers were sitting at atop the Pequot-North and had just beaten four straight conference opponents in impressive fashion. It seemed that the young Panthers were headed for a spot in the playoffs after a sensational start to the season. However, that’s when the injuries and misfortune started to mount for Cromwell and five losses later leaves them searching for answers. The latest loss was a physical 24-6 defeat at the hands of the North Branford Thunderbirds on a chilly, damp Friday night in North Branford.
 
The Thunderbirds were celebrating their Senior Night at George A. Colafarti Field and had also struggled over the past month, losing four of five games. The rowdy home crowd combined with a strong running game and key plays from backup quarterback Paul Pastet helped North Branford pull out the victory in a game that was closer than the final score would indicate.
 
Cromwell, who was also without their starting quarterback, used a unique rotating system at quarterback to fill the void left by Mavric Pelletier’s injury. This strategy worked early in the game with Jarius Bailey starting the game under center and rotating with Emir Cirikovic, who would operate primarily out of a shotgun formation. The two-quarterback system fooled North Branford in the first quarter allowing the Panthers to drive into Thunderbirds’ territory with a chance to put points on the board, but kicker Mike McNally’s 42-yard field goal attempt drifted too far to the right. North Branford’s punishing fullback Josh Melaccio ripped off a 36-yard run immediately following the missed kick, but the Thunderbirds fumbled of the following play and it was recovered and returned 25 yards by Cromwell’s defensive captain Joey Chaves. The fumble recovery was just one of Chaves big plays Friday night. The senior defensive tackle also reordered a sack, four quarterback pressures, and seven tackles. Two plays following Chaves recovery, and facing a third and 22, Cirikovic threw a beautiful rainbow pass down the right sideline that Byrd grabbed for a 32 yard touchdown. Byrd had rotated out to the receiver position on the play and beat double coverage for the game’s opening score, putting the Panthers up 6-0 with 3:23 to play in the first quarter.
 
The Cromwell sideline was ecstatic following the touchdown and their defense nearly caused a three and out on North Branford’s next offensive possession, but a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty on the Panthers negated a third down sack and gave the Thunderbirds a first down. The penalty seemed to swing the momentum in the direction of North Branford and they scored later in the drive when Pastet connected with Austin Calamita on an out route. Calamita beat man coverage on the route and raced down the sidelines for a 29-yard touchdown reception. The touchdown and following two-point conversion gave North Branford an 8-6 lead and the home team never looked back from that point on.
 
Cromwell did have a chance to take the lead heading into halftime, but McNally missed a field goal from 36 yards out, this time pulling the kick to the left. Kicking conditions were challenging on Friday night due to the rain that had dampened the field during the morning and afternoon. Following the miss, and rather than be content with a two point halftime lead, North Branford decided to open up their passing game and quickly marched into Cromwell territory with two long pass plays. The first was a 38-yard jump ball that Calamita hauled down between two Cromwell defenders and the second was a middle-screen that was caught by Melaccio, who turned the well-executed play into a 17 yard gain. The two plays set up North Branford at the 13-yard line with nine seconds to play. Without any time outs remaining, Pastet gambled and kept the ball for himself on a quarterback keeper. The gamble paid off as Pastet dove into the left corner of the end zone to score with only four seconds left to play in the half. The last-second touchdown energized the home crowd and gave North Branford a 16-6 lead at the break.
 
The second half featured seven total punts and very little drama. The only score of the half was tallied by Melaccio, who burst up the middle and ran untouched for a 51-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Melaccio, who runs like a bulldozer, finished the game with 178 total yards and was successful of all three of his two-point conversion runs.
 
Despite his troubles on place kicking, McNally did have a great night punting the football. The senior nailed three punts inside the North Branford 20-yard line, including a 52 yard blast that seemed to hang in the crystal clear night sky for five seconds. McNally is one of only a handful of seniors on the Cromwell roster. Fellow senior Antwaum Burney also has a solid game in a losing effort. The 6’1” Burney blocked very well as a receiver and came up with four tackles and two pass deflections from his cornerback position.
 
McNally, Burney, and the rest of Cromwell’s seniors will have a chance close out their high school careers with a victory when they return home to host the Coginchaug Regional Blue Devils (8-2) on Thanksgiving. Cromwell has won the last three meetings between the two teams, but the Blue Devils are currently on a seven game winning streak and a win against the Panthers would most likely earn them a spot in the Class S playoffs. Despite the daunting task, Cromwell will be highly motivated in an effort to send their seniors out on a winning note. Bundle up, bring the family, and celebrate Thanksgiving morning at Pierson Park. Kickoff is at 10 a.m.

The Rocky Hill Terries started the season with a goal of hosting a playoff game in early December. Friday night the Terriers took one step closer to achieving that goal by trouncing the Rockville Rams 48-6 in Vernon. A winless Rockville team was celebrating their Senior Night in front of a standing room only crowd and was hoping to pull off a shocking upset over the playoff bound Terriers, but Rocky Hill scored early and often en route their fifth straight victory.
 
Connecticut Play of the Year candidate Chris Young carried the ball only twice, but he turned both attempts into dazzling touchdown runs. The scintillating senior running back improved his staggering touchdown per attempt ratio to five, meaning that Young scores a touchdown every five times he touches the ball this season. To put Young’s accomplishment into perspective, if National Football League superstar Arian Foster scored every five times he carried the ball, he would have ran for 70 touchdowns and completed shattered the record books last season. In other words, if there were such a thing as high school fantasy football, Young would be the consensus first overall selection.
 
Young put the Terriers up 7-0 when he bounced a run towards the right sideline and weaved in and out of several Rams before carrying two Rockville defenders on his back as he dove across the goal line. The spectacular run covered 35 yards and brought the visiting crowd to their feet. On his next carry, Young burst through the heart of the Rockville defense and outraced their secondary for a 24-yard touchdown jaunt. The two touchdowns increased his total to 28 for the year, which breaks his own school record of 27, which he set last season.
 
“Coach and I discussed it before the game,” Young said, “I knew I was done for the night once I broke the record.”
 
With Young resting on the sideline, the Terriers closed the first quarter in style when quarterback Andrew Jenkelunas used a masterful ball fake to deceive the Rockville defense before throwing a strike to receiver Tommy Seaver on an out route. Seaver overpowered two Rockville defenders on his way to the end zone before stretching the ball towards the goal line and hitting the pylon, giving Rocky Hill a commanding 21-0 lead after the first twelve minutes.
 
The Terriers defense hounded Rockville’s run-oriented offense for the entire first half, holding them to a mere four first downs. However, Rocky Hill did have a tough time tackling Rams’ bruising fullback AJ Spencer, who provided the Rams only score of the night in the second quarter.  Facing a 4th and 11, Rockville quarterback Chris Perez took a shotgun snap and drifted to his left before spinning around a throwing a screen pass to Spencer who had nothing but green grass in front of him. The throwback screen pass worked to perfection and resulted in a 42-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 28-6.
 
Spencer’s touchdown seemed to give the Rams some energy and the home team was hoping to carry that momentum into the second half.  However, as he has done all season, Jenkelunas engineered another epic last minute drive. With 39 second left in the half the senior signal caller delivered a picturesque spiral down the right sideline to halfback Grant Nieves, but Nieves dropped the pass in the end zone. Undeterred, Rocky Hill ran the exact same wheel route for Nieves on the following play and this time the talented junior running back hauled in the touchdown pass with only 33 seconds remaining in the half. The momentum swinging score silenced the hometown faithful and increased Rocky Hill’s lead to 42-6 at the half.
 
Rocky Hill coach David Coyne rested most of his starters for the remaining two quarters, giving playing time to his younger players. One player who shined when giving the opportunity was sophomore Jason Carducci, who made several tackles and delivered big hits from his safety position. He made a highlight reel play in the fourth quarter when Rockville speedster Tom Bartol broke free from the Terriers front-seven and raced towards the end zone. Carducci, who came from the opposite side of the field, amazingly chased down Bartol 60 yards downfield and tackled him short of the goal line. Rockville was called for holding, so the play did not count, but it showed the Rocky Hill coaching staff that Carducci can be the leader of their defense once this season’s talented group of seniors graduates.
 
One of those seniors is Greg Marzilli, who scored Rocky Hill’s lone touchdown of the second half when he broke several arm tackles before striking pay dirt from 38 yards out. Marzilli continues to astonish fans with his powerful kicking leg and completed the triple crown of football in the first half when he scored a three-yard touchdown, nailed the extra-point, and booted the ensuing kickoff into the end zone for a touchback.
 
The Terriers (9-1) will have a bye next week and then travel to West Hartford to take on the Northwest Catholic Indians (7-3) in a pivotal conference showdown on Thanksgiving.
 
“It’s going to be tough. We have some time off, so we’ll have to stay focused in order to get a home playoff game.” Young said, “We’re going to be tested by Northwest Catholic, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
 
A win would assure that Rocky Hill will host a playoff game, but the Indians will be looking to spoil the Terriers’ preseason goal. The Terriers have beaten the Indians the past two seasons, but both game have been decided by seven points of less. Get your turkeys in the oven early, because kickoff for the conference clash will be Thanksgiving morning at 10 a.m.
 
Football Round-Up

Wethersfield Outlasts East Hartford
 
The Wethersfield Eagles won their sixth straight game by upending the East Hartford Hornets 35-30. The win keeps the Eagles slim playoff hopes alive and if they do make the postseason, they would enter with the third longest winning streak among Class L teams.
 
The Eagles get a much deserved week off and then have a chance to end the regular season with seven consecutive wins when they battle the Newington Indians on Thanksgiving-Eve. The rivalry game will be played under the lights at Central Connecticut State University and will feature two of the state’s most potent passing attacks. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
 
Newington Wins Border Battle
 
The Newington Indians celebrated their Senior Night in style and earned bragging rights by defeating the New Britain Hurricanes 21-6 in front of a rowdy crowd at Alumni Field. Indian’s quarterback Jake Hedberg continued his sensational season, finishing with 258 yards and three touchdowns. 237 of those yards and all three of Hedberg’s touchdowns went to the receiving duo of Andrew Grenier and Kyle Armour. Hedberg, Grenier, and Armour are juniors and are showing how dangerous the Newington aerial attack will be next season.
 
Newington is idle this week and then faces the Wethersfield Eagles on Thanksgiving-Eve under the lights at Central Connecticut State University. The rivalry game features two of the best passing offenses in the state. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
 
Cromwell’s Struggles Continue
 
One month ago the Cromwell Panthers were in the midst of a four game winning streak. Now they are on the opposite side of the equation after losing their fourth consecutive game.  The latest loss was a 44-14 defeat at the hands of the Avon Falcons on Saturday. Cromwell had a trouble stopping Avon’s versatile halfback Jimmy Miller, who amassed 160 rushing yards on just eight carries. Miller also scored three times on the ground and added another receiving.
 
The Panthers now travel to North Branford to take on the Thunderbirds on Friday. North Branford has played solid all season and are led by duel-threat quarterback Eddie Miller and fullback Josh Melaccio. The Thunderbirds have won the last two meetings verse the Panthers, scoring over 40 points in each contest. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. at North Branford High School.
 
Middletown Downs Simsbury
 
The Middletown Blue Dragons rebounded from last week’s shocking loss and beat the Simsbury Trojans 31-13. The Blue Dragons controlled the line of scrimmage from the first whistle and racked up 208 rushing yard in the victory. The win improves the Blue Dragons to 9-1 and one more victory would assure them a spot in the Class L postseason.
 
Middletown will rest this week and then face conference foe Windsor the night before Thanksgiving. Windsor has easily defeated Middletown in their past three meetings, outscoring them by a combined 80 points in the three wins. However, this season the two teams have gone in different directions, with Middletown on a cusp on the playoffs and Windsor losing three of their last four games. Kickoff is 6:30 at Windsor High School.
 
Xavier Drops Crucial Game at Fairfield
 
The Xavier Falcons playoff chances hit a snag Friday night when they lost to the Fairfield Prep Jesuits 46-27. Xavier had won the Southern Connecticut I West the past six seasons, but the loss to Fairfield gives the Jesuits the conference crown. The loss most likely eliminates the Falcons from playoff contention, but there are several scenarios in which they can still back their way into the postseason. 
 
The loss to the Jesuits is the final regular season game for Xavier, but they will play an organized scrimmage against St. Paul Catholic. The scrimmage will be played in Bristol on Thanksgiving-Eve at 6:30. Xavier finished the regular season with a perfect home record (5-0), but they struggled outside the friendly confines of Palmer Field, losing three of five games.

It was a special night at Pierson Park in Cromwell. A giant American flag rippled in the breezy, brisk air as it hung from an extended ladder of a town fire truck. The local senior football players and their immediate families received well-deserved recognition in front of a packed stadium prior to kickoff. It seemed like a picture perfect setting for the hometown Cromwell Panthers to upset the visiting and undefeated Valley Regional/Old Lyme Warriors.

​Unfortunately after the pre-game ceremonies concluded the Panthers had their Senior Night spoiled, 49-2, by the visiting Warriors.

Cromwell knew they had to play a flawless game in order to beat the Warriors, who remain the only Class M team without a loss, but things did not start well for the Panthers. The home team had troubled handling a frozen football on the opening kickoff and their first possession started from their own nine-yard line. The bitter cold weather affected all aspects of the game and the wind chill dipped into the low 30’s at kickoff. After a three and out by Cromwell, the Warriors took advantage of good field positions and marched 37 yards in seven plays. The drive concluded with a one-yard scoring plunge by Justin Cheverier. Cheverier, along with his brother Tyler, were two of a handful of Warriors players that gave the Panthers fits all night. The junior halfback finished the game with 113 yards and three touchdowns.

Cromwell’s offense had trouble moving the ball for most of the game and were unable to get beyond midfield in the first half. However, their defense kept the game close until midway through the second quarter. With 7:23 left in the half, the Panthers’ defense forced the Warriors into a 4th and five from the Cromwell 30-yard line. The visiting Warriors decided to forgo a long field goal and quarterback Phil Cohen heaved a deep pass down the right sideline that receiver Chris Jean-Pierre nabbed with one hand in the back corner of the end zone. The miraculous fourth down conversion extended the Warriors lead to 21-0 and the floodgates opened from that point on. On Cromwell’s next possession, Warriors’ safety David Peck stepped in front of a pass from Panther quarterback Marvic Pelletier and returned it for a 23-yard touchdown. Pelletier was again intercepted on the next possession and Cheverier scored two plays later to give the Warriors their fifth touchdown of the half.

Pelletier had a rough night, but he showed signs of the great leader and playmaker that will be in charge of the Cromwell offense over the next couple of season. The sophomore quarterback was constantly hounded in the backfield and threw four interceptions, but showed a lot of poise and maturity in the second half. He made several nice throws and runs despite taking several devastating hits from the aggressive Warriors defense. Even late in the game, with the score lopsided, he was very encouraging towards his teammates and showed the relentless effort that is a staple of the Cromwell football program.

Coming out of the locker room trailing 35-0, Cromwell coach Chris Eckert tried to give his team a spark by kicking an onside kick to start the second half. The surprise kick nearly worked, but an alert Brian Wolfe pounced on the awkwardly bouncing ball for the Warriors, giving the visiting team excellent field position at midfield. On the ensuring play, Jean-Pierre out jumped a pair of Panther defensive backs en route to his third touchdown reception, giving the Warriors a 42-0 lead less than a minute into the second half. After an unsuccessful fake punt by Cromwell, the Warriors again were the benefit of fantastic field position and Cheverier galloped into the end zone from 18 yards out to finish off the Warriors scoring.

Cromwell’s offense starting finding a rhythm late in the third quarter when Pelletier complete a slant to Cole Bradley who was hit and fumbled the ball into the night sky as he turned to run up field. Fellow receiver Jarius Bailey snatched the loose ball out of the air and turned the zany play into a good old fashion 36-yard quick-slant fumble-roosky. It was Cromwell’s longest play from scrimmage and set up a 42-yard field goal attempt from kicker Mike McNally. The kick strayed to the right, but the miss inadvertently set up Cromwell’s only score of the night. Following the missed kick, the Warriors bobbled the next offensive snap and were forced back to their own 1-yard line. Two plays later, Jean-Pierre mishandled a punt snap and the ball went out of the back of the end zone for a safety. The capacity crowed erupted, showing support for the young Panthers. In spite of the major discrepancy on the scoreboard, the Cromwell faithful remained enthusiastic for the entire game and nearly all in attendance stayed until the final whistle.

The Panthers look to snap a three game losing skid next Saturday when they travel to Avon to take on the soaring Falcons. Avon (6-3) has won four of their last five games and are currently in a three-way battle for first place in the Pequot-West. The two teams last played in 2009, when the Falcons edge the Panthers 37-31 in an offensive extravaganza. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Avon High School.
 
Football Round-Up
 
Rocky Hill Gets Sweet Revenge

The Rocky Hill Terriers only loss last season was to their cross-town rival Berlin Redcoats. On Friday night, the Terriers emphatically avenged that loss by rolling the Redcoats 41-13. The victory was made even sweeter by the fact that it was Rocky Hill’s Senior Night and final home game. Connecticut Player of the Year candidate Chris Young had another magnificent night for the home team, rushing for 173 yards and four touchdowns on only 15 carries.

Rocky Hill now travels to Vernon to take on the winless Rockville Rams. Rockville’s defense is surrendering 40 points per game this season and their offense is averaging only seven point per game. The Terriers have won the last two contests verse the Rams, having outscored them 98-24 in two blowout victories. Kickoff is Friday at 6:30 p.m.
　
Wethersfield Finishes Perfect in Conference

The Wethersfield Eagles are officially the king of the Central Connecticut II East after dismissing the Bulkeley Bulldogs 46-22. The win wraps up a perfect conference record (5-0) for Wethersfield and improves the team to 6-3 this season. Eagles quarterback Matt Sanzaro threw for 242 yards and five touchdowns in the victory. The junior signal caller has left no doubt that he is fully recovered from his midseason shoulder injury and in the two games since returning from the injury he has tossed nine touchdowns, compared to only one interception.

Wethersfield will look to keep the momentum going when they travel north to battle the East Hartford Hornets. East Hartford (3-6) is coming off a crushing loss to Southington and Wethersfield beat the Hornets (37-16) the last time the two teams met. Kickoff is Friday at 7 p.m.
　
Newington Holds Off Simsbury

The Newington Indians shook off last week’s tough home loss and defeated the Simsbury Trojans 28-21. Newington used a well-balanced offense led by quarterback Jake Hedberg, who threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns. Senior running back Isaiah Young added 96 rushing yards and a score for the victorious Indians. The Newington defense finished the game by stopping the Trojans inside the 20-yard line late in the fourth quarter.

Newington (4-5) returns home to take on rival New Britain this Friday night. The teams have split the last two contests with the Indians edging the Hurricanes in dramatic fashion last season, 24-21. Kickoff for the boarder battle is at 6:30 p.m.
　
Carbone’s Last Second Score Sinks Shelton

The Xavier Falcons edged the Shelton Gaels 15-12 at Palmer Field in Middletown. Xavier trailed 12-0 after three quarters, but Falcons’ quarterback Joe Carbone scampered for two fourth quarter touchdowns, including the game-winner from nine yards out with nine seconds to play. Xavier (7-2) came into the game tied with Shelton and Fairfield Prep atop the Southern Connecticut I West.

As fate would have it, the Falcons next travel Fairfield to take on the Jesuits. The winner will assume sole possession of the conference lead and should earn a playoff berth. Xavier has won the last four games against Fairfield Prep, outscoring them by a combined 139-21 in the four meetings. Kickoff for the important conference tilt is Friday at 6:00 p.m.
　
New London stuns Middletown

The Middletown Blue Dragons may be the best team in the state, but on Friday night they ran into a motivated New London Whalers team that refused to roll over. New London used an efficient game plan on both sides of the ball and freshman kicker Garrett Burdick booted a 22-yard field goal as time expired to help the Whalers pull the shocking upset. Middletown came into the game outscoring their previous eight opponents by an average of 30 points per game and led 14-0 after the first quarter, but they where outscored 23-7 the rest of the way. Whalers quarterback Danny Maranda played one of the most efficient games in the history of football, completing all 19 of his passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns.

​Middletown will look to rebound this Friday when they travel to play the Simsbury Trojans. Simsbury (2-7) has struggled this season having lost six of their last seven games, but they do have multi-threat Brad Helmkamp. Helmkamp leads the Trojans in total yards, touchdowns, tackles, interceptions, and quarterback hurries this season. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m.

The secret is out; Chris Young has established himself as the best running back in the state. His rare combination of speed, power, and agility were all on display Friday night when he rushed for four touchdowns in the Rocky Hill Terriers 35-0 thrashing of the Bristol Central Rams on a warm and windy night at McVicar Field. The shutout victory improves the Terrier to 7-1 and maintains their one game lead in the Central Connecticut II West.
 
Young, who this time next season will be playing college football, increased his touchdown total to 22 for the season. More amazingly, he averages a touchdown every six times he carriers the football this season, which ranks first in the state. The humble senior running back finished the game with 199 yards on only 12 carries and gave credit to the Terrier’s unsung offensive line for Friday night‘s success in the run game.
 
“Our line blocked very well tonight,” Young said, “They opened some huge holes for me to run through.”
 
Rocky Hill dominated the game from start to finish and led 28-0 at halftime. Grant Nieves got the scoring started for the Terriers with a 10-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Young then scored Rocky Hill’s final four touchdown, including 53 and 40 yard scoring scampers on draw plays from a shotgun formation. A majority of the time Rocky Hill runs a traditional Wing-T offense, but they have added a variation to the playbook in which quarterback Andrew Jeneklunas takes the snap from the shotgun and he can either hand to one of the running backs flanking him or fake the handoff and throw a pass. This play worked to perfection against Bristol Central and Young is a fan of the formation.
 
“I can see the field better,” Young said, “I’m able to see more and make my pre-snap read.”
 
Lost in all of the buzz surrounding Young’s phenomenal season is the terrific play of fellow team captain Tommy Seaver. Seaver has played outstanding at receiver and linebacker all season, but Friday night he took it to a new level. The 6’1” senior caught a handful of passes, made a dozen tackles, combined on a sack, tipped a pass that was intercepted by teammate Nick Carducci, and blocked a field goal on the final play of the first half. Not even the late, great Red Grange ever compiled a stat line that impressive.
 
Thanks to the efforts of Young and Seaver, the game was essentially over by the half and the only tense moment of the second half occurred when Rocky Hill’s kicker Greg Marzilli attempted a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Even professional kickers struggle with kicks of that distance, but Marzilli has a monster leg and is known for booming kickoffs into the end zone. Despite having plenty of distance, Marzilli’s kick drifted wide right (Scott Norwood style), but the supportive hometown crowd cheered him for the valiant effort.
 
In spite of his missed field goal, Marzilli was one of several Terrier defenders that helped register Rocky Hill’s first shutout since November of 2009. The swarming Terrier’s defense forced three turnovers and harassed a Rams offense that has struggled to find an identity this season. Bristol Central football was once a powerhouse throughout the 70’s and 80’s when they were led by legendary coach Thomas Bruni, but they have been unable to duplicate that success since Bruni’s departure following the 1988 season.
 
Rocky Hill will now host the Berlin Redcoats (4-4) on Friday night. Berlin handed Rocky Hill their only regular season loss last season and the rivalry games are always intense due to the proximity of the two teams.
 
“It‘s going to be a very serious week,” Young said regarding the preparation for Berlin, “It’s our Senior Night and last home game, plus we lost to Berlin by a very close margin last season. So we’ll be ready come Friday.”
 
The Redcoats are led by quarterback Mitch Williams and deploy a running back by committee with four players capable of carrying the load. However, it will be the Berlin defense that will be assigned the tough task of containing the runaway freight train known as Chris Young. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
 
High School Football Round-Up
 
Newington Falls to Southington
 
The Newington Indians lost to the Southington Blue Knights 56-20 in front of a full house at Alumni Field on Friday night. Southington came into the game as the state’s 8th rank team and they lived up to that billing by putting on an offensive exhibition. The Blue Knights score all 56 points over the first three quarters and quarterback Stephen Barmore threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns against the normally stout Indians defense.
 
Newington will now travel to take on the Simbury Trojans this Friday night. The Trojans (2-6) have played inconsistently this season, but they do have running back/linebacker extraordinaire Brad Helmkamp. Helmkamp punishes opponents with his powerful runs as a fullback, but he excels mostly on defense where he is averaging an eye-popping 15 tackles a game this season. Kickoff is a 7 p.m. 
 
Wethersfield’s Conference Domination Continues
 
The Wethersfield Eagles improved to 4-0 in the Central Connecticut II East conference with a 34-7 thumping of the RHAM Sachems. The Eagles welcomed back star quarterback Matt Sanzaro, who shredded the Sachems defensive backfield to help Wethersfield win their fourth consecutive game. Sanzaro, who missed last week’s game against the Fermi Falcons with a shoulder injury, threw for 179 yards and hit four different Eagle receivers for touchdowns.
 
Wethersfield will now travel to Hartford to battle the Bulkeley Bulldogs in another CCII East conference game. The Bulldogs are one of five conference teams looking up at the Eagles and an upset victory would pull them within a game of the red-hot conference leaders. Kickoff is Friday at 7 p.m.
 
Cromwell Downed by Enfield
 
The Cromwell Panthers lost their second consecutive game at the hands of their conference foe Enfield Raiders, 20-7. The Panthers couldn’t contain Raiders’ quarterback Jason Davis, who ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns and added 121 more yards and one touchdown through the air. Two weeks ago the Panthers had a commanding lead in the Pequot-North conference, but they are now in a three-way tie, with Enfield and Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby, for the conference lead.
 
Cromwell will now pack their swim wear and travel to Deep River to play the Valley Regional/Old Lyme Warriors (7-0) this Friday night. Junior Justin Cheverier, who has stared at both running back and linebacker this season, leads a talented group for the undefeated Warriors. Kickoff is a 6:30 p.m.
 
Middletown Wins Battle of the Unbeaten  
 
All eyes were on the epic battle between the Middletown Blue Dragons and Farmington Indians on Friday night. Both teams came in undefeated and the winner would take over first place in the Central Connecticut II West. The result was a 21-7 Middletown victory in front of a packed house at Rosek-Skubel Stadium in Middletown. Blue Dragon’s quarterback Dario Highsmith continued his electrifying season by rushing for 286 yards and a touchdown on a season-high 37 carries. On the other side of the ball, the Middletown defense stifled the previously vaunted Indians’ ground game, holding them to a paltry 28 rushing yards. 
 
Middletown (8-0) will look to stay perfect when they journey to New London to take on the Whalers. New London (5-2) is led by second-year coach Duane Maranda, who has his son Danny Maranda quarterbacking a well-balanced offense. Kickoff is Friday at 6:30 p.m.
 
Falcons “Hand” Tigers Their Second Loss
 
The Xavier Falcons had struggled of the road this season, losing two of their first three games away from home, but Friday night was a different story. Xavier used a punishing ground game and a smothering defense to upend the Hand Tigers 28-14 in Madison. Tailback Andrew Meoli scored his first of two touchdowns to give the visiting Falcons a 7-0 lead in the first quarter and then polished off the Tigers with a crucial fourth quarter touchdown run to finish off the scoring.
 
The Falcons will look to keep their road momentum going when they visit the Shelton Gaels in a conference clash. Shelton (6-2) is tied with Xavier and Fairfield Prep atop the Southern Connecticut I West. The Gaels are paced by multi-dimensional halfback Jason Thompson who leads the team in both rushing and receiving this season. Kickoff is Friday at 7 p.m.