Bonus T-Day football games 11-26-14
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Football Wrap-up:
Plainfield Wins Easily Over Woodstock
By Ron P. Coderre
Plainfield prepared for its Thanksgiving Day encounter with Griswold by easily disposing of Woodstock 47-7 in the only schoolboy football game of the week. Although the Panthers started slowly and the offense was cranky, there was never any doubt regarding the outcome of the game.
After stopping Woodstock on its initial possession, Plainfield’s stellar signal caller Steve Jankowski went to work as he has all season in leading his mates to the Promised Land. When Coach Pat Smith’s charges finally got their act together, it was a five yard Jankowki scamper that started the team on its way to victory.
Before the end of the first quarter, Jordan Federer added a nine yard run and a Jankowski point-after kick put Plainfield up 13-0. Plainfield rolled in the second quarter, scoring 28 points, posting an insurmountable advantage 41-0 lead at the half.
The first score of the second stanza came on a Jankowski to Isaiah Fort 28-yard pass-run touchdown. That was followed by a Jankowski to Federer pass play that covered 14 yards for Federer’s second score of the evening.
The Plainfield defense, not to be outdone, got into the act with a pair of touchdown interceptions by Tyler Ballard. The first interception resulted in a stunning 60-yard touchdown run and the second registered 35 yards on the scoreboard. Hunter Griffin closed out the Plainfield scoring with a fourth quarter 43-yard TD scamper.
The lone Woodstock score came on a KyleProuty 36-yard run in the fourth period.
Jankowski completed 8-of-15 passes for 119 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He carried the pigskin six times for 79 yards, while Federer had 76 yards on 13 carries. The Panthers intercepted Woodstock’s quarterback Trent Appleton our times. In addition to Ballard, Federer also had a pick. The win lifted Plainfield to 9-1 overall and 2-1 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Small Division.
The Panthers have an opportunity to qualify for the CIAC playoffs with a victory over Griswold. The win would also clinch the Small Division title.
Woodstock is 1-9 on the season as it prepares for its Thanksgiving Day encounter with the Windham Whippets.
Thanksgiving Day Picks
Killingly (1-9)vs. Quinebaug Valley Pride (5-5): The Pick - Killingly 32 – QVP 20
Despite a 1-9 record, Killingly appears poised for victory because of its passing combination of quarterback Kyle Desrosier, Vasielos Politis and Michael Elsey. The Redmen have also developed a solid running game with its young backfield of Austin Caffrey, Chace Wood and Spencer Lockwood. If the Danielson contingent wants to bring the Commander’s Trophy home, it must find a way for the defense to stop the Pride’s Raif Santerre. Killingly has had a rugged schedule, facing the iron every week. That could be the difference
Although QVP has faced some strong teams this season, the schedule doesn’t matchup with Killingly’s. The Pride does possess a special weapon in running back Santerre, who has more than 1300 yards from scrimmage. But the question is, can he carry the team to victory on his back? Quarterback “Chuckin” Charlie Innes is a good athlete but his passing success has been sporadic. Kyle Loomis has come on strongly as a receiver, which could create problems for the Killingly defense.
The major factor in this contest, which will be hard fought, is Killingly based on strength of schedule.
Griswold (5-4) vs. Plainfield (9-1): The Pick – Plainfield 35 – Griswold 30
Griswold is a solid football team that has played against the iron week-in and week-out during the 10-game regular season. They’ve been in every game. The Wolverines have beaten Plainfield 11 years in a row on Thanksgiving morning, a factor that could psychologically hang over the heads of the Panthers.
But this season Plainfield has as many weapons as an Air Force F-16. The Panthers primary weapon is quarterback Steve Jankowski, who like the F-16 is a threat in the air and like a Sherman Tank is a threat on the ground. Jankowski is surrounded by a number of weapons, including Jordan Federer, Tyler Ballard, Andre Bergeron, Isaiah Fort, Cody Alday and Kade Amster.
Although the Plainfield schedule has had some cream puffs, the Panthers have never let up. They also posted a big victory over a highly rated New London team.
The Panthers are thirsting to break the Griswold Thanksgiving Day jinx, while the Wolverines would like nothing better than to win. Griswold can play the role of spoiler. A Wolverine victory would knock Plainfield out of CIAC postseason consideration.
The thought of playing in the postseason and a plethora of weapons is the Plainfield difference in a close game that could go down to the wire.
Windham (8-2) vs. Woodstock (1-9): The Pick – Windham 44 – Woodstock 13
This game is a story of two programs on opposite ends of the spectrum. Woodstock has struggled all season, unable to put points on the scoreboard. Windham has played a solid schedule, with its losses coming at the hands of highly rated New London and undefeated Ledyard.
Coach Brian Crudden’s Whippets have too many offensive weapons for Woodstock and Coach Clay Killingsworth. This game will be decided early with Windham moving on to the CIAC Playoffs.
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