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on gridiron
By Ron P. Coderre
The local high school and prep school football season is well underway with most teams having completed three weeks of games. With the exception of the preps, the high schools are scheduled for 11 game seasons this fall.
Killingly and Plainfield, which compete in the Eastern Connecticut Conference, have recorded victories as has Constitution State Conference Quinebaug Pride. Woodstock, which has dropped down to the ECC Small Division despite a student enrollment bordering on 1000, has yet to hit the win column. Hyde – Woodstock is winless at 0-2. Pomfret School is 1-1.
After opening up the season with a loss at the hands of Prince Tech, Quinebaug Pride, the hybrid program composed of players from Putnam, Tourtellotte and Ellis Tech, exploded in week two defeating Wilcox Tech 64-34 at the St. Marie-Greenhalgh Sports Complex in Putnam. Tyler Genest paced the Pride, romping to pay dirt for five touchdowns.
The Pride followed the victory the ensuing week by continuing to roll out the offense in a 45-28 victory over Abbott Tech. The win gives the Pride a 2-1 record overall and in the CSC East. This week they take on Capital Prep/Hartford Classical/Achievement a 48-0 winner over Wolcott Tech last week.
Killingly riding high after opening the season at 2-0 for the first time in Coach Chad Neal’s career at the Danielson school, lost for the first time this season when they were steam rolled by Ledyard 55-14. In defense of the Redmen they were without the services of two of their top players, running back Tyler Stucke and fullback Troy Chappell. The status of Nick Hewitt, who was injured in the contest against the Colonels, is uncertain at press time. Killingly was coming off a dramatic 28-21 win over Waterford the previous week. The Redmen are 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the ECC Medium Division.
Plainfield after suffering a pair of losses to open the season rebounded with a vengeance, pummeling St. Bernard-Norwich Tech 55-19. The Panthers were led by quarterback Steve Jankowski who threw for 211 yards accounting for four of the Plainfield touchdowns. The victory was big for Coach Pat Smith’s charges who were beaten badly in week two by Windham 36-15. The Panthers are 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the ECC Small Division.
Woodstock under first year coach Clay Killingsworth still appears to be having a difficult time in recording victories. The Centaurs opened the season with a loss to a powerful Hamden Hall, which could be justified because The Hall is definitely a cut above Woodstock. However, when the Centaurs returned to the ECC Small their effort was still futile. St. Bernard-Norwich Tech showed no mercy, beating the Acads 31-0.
In its latest game the Centaurs were beaten by East Lyme 40-14 at home. Looking ahead to next week, the Centaurs are 0-3 and desperate for a victory when they face another rugged test in Griswold..
Hyde –Woodstock, which lost to Dexter 25-14 in its opening contest, took on New Hampton in search of its first victory in 2013. The search for win #1 came up empty as they went down by a score of 30-16.
Coach Henry Large’s Pomfret School Griffins, which was a loser to Cheshire 33-19 in week one hosted Tabor Academy with the hope of picking up its first win. In a final score that resembled baseball rather than football, the Griffins came out on top 9-8. The key to the victory was a fumble recovery by sophomore linebacker Chris Rovero in the final minute of play.
Extra Points…
Quinebaug Pride’s Tyler Genest on the strength of a five touchdown performance against Abbott Tech is the area’s scoring leader with 50 points, recorded on eight touchdowns and a two-point conversion… Tyler Stucke of Killingly, out with an ankle sprain is the area’s second leading scorer. Prior to incurring his injury he had 36 points on five touchdowns and three two-point conversions …Jon Sanderson of the Pride has 18 points on three touchdowns… Killingly is placing much of the success for the 2013 season in the hands of a freshman. Kyle Derosier is the Redmen’s starting signal caller …Quinebaug Pride senior wide receiver Josh Simpson is out for the season with a torn ACL… Plainfield quarterback Steve Jankowski comes from good athletic stock. His uncles, Bill, Alan and Paul Carpenter were all standout three-sport stars at Plainfield …The week four schedule has Bacon Academy at Killingly; Montville at Plainfield; and Woodstock at Griswold, all on Friday night. Saturday games feature Tilton School at Hyde-Woodstock; Pomfret at St. Thomas More; and Quinebaug Pride at Capital Prep/Hartford Classical/Achievement.