Cromwell/Portland head coach Randell Bennett tells junior quarterback Jess Elfreich the next offensive play during the Panthers 26-18 first round playoff victory at Pierson Park on Nov. 28. The team will play for the Class S championship this Saturday in Hartford. 
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​After a pair of playoff wins last week, the Cromwell/Portland football team is headed to the state title game for the second time in three years. 

Cromwell/Portland, the No. 4 seed, will face No. 2 seed Bloomfield in the Class S State Championship game this Saturday, Dec. 9 at Rentschler Field, kicking off at 10:30 a.m.   

The Panthers playoff journey back to the state title game started with a victory a home, defeating Griswold/Wheeler 26-18 in the first round of the Class S bracket on Nov. 28. 

It victory marked the third straight season that the Panthers won a playoff game at Pierson Park. 

Junior quarterback Jess Elfreich threw a pair of touchdowns, while the brotherly backfield duo of Emeka Yearwood and Osi Yearwood each ran for touchdowns as the home team erased three deficits to advance to the state semifinals. 

Head coach Randell Bennett joked that it took his team a little time to “warm up” for the 6:30 p.m. kickoff on a frigid night, adding “we just needed some time to wake up.”

After the Panthers fumbled away the game’s opening possession, the visiting Wolverines capitalized on the turnover by driving 52 yards in 11 plays with the final play being a one-yard touchdown plunge from Joshua Turner.           

Cromwell/Portland countered on the next possession when Jack Nolan high-pointed an Elfreich fade pass in the back left corner of the end zone from 13-yards out, capping a 10-play drive. Elfreich then connected with Emeka Yearwood for the two-point conversion, giving the Panthers an 8-6 lead with 11:24 to play in the first half. 

After trading punts, Griswold/Wheeler recaptured the lead when quarterback Luke Cassidy hit Kiyle Montigny with a 50-yard touchdown bomb midway through the second quarter. 

Again, Cromwell countered on the next possession by driving 84 yards, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Elfreich to fellow junior Matt Gish, putting the Panthers up 14-12 at the break.

Gish wasn’t wearing receiver gloves on the 33 degree night, yet that didn’t stop him from hauling in several key passes. 

“I knew I could beat them over the middle all night,” recalled Gish. “I was open on the play before and we just didn’t connect, but we
definitely connected there.” 

The Wolverines bit back one more time on their first drive of the second half when KinKade Rubino scored from a yards midway through the third quarter. 

But for the final 20 minutes of regulation, it was all Panthers.

Osi Yearwood scored from a yard out with 4:30 left in the third quarter, regaining the lead for the Panthers, before the home team’s defense began to exert their will. 

Gish sacked Cassidy, causing a fumble that was recovered by Matthew Michaud.

On the play prior, Gish was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty for suplexing Rubino out of bounds.

Gish, an accomplished wrestler in the winter, said he was upset with himself after the penalty and eyed quick redemption, saying, “That strip-sack was electric, I loved it.”

With 10:50 to play in regulation, Emeka Yearwood broke several arm tackles before scooting down the right sideline for a 38-yard rushing touchdown. 

Emeka Yearwood, who is the older brother of Osi, then had an 80-yard touchdown called back on a holding penalty before he finished the game on the defensive side when he sacked Cassidy on fourth down with three minutes left in regulation.  

Bennett said that Yearwood has a knack for coming up with big pays when the team needs them most, adding, “He understands that it’s on his shoulder now; we expect those plays from him.”

An Elfreich to Nolan 20-yard connection on third down allowed the Panthers to drain off the final few minutes off the clock. 

The playoff victory was also sweet redemption for the Panthers, who had lost their final regular season game at Pierson Park, falling to Granby/Canton 22-6 on Senior Night (Nov. 3).

Following the loss, the team reeled off three straight road wins to qualify for the postseason. 

Senior captain Jack Williams noted that, following the Senior Night loss, the team was determined to play another game at Pierson Park.

“We didn’t want that to be our last home game, so we knew we had to get back here,” added Williams. “We had to win – it was our last [home] game.”

Emeka Yearwood added, “This is everything. We lost on Senior Night and you have to end on a win, always.”

The Panthers followed up the playoff home win with an even more impressive road victory, defeating top-seed Ansonia 28-0 in the state semifinals at Derby High School on Dec. 3

Cromwell/Portland literally dominated from start to finish as Emeka Yearwood scored on the first play from scrimmage, rushing for a 64 yard touchdown, and Osi Yearwood polished off the game with an 80-yard scoring scamper in the fourth quarter. 

Elfreich again tossed a pair of touchdown, one each to Tyler Cipolla and Vaughn Payne, to round out the scoring.

But it was the Panthers defense that stole the show, shutting out a Chargers offense that entered the semifinals averaging 40 points a game. It was also the first time all season that the Panthers had held an opponent scoreless.

On Saturday, the Panthers will be looking to duplicate the feat from two seasons ago when they beat Bloomfield (21-6) in the 2021 Class S championship game. 

RHAM girls soccer after defeating Watertown in double overtime in the second round of the state tournament on Nov. 8. The Raptors won nine more games this season than they did in 2022. 

It was a fruitful fall for the girls soccer team at RHAM High School. 

In the program’s second season under head coach Matt Cameron, the Raptors won nine more games than they did in 2022, including a pair of state tournament games. 

Once the dust had settled, the Raptors finished 13-4-2 overall, advancing to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2019.

Cameron credited his departing seniors for making his second year in Hebron a memorable one, calling the group “an absolute dream.” 

“The leadership from our captains and the seniors in general set such a good example for all the younger players,” recalled Cameron. “They were amazing; they exceeded expectations.”

After winning only four games a season ago, returning seniors Ava Machowski, Amy Forrest, Kaylee Macca, Sophia Bell, Elise Leccese, Julia Kasper, Caitlin Kischell, and Kiley Stanford made the most of their final season on the local fields by helping the team win nine of their first ten games this fall. 

“We came together as a group really, really quickly. We were able to establish a style of play early on that suited the type of players we have,” stated Cameron. “We have a group that was a little more blue collar, and they had that belief and trust in each other.”  
             
Following the blazing start, Cameron noted that the team really began to show their true character once the schedule got tougher later in the season.

After suffering a 5-0 loss to Bacon Academy (the eventual Class M state champions) and a 6-1 defeat to South Windsor in back-to-back games in October, the Raptors regrouped quickly and won the final two games of the regular season.

They closed out the regular season by avenging the five-goal loss at South Windsor, beating the conference rival Bobcats 2-0 at RHAM High School on Oct. 28.

Machowski and Forrest each netted goals in the regular season finale, while goalie Andrea Bartolucci and the Raptors defense held an opponent scoreless for the ninth time. 

Cameron said the wins late in the season “created belief with the group that we had something special and that we could go on a run in the tournament.” 

Momentum carried over into the Class M state tourney where the No. 10 seeded Raptors ousted Sheehan 4-1 in the first round before going on the road and knocking off No. 7 Watertown in double overtime in the second round. 

Cameron witnessed Watertown’s first round win and knew his team would “have to play the best game of the season” to pull the upset and, despite hitting traffic on their way to the second round match that limited RHAM’s ability to warm-up, the Raptors rose to the occasion. 

“I think that distracted us, it could have helped,” Cameron said about the late arrival in Watertown. “We didn’t overthink things.”

Forrest, who scored two goals in the game, broke a 3-3 tie with 3:40 left in the second overtime when she rebounded a deflected shot and finished with a goal that snuck under the crossbar. 

Machowski was able to control the ball for the last minute of the match to secure a 4-3 victory. 

“The girls competed, they never gave up,” Cameron said of the 100-minute marathon of a match.   

Along with being the defining win of the season, Cameron added that there was a moment prior to Forrest’s game-deciding goal that represented the season as a whole. 

With time dwindling in the second overtime, the match seemed destined for penalty kicks and Cameron asked Kischell if she wanted to attempt a penalty kick if needed.

Kischell, who hadn’t played all game, began to warm up without hesitation and Cameron said that it was an example of the unselfishness and willingness of entire team. 

“All the players were important to what we did this year,” added Cameron. “It was an unbelievable group.”   

Following the season, Machowski was named to the Class M All-State team after leading the team in goals (27) and total points (63) this fall.

But Cameron said that her statistics are just part of the story. 

“She does everything,” added Cameron. “She comes back and defends, she is our best hitter, she can kill the game, [and] she can occupy two and three players at a time.”

Along with being named all-state, Machowski was one of two Raptors named All-Central Connecticut Conference (CCC). Forrest was also named all-conference after leading the team with a dozen assists this fall. 

With a handful of starters graduating, Cameron said they will rely on the experience the younger players gained this season as they head into year three within his system.  

Freshman Liana Fox, who scored nine goals in her first season, and sophomore Brenna D'Amico will return to pace the offense, while Bartolucci is again slated to start in goal next fall to head the defense.

​“Next year we won’t have an Ava and we might have to change formation,” added Cameron. “But we won’t change who we are.”

After leading the team in scoring as a sophomore, Maddy Handrahan returns to lead the GHS girls basketball team that is coming off a 17-3 season and a trip to the state quarterfinals last winter. Photo: Glastonbury Sports Photography. 

Boys Basketball
Veteran head coach Jim Vaughan returns to lead a team that won 14 of 20 regular season games before losing an overtime heartbreaker to Trumbull in the first round of the Division II state tournament. 

The Guardians suffered another blow in the offseason when they lost leading scorer Connor O’Leary to a knee injury. O’Leary was an all-state player as a junior, averaging over 19 points per game. 
 
“My heart as well as his teammates [hearts] go out to him and his family as he continues his recovery,” stated Vaughan. “I know Connor will come through this stronger than ever and go on to have a great collegiate career.”

With O’Leary out, versatile junior David Smith and senior center Drew Burns will assume even larger roles. 

As a sophomore, Smith averaged 18 points per game and is currently fielding collegiate offers. Burns returns to man the middle after averaging nine points per game a year ago.   

Vaughan said his pair of returning starters have the ability to carry the team, adding, “The two of them give us a nice 1-2 punch and we believe our other players will step up to help these two. We have a lot of depth and a lot of kids who can help us.”

Senior Matt Wilkinson, along with junior Mike Carroll, Khian Morris, Jack Shaheen and Andrew Ossino will be other veteran voices in the rotations. Underclassmen Danny Wallace, Becket Freeman, Josh Smith, Brody Cummings will also play important roles. 

The team starts the season on the road, visiting Berlin on Thursday, Dec. 14 before returning home for back-to-back games against Tolland (Tuesday, Dec. 19) and Southington (Thursday, Dec. 21). All three games will tip-off at 6:45 p.m.  

Girls Basketball
After a 17-3 regular season and a trip to the state quarterfinals, head coach Chris Vozzolo welcomes back a talented roster led by all-conference junior guard Maddy Handrahan.

Handrahan, a two-year starter, will captain the team with seniors Lily Woodworth, Sammy Grote, and Brianna Jordan.

Over her first two years at GHS, Handrahan has scored 515 points and is the most experienced returner that will take on an expanded leadership role this winter.

Vozzolo said that Woodworth’s ability to score on all levels of the court gives the team offensive versatility. He also noted that Grote and Jordan will help solidify the team on both ends of the court, while junior Maja Skopic has further developed her game in the offseason and will help the Guardians offensively will her ability to score in a variety of ways.

With a challenged schedule, Vozzolo said the team will be tested often, adding, “The CCC west is loaded with strong teams and our out-of-conference schedule matches us against some perennial powerhouse programs.”
           
“We will look to be ahead in defense and rebounding as we are focused on that during the preseason,” stated Vozzolo. “Our culture is top notch and we have unreal athletes ready to take the season on full steam.”

The team starts the season on a three-game road trip before returning to GHS for their home opener on Monday, Dec. 18 against Berlin at 6:45 p.m.

Boys Ice Hockey
Behind terrific play from goalie Patrick Sullivan, the Guardians scored a pair of impressive victories late last season to qualify for the state tournament. 

Sullivan, a junior, returns between the pipes for a third straight season and head coach Ken Barse noted that Sullivan is “battle-tested” thanks to his previous two years of experience. 

“He will have a big, strong defensive unit in front of him that will be solid and will help to limit our opponent’s time in our zone,” stated Barse. 

Helping Sullivan on the back end will be defensive captain Sean Huempfner, along with senior Xander Martin (a transfer from Cussing Academy) and sophomore Liam Resto.

Powering the offensive will be senior captains Michael Rodriguez and Ben Jean, along with junior Jack Christina.

Barse said his trio of forwards can all “create scoring chances and bury the puck as well.”

“This year’s team will be an older, stronger team with have more depth than the last three seasons,” stated Barse. “[Our] team defense will be the key and good leadership from our senior and junior classes should carry us deep into the playoffs.”

The team plays home games at Trinity College in Hartford and, after a pair of road games, they welcome North Haven to Trinity on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Girls Ice Hockey
Head coach Frank Usseglio returns to lead the Storm, a co-op featuring players from GHS, East Catholic, South Windsor, Tolland, and Rockville.

The Storm has reached the state semifinals in each of the past two seasons, only to fall in a close contest to the eventual state champion.

Lola Espirito-Santo, a junior goalie from GHS, is slated to protect the net again with the help of junior goaltender Sarah Gionfriddo (a transfer from Worcester Academy). 

Returning defenders helping the goaltenders are senior captain Mallory Pierz, junior Karolina Prytko, sophomores Kasey Pierz and Juliana Sirois, along with GHS freshman Olivia Bissell. 

A trio of Glastonbury players will also help ignite the offense. Senior Lexi Pacheco (a Nichols College commit) returns as a left wing following a 15 point season as a junior, while senior Maddie Archambault will be an assistant captain on the right wing, and Deirdre McKiernan will be a sophomore center for the team. 

Liliana Ficaro of South Windsor returns after posting 19 goals a season ago. Senior Audrey Molin, juniors Edith Hayes and Maya Fisher, and sophomore Charlotte Laramee are also back to help the offense. 

With Lexi Pacheco and Ficaro powering the offense, Usseglio believes he has his strongest group of forwards in nearly a decade. 
After coming on the cup of a championship the last two seasons, Usseglio said, “We have a group motivated to try to break through the ceiling.”

The team plays home games at Newington Ice Arena and are slated to host Darien in their home opener on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. 

Wrestling
Following a solid season last winter in which they had a Top-10 finish at the conference championships, Jake Jones returns to lead a motivated group of Guardians who are seeking to move up in the standings. 

Troy Giaccone, who won an individual conference title as a junior last winter, heads a strong senior class that also includes Ryan Ouellette, Sidrit Ferizaj, and Andrew De La Rosa. Juniors Michael Norman, Kyle Amirault, and Christopher Ouellette will help be veteran voices, on and off the mat. 

Jones stated that he is optimistic that the returning wrestlers can make waves at the State Open this season. 

“This team has been improving a lot over the last couple of years and we look to continue our success this season,” stated Jones. “We want to see a lot of these guys standing on that podium in New Haven come February.”

The team opens the season on the road at Avon on Wednesday, Dec. 20 before hosting GHS Guardian Grapple Duals on Friday, Dec. 29 at 9 a.m.

Jones added that the team will dedicate the season to the De La Rosa family, as they have been experiencing severe hardship over the past year.

Boys Indoor Track and Field
Head coach Mark Alexander has a deep group coming back that is aiming to follow up on the success of last winter.  

“This year's indoor track and field team is a nice mixture of talented seniors with a promising sophomore class,” Alexander said of the team. 

Jace Lewis, Tye Karpicky, and Kiyan Atighechi head a solid senior class that also includes Aiden Katzman, Nate Lawrence, Emmet Dickinson, Muhammad Hasson, Teddy Lindlauf, Gus Selleck, and Max Pawelek

Juniors Robbie Caruso, Gabe Kvadus, and Jack Kelly will help from both a leadership and production standpoint. 

The future is also bright as Crawford Cauthen, Sam Hageman, Diego Aguilar, and Henfry Adams highlight a strong sophomore class that also features, Jaxon Fiske, Tyler Barker, Kyle Hageman, and Miles Dickson

Alexander said it will be important for all the athletes to do their part in order for the team to have continued success at both the conference and state meets. 

The team is slated to host a handful of meets this season, with the first one scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. 

Girls Indoor Track and Field
Following three straight Class LL titles, head coach Brian Collins again has a roster loaded with talent on both the track and in the field. 

“We have a very good group of returning athletes and potentially some good new athletes for the winter season,” stated Collins.
“We’re very fortunate to have many good leaders on the team to help the new and inexperienced girls learn from. Hopefully we’ll get better each day and each meet but it starts each day at practice.”

Individual state champions Annika Paluska (600 meters) and Brooke Strauss (1000 and 1600 meters) will lead a well-rounded group of runners that spans all the distances. Skylar Fiske, Celina Rodrigues, Azariah Santavenere, Avery Olschefskie and Alissa Thompson-Webb will focus on sprints. Maya Drelichowski and Alex Edwards will handle mid-distances, while Jackie Dudus – Lila Garbett, Ava Gattinella, Abby Mathew and Olivia McKay will take on the longer runs. 

In the field, Maija Adams, Sarah Christina, Jenna Fradin, Anna Hilary, Eloise Mulready, and Mackenzie Rinaldo will handle the duties.
After winning both the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) and the state title last winter, Collins said the goals remain the same for the upcoming season.

“It’ll be tough with some very strong teams in our conference and class,” added Collins. “With the many good returners back this season, we should be able to cover most of the events in the different areas and be a complete team.” 

Depth will again play a role and Collins added that staying healthy is always a priority.   

“With the hard work, determination and dedication of these athletes, they have a great opportunity to have an outstanding season,” noted Collins.

The team is slated to host a handful of meets this season, with the first one scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. 

Gymnastics
After a year hiatus, Yvette Sima returns to coach a team that had a top-five finish at the Class L state championships last winter. 
Sydney Salazar, Macey Burns, Anna Edwards, and Jillian Jarvis all return after each playing pivotal roles in the state championship event a year ago. 

Sima said the four key returning gymnastics will lead the way in competition, yet it will take an entire team effort this winter.

“Every individual is an important part of the team and they are all talented,” added Sima.  “I am looking forward to getting to know and work with some of the returning athletes from last year and thrilled to have some new and talented athletes joining us for the first time this season.”

The team’s home meets are at Gymnastics Express Too with the first one scheduled for Friday, Jan. 5 against Farmington at 7:15 p.m.

Ski Racing
Head coach Tom Zelek returns a pair of skiers that qualified for the end of the season “Shootout” last winter in Alex Bulger and Ainsley Latz, who each earned the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards a season ago.  

Bulger, a junior coming off a 2nd place finish at the “Shootout”, will captain the boys team with junior Ryan Sarni. Latz, a junior, will
captain the girls squad with seniors Eva Giliberto and the Sydney Waltz.

Other boys to watch are senior Michael Petrone, along with sophomores Leyton Bulger (Alex’s brother) and Kory Wells.

On the girls side, junior Elizabeth Stutz along with sophomores Clementine Citroen and Julia Wold are expected to make an impact. 

This season will also mark the first time that the program will have a team manager, as Brooke Liebler will handle a lot of the details and help run the day-to-day operations. 

Zelek noted that a lack of snow made conditions challenging a season ago, forcing most races to be run with artificial snow, and he hopes that this winter yields more fresh powder. 

“We had a relatively young team of which most everyone is returning this year, so with their experiences last year we see a bright future,” stated Zelek, who added that returning skiers worked hard in the offseason. “[They] were very enthusiastic and dedicated in making the improvements needed to be successful.”

Zelek added that both the boys and girls teams were within fractions of a second to qualifying for states a season ago and expressed that with the abundance of experiences coming back, the prospects look good this winter.

The team both practices and competes at Mount Southington with the first race scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. 

GHS senior wrestler Troy Giaccone celebrates after winning a conference title earlier this year. Giaccone returns as a senior leader for a Guardians team looking to make the next step as a team. Photo: Glastonbury Sports Photography. 

Newington football celebrates win over Wethersfield last month. The Nor’easters have several starters returning next fall as the program enters year two under John Acquavita.
 
Newington High School football finished their first season under head coach John Acquavita on a high note, beating Wethersfield 39-13 on Nov. 22.

It was a unique season for the Nor'easters, who won their season opener before losing eight straight games prior to beating their neighboring rival from Wethersfield in the 46th annual Thanksgiving Classic, finishing the season with a record of 2-8. 

“It’s a good group of kids, we had a lot of fun,” Acquavita said of his first season on the sidelines in Newington. “Do I always wish for more wins, of course, but we had a good time.”

Prior to taking over the program at NHS, Acquavita had over a quarter century of experience coaching high school football in the state, winning three state championships at Hyde High School and spending the previous 15 years at Wilbur Cross. In 2014, he was named the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

The Acquavita-era in Newington got off to a memorable start when the Nor’easters erased a 14-point deficit, rallying to beat Westhill 26-25 in Stamford on Sept 9. Making his first varsity start, quarterback Enzo Corvino threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Ryan Bjunes late in regulation to complete the comeback. 

Following the eight straight losses — which included single-score losses to Conard, Middletown, and Bristol Central — Corvino again came up big in the season finale win over Wethersfield, throwing a pair of touchdowns. 

Corvino, a junior, is slated to be the starting signal caller again next fall. He said the veteran coach laid the foundation for a promising future, adding, “I have high hopes for next year.” 

Akari Rosemond, who scored three touchdowns against Wethersfield, added that the season didn’t necessarily go as planned, yet believes he that Acquavita has the team headed in the right direction. 

“He came in with a plan. It took us a while to execute it, but next year this team is going to be really good — I promise you that,” added Rosemond, who led the team in receiving yards this fall. 

Defensive captain Kuba Gaska added that the Acquavita created a positive “culture” in the locker room. 

Rosemond and Gaska will be two members of a solid senior class departing that also includes leading tackler J.D. Nazario and defensive captain Julian Middlebrooks. 

Along with Corvino returning to the offensive backfield, the dynamic running back tandem of Evan Pigott and Josiah Sims will also be back. Despite missing four games with an injury, Pigott led the team in yards from scrimmage (407) and scored six touchdowns in only a half dozen games. 

With a talented nucleus coming back, including four of five starting offensive lineman, Newington football has their sights set on reaching new heights in 2024. 
​
“We are excited about what it could be,” stated Acquavita.

Six Bacon Academy football players made all-conference. From left, Julian Rodegher, Lucian Dean, P.J. Walsh, Kevin Claffey, Brady Gould, and Avatar Disher were each selected All-Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC). Claffey was also named the conference’s Scholar Athlete and Gould received the conference’s Sportsmanship Award.   

The final score wasn’t what they envisioned, yet the Bacon Academy football program showed a never-give-up attitude in a 27-21 loss to RHAM at Howell Cheney Technical High School on Nov. 21.

Despite his Bobcats falling to their neighboring rivals from Hebron for the ‘Battle for the Rail’, Bacon Academy head coach Bill

Chaffin liked the progress his program has made since last year's game when his team was soundly defeated (41-12) at RHAM High School. 

“I’m proud of the way they fought all year and I’m proud of the way we fought tonight,” added Chaffin, who just wrapped up his second season leading the program. 

Unlike last year’s loss when RHAM scored the first 20 points, Bacon struck first this year when sophomore quarterback Riddick Burroughs capped a nine-play drive by plunging in from one-yard out, putting the Bobcats up 7-0 with 5:12 to play in the opening quarter. 

After allowing the Raptors to score 21 straight points, Bacon showed the fight of a team on the rise, scoring on each of their next two offensive possessions when senior Avatar Disher had scoring bursts of 58 and 40 yards. Disher finished with 143 yards on nine carries and the pair of long touchdown runs. 

Disher’s quick strikes provided the lightning, while fellow senior Brady Gould sounded the thunder.

Gould punished RHAM’s defense for 146 rushing yards on 34 carries, including a dozen straight rushing attempts on the team’s second possession.

An emotional Gould reflected on the back-and-forth game, saying, “I’ve been playing with some of these guys since the sixth grade and we wanted to win this game to end the season right, but I couldn't be prouder of this team.”

Although the heartbreaking finale didn’t end the way they wanted, the Bobcats had some celebratory moments this fall.

In the team’s season-opener, the Bobcats blanked Bethel 21-0 behind a potent rushing attack that ran for 249 yards and three scores, two courtesy of Gould. 

Bacon also hammered Weaver 49-6 on Sept. 22 before earning a memorable 61-0 home win over Montville on Oct. 21 in what was dubbed “The Mud Bowl” because it was played in a rain-soaked field at Bacon Academy. 

The Bobcats ran for six touchdowns in the 61-point win, yet it was the defense that stole the show as sophomore Skip Coogan recovered a state-record six fumbles, one for a touchdown. 

With three wins this fall, the team tripled their win total from a season ago when they won one game in their first-year under Chaffin. When Chaffin took over in 2021, he was tasked with rebuilding a program that was coming off a winless season in which the Bobcats were forced to forfeit their final three games because of alleged Title IX violations.   

“From day one this is a completely different team,” said Chaffin, who credited the departing seniors for creating a winning locker room.  

“Their freshman year was the COVID year, their sophomore season got canceled, and their junior year they got a new coach,” recalled Chaffin. “I thank them for sticking around after all the stuff they went through. Things were looking dire and down –– they could have walked away, but they didn’t. All of these seniors stuck it out and everyone on this team should be thankful for that.”

Gould, who was one of five senior captains, said he and the departing players are leaving with their heads held high.   

“The whole season has been a night and day difference, this game especially,” added Gould. We just came up short tonight, but there’s really good things happening for this program. It’s only going up from here.”

Gould was one of six Bobcats honored all-conference, joining Disher, P.J. Walsh, Kevin Claffey, Julian Rodegher, and Lucian Dean. 

Four of the six all-conference selections will be graduating, yet Rodegher and Dean will return as the Bobcats attempt to take the next step under Chaffin. 

​“I feel like we’re headed in the right direction,” stated Chaffin. “We’ve got to continue to get in the weight room in the offseason, but these young guys played hard and I’m proud of them.”

Quarterback Brady Hulland readies to take a snap as he flanked by running back Joey Fahey during the Raptors win over Bacon Academy on Nov. 21. Also pictured is left tackle Jack Smith. Hulland, Fahey, and Smith are three of the team’s ten seniors who ended their high school careers by winning the Battle for the Rail.   

In what turned out to be an instant classic, RHAM football held off Bacon Academy 27-21 in the annual “Battle for the Rail” at Howell Cheney Technical High School on Nov. 21.

Senior quarterback Brady Hulland threw a pair of touchdowns to sophomore Caden Bellmore in the final minute of the first half to provide RHAM a lead they would not relinquish as the Raptors won a third straight in the series, which dates back to 2006.

This year’s games marked the 17th time the teams have been scheduled to meet in the regular season finale, with RHAM now holding a 10-7 advantage in the series. 

“It’s the best feeling. We play these guys all throughout youth [football] and it’s always been a big rivalry,” Hulland said following the victory on a brisk, wet evening in Manchester. “It’s the best win of the season and we couldn’t ask for a better night to do it.”

But the win didn’t come without a fight as Bacon Academy, who was technically the home team for the game, struck first when sophomore Riddick Burroughs scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak to put the Bobcats up 7-0 midway through the first quarter. 

Bacon Academy ran 22 of the first 28 offensive plays to open the game, forcing the Raptors offense into three-and-outs on their first two offensive possessions, yet RHAM head coach Dakota Fleming was pleased with how his team responded following the rough start. 

“We got down early, but we didn’t put our heads down,” stated Fleming. “We kept our heads up – it was great to see.”

The tide began to turn when RHAM’s Thiago Delacruz deflected a Burroughs pass on fourth and goal, ending a 13-play Bacon Academy drive that stalled at the three-yard line. 

After trading punts, the Raptors offense took to the air as Hulland began to heat up, completing four straight passes, including a 28-yard scoring strike to Bellmore on fourth down with 39.5 second left in the half. 

“They came out and punched us in the month right away and we understood that we weren’t going to win this game without a fight,” noted Hulland.

An interception by James Bucior set up RHAM at the five-yard line with 1.6 left in the second quarter before Fleming decided to roll the dice on the final play of the half. 

“We knew we could kick either a field goal or go for a touchdown and we went for the touchdown,” recalled Fleming. “It worked out great for us; it pretty much won us the game for us in the end.”

Fleming’s gamble paid off as Hulland connected with Bellmore in the back of the end zone, giving the Raptors a 14-7 advantage at the break. 

RHAM’s momentum rolled over into the second half, scoring on their first offensive possession when senior Joey Fahey ended a 12-play, 69-yard drive with a short rushing touchdown. 

After Bacon’s Avatar Disher countered with a 58-yard touchdown run, Fahey tallied his second rushing touchdown, this time from 24-yards out to make the score 27-14 with 7:46 to play in regulation. 

Bacon made one more push as Disher again scored on a long touchdown scamper and the Bobcats got the ball back in RHAM territory late in regulation, but Fahey ended the game by sacking Burroughs on fourth down with under a minute to play. 

Fleming credited Fahey for stepping up on both sides of the ball when the team needed him most. 

“I’m really proud of the way he’s been playing. He’s been playing like every play is his last play and a lot of younger guys can learn from that,” added Fleming. 

For Fahey and the other graduating seniors, the win over Bacon was the last time putting on a Raptors uniform and they talked about making the most of it.   

“All we were focusing on was getting The Rail back in the trophy case at RHAM,” stated Fahey. “Being able to walk by it every day is an honor.”

Bacon Academy last won the annual game in 2019 and the current group of seniors were freshmen in 2020 when the COVID-19 cancellation wiped away the season.  

In 2021, RHAM got ‘The Rail’ because the Bobcats were forced to forfeit following alleged Title IX violations against the program.
Over the last two years, RHAM has been a consistent force, winning a total of 13 games, including both contests over Bacon Academy. 

Fleming, who took over as the varsity head coach in 2021 and led the program to their first playoff appearance a season ago, said the wins over Bacon are always a little more satisfying.  

“It’s something I take to heart. I tell [the players] as long as I’m here The Rail will be here,” said Fleming.

By beating Bacon, RHAM finished the season 6-4, marking the team’s second winning season in a row. 

​“We did a nice job fighting all year,” Fleming said following the finale. “We’ve had a long year and had a lot of ups and downs this year, but it was nice to see us go out and get this win.”