Football Wrap-up

Killingly, 

area’s top 

teams 

continue 

winning 

streak

By Ron P. Coderre

In a week that saw only two local teams pick up victories the Killingly Redmen proved they were for real as they shutout the Stonington Bears, extending their winning streak to six games.  Austin Caffrey led the way for Killingly as he continues as the area’s premier player.

The Quinebaug Valley Pride got back on the winning side of the ledger with a win over O’Brien Tech.  The remaining four teams, Woodstock Academy, Plainfield, Pomfret School and Hyde School-Woodstock all fell in defeat. 

Killingly Knocks Off 

Another Nemesis

Killingly High School, for the second week in a row, knocked off another longtime opponent that they’ve had a difficult time beating in the past.  On the road against the Stonington Bears Killingly followed the lead of its hard charging running back Austin Caffrey easily disposing the Bears 35-0.  It was Killingly’s first win over Stonington since 2004.

Caffrey set the tone for the shutout victory when he scored on a 2-yard plunge less than two minutes into the contest.  The touchdown not only inspired coach Chad Neal’s offense but it lit the fire for the defense as it held the 1-6 Bears scoreless the entire game.  

Killingly scored two more touchdowns prior to intermission.  Once again it was Caffrey on a 2-yard bolt to paydirt, followed by his running mate Spencer Lockwood who had a 16-yard touchdown tally.  Killingly went to the locker room up 21-0 at intermission.

Offensive lineman Alex Fontaine got into the action early in the second half.  The rugged Fontaine scored Killingly’s first TD of the half when he scooped up a fumble and rolled over from two yards out.  His touchdown was a ‘lineman’s dream’ and the first high school touchdown for the sophomore.

Caffrey capped off another spectacular performance when he tallied his third score of the evening.  The final score of the game came on another 2-yard burst.  Caffrey closed out the evening with 154 yards on 20 carries.  Lockwood turned in another blue collar performance accounting for 90 yards on 11 carries.  For the second week in a row freshman placekicker Luke Desaulnier was a perfect 5-for-5 in the point-after department.

The victory moves Killingly to 6-1 on the season and 4-1 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Small Division.  Killingly solidified its hold for a spot in the CIAC Class M standings with the victory.  They are currently ranked number two.  On Friday they travel to Groton for a 6:30 p.m. encounter under the arc with the Fitch Falcons.

Pride Gets Back in W Column with Win Over O’Brien

Following a pair of losses the Quinebaug Valley Pride righted the ship with a solid performance beating visiting O’Brien Tech 28-6.  The victory puts the Pride on the right side of .500 at 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the Constitution State Conference East Division.

Jeremee “Buddha” Perez, who’s been a motivating force for the Pride all season, kicked off the scoring when he burst over the goal line from 4 yards out.  After an O’Brien Tech score the Pride offense went back to work as Sebastian Ruiz (14-62) tallied on a 12-yard run.  The score gave the Pride a 12-6 lead after one period of play.  

The lone score of the second quarter came when quarterback Chuckin’ Charlie Innes found one of the area’s top receivers Saige Louis on a 27-yard touchdown hookup.  A Perez two-point run on the conversion put coach Joe Asermelly’s charges up 20-6 lead at halftime.

The Pride iced the contest in the third stanza when the versatile Perez found Louis on a 19-yard aerial hookup on an option play.  The touchdown was Louis’ sixth pass receiving score of the season.

Perez finished the evening with 102 yards on 18 carries.  Mike Holmes who recorded the final two-point conversion had a good night with 52 yards on eight totes of the pigskin.  Louis had three receptions for 54 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Pride’s next contest is a 6 p.m. affair at the St. Marie/Greenhalgh Sports Complex on Friday against Vinal Tech/Hampton/Goodwin Tech.

Plainfield Returns to the Gridiron – Loses to New London

Plainfield returned to the gridiron after a week in which it forfeited a game to Waterford for inappropriate cyber activity and lost a heartbreaker to New London 14-12.  The loss drops the Panthers to 3-4 on the season.

Following a scoreless first period, Plainfield quarterback Marcus Robinson put his team on the board with a 13-yard touchdown run.  The point-after kick failed.  New London, which is suffering through a down season, then scored the next 14 points, holding a 14-6 advantage at intermission.  

Undaunted, Plainfield opened the second half with a score when the starring Robinson found halfback Tyler Ballard in the end zone with a 26-yard touchdown toss.  The Panthers of coach Pat Smith went for a two-point conversion in an attempt to knot the score but a pass from Robinson to receiver Isaiah Fort was knocked away.  The inability to convert after the touchdowns proved to be Plainfield’s downfall.

Robinson was 9-20 on the evening for 174 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Ballard rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries.

Plainfield entertains Stonington on Friday in a 6:30 p.m. contest under the arcs.

Woodstock Falls to Montville at Home

The Woodstock Academy Centaurs fell behind the Montville Indians 28-3 in the first half of action and never recovered as they fell 47-18 to the visitors.  The loss drops the Acads to 1-6 on the season.

Woodstock got touchdowns from Kyle Prouty and Jared Bouten.  Alden Brennan hit a 30-yard field goal to open the scoring.

Woodstock, searching for victory number two entertains Waterford on Saturday in a 2 p.m. contest.

Pomfret Remains Winless

Pomfret School put a valiant effort in front of the home crowd in search of its first victory of 2015 but fell at the hands of Wilbraham & Monson 33-20.  The loss drops the Golden Griffins to 0-6 on the season.

Papa Sekyere, Pomfret’s stellar running back, electrified the crowd with a 105-yard kickoff return to open the game but the outmanned Griffs couldn’t maintain the momentum.  Sekyere recorded another 100-yard game as he picked up 104 yards on 15 carries.  His performance put him over the 1000-yard plateau for the season.  Sekyere has 1,004 yards in six games.

Pomfret’s other scores came on a Cam Winston 20-yard run and a Thos Kuffur 60-yard pass/run from quarterback H.P. Wackerman.

The Griffs travel to Williston-Northampton on Saturday for a 6 p.m. contest.

Frustrated Hyde Drops Third in a Row

Hyde School-Woodstock, which opened its season with a pair of victories, is scratching its collective head as it searches for a way to get back into the WIN column.  The Wolfpack lost for the third straight week as it fell to New Hampton Prep on the road 55-22.  The loss leaves coach Sean Saucier’s team at 2-3 on the season.

On Saturday Proctor Academy visits Hyde for a 3 p.m. contest.

 

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