Football Wrap-up

Light action 

as teams take 

mandatory 

CIAC break

By Ron P. Coderre

Plainfield High School and Woodstock Academy were the only two high school football teams to see action last week.  The reason for the light schedule is a mandatory break week imposed as a safety measure by the Connecticut schoolboy ruling authority the CIAC.

Plainfield, which was off the previous week, came back to the gridiron with a vengeance.  Coach Pat Smith’s Panthers handled a very good Thames River team with a solid defensive effort.  The Panthers completely shut down the visitors, winning 35-0.

Homecoming weekend had Woodstock Academy in a 3 p.m. contest against Woonsocket, R.I.  The Acads didn’t have any problem in generating offense, scoring 36 points.  The visitors from the Ocean State however, scored more points and went home with a win. 

Prep schools, Hyde School-Woodstock and Pomfret School were in action.  The Hyde Wolfpack entertained Tabor Academy, while the Golden Griffins of Pomfret School traveled to The Gunnery School on the New York border for and 8-man football encounter.

The preps came out of the weekend on the losing end of the equation as both teams lost.  Hyde was in its game but Pomfret was beaten big time.

Plainfield Panthers Roar 

Past Thames River

Plainfield used a ferocious defense to contain a strong Thames River Crusaders offense in its game in Plainfield.  The Panthers D dominated the contest, shutting out the Crusaders 35-0.

The Panthers roared out to a 21-0 first period lead and were never headed for the remaining 36 minutes.  Kyle Holt started the scoring parade with a 5-yard touchdown run.  Cam Gonzales, who ran for 116 yards on 13 carries, then scored the first of his two touchdowns of the game.  He scored on a two-yard blast.  Gonzales followed that TD up by opening the second half scoring with a 20-yard tally.

The first half scoring ended when quarterback Marcus Robinson found Nick Burlingame in the end zone on a short one-yard pass.

Devin McGale closed out the scoring with a 5-yard TD run.  McGale was 8-61 for the game.  Signal caller, Robinson, was 6-of-11 in the air for 76 yards and a touchdown.  The win evens Plainfield’s record at 2-2.

The Panthers travel to Central Falls, Rhode Island on Friday for a 6 p.m. encounter under the arcs against the Ocean State entry.    

Woodstock Loses Another High Scoring Affair

The change in the coaching staff at Woodstock Academy has infused a positive attitude in the Centaurs football fortunes.  The team, under coach Darryl Daleen, has been in all five of its games this season.  They’ve also proven they can put points on the board.  The kink in the armor appears to be the defense.

On Homecoming Weekend in front of an enthusiastic crowd the Acads once again fell in a high-scoring affair.  This week they were victims of Woonsocket High School, which walked off with a 43-36 victory.

The loss drops the Centaurs to 2-3 on the season.  The team is off next week and returns to action on Saturday, October 22 at home when it entertains Vinal Tech/East Hampton/Goodwin Tech in a 1 p.m. encounter.

Hyde Disappoints Against Tabor

Trailing only 6-0 at intermission, the Hyde-Woodstock Wolfpack was unable to generate enough offense to emerge victorious in its game against visiting Tabor Academy.  The Pack lost 18-6, dropping to 2-1 on the season.

The lone Hyde score came when Jordan Knight picked up a fumble and rumbled 55 yards with the pigskin to paydirt.  The fumble was caused by former Killingly High School standout big Josh Angell, who is playing a postseason year at the Woodstock school.

Pomfret Gunned Down By Gunnery

Pomfret School made another long football trip last weekend as it competes for the first season in a four-school 8-man football league.  The Golden Griffins traveled to Washington, Connecticut for a contest against The Gunnery School only to be dropped by the Gunners 40-6.

Josh Kuffour was the lone bright spot for the Griffs as he tallied a fourth quarter touchdown from 3 yards out.  Kuffour had 84 yards on 16 carries for his day’s work.

Pomfret is 0-2 on the season but will have another shot at Gunnery later in the season.  According to the original release on the new eight-man league ,the four participants are scheduled to face each other twice during the season.

 

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