Football Wrap-up

Turkey Day 

predictions 

and offerings 

on the table

By Ron P. Coderre

It doesn’t seem possible but the schoolboy football regular season has reached its finale.  It seems that it was just yesterday when the season started and the local teams were looking forward to the competition with anticipation.  The anticipation of the early season has turned into elation for some and sadness for others.

Killingly sporting an 8-1 record going into its Thanksgiving Day contest with the Quinebaug Valley Pride has to be the most satisfied team in the area.  With the exception of a big loss to powerhouse New London, the Redmen have played up to their preseason billing.  Coach Chad Neal’s troops survived a pair of close victories against Windham and Plainfield but otherwise managed comfortable margins in their other victories.

Ranked 3rd in the Class M CIAC Playoff Points standings Killingly is now assured of a spot among the eight team that will qualify.

The Pride made its way through a disappointing season.  Young and inexperienced, QVP could manage only two wins this season.  They face the tough task of playing Killingly on Turkey Day.

Plainfield was the hard luck team of the area.  The Panthers are 5-4 entering its Thanksgiving Day showdown with archrival Griswold.  Plainfield with any luck could easily be 7-2 or maybe even 8-1.  The Panthers are resilient and have not let the bad luck haunt them.

Woodstock, despite playing a weak schedule, has been the surprise team of the area.  The Centaurs go into Thanksgiving with an identical record as its opponent Thames River tri-op.  Both teams are 4-5.

Thanksgiving Day is often referred to as the second season.  A win on Turkey Day has often made a dismal season a success.  So there is hope after all despite the records.

Here we go with RPC’s predictions.  Some will eat turkey while other will chow down on crow.

Killingly vs. Quinebaug Valley Pride

Killingly without a doubt is the best team in northeastern Connecticut.  The Redmen have weapons on both sides of the ball.  Despite having some big victories, the Redmen are battle tested, witness their close victories over Windham and Plainfield.

The big weapon for Killingly is runningback Spencer Lockwood who has tallied 17 touchdowns while racking up an impressive 1,703 yards rushing from scrimmage.  The chore for the Pride will be to contain the dynamic Lockwood.  This will prove to be an impossibility for the youthful and inexperienced charges of coach Joe Asermelly.  Killingly can also throw sophomore runningback Zach Caffrey at the Pride defense if Lockwood isn’t enough of a challenge.

Complementing Lockwood’s ground attack is the air game featuring quarterback Kyle Derosier and his receivers, Brett Long, Jake Gauthier and Lockwood.  Derosier has 848 yards through the air in nine games and has connected on a dozen touchdown tosses.  The quartet should be able to exploit the smaller defensive backfield of the Pride, many who must go both ways.

The Redmen have two secret weapons in Long and Luke “The Leg” Desaulnier.  Long has been everywhere on the gridiron for coach Neal, sparking both the defense and offense. Desaulnier is a sure shot point-after-touchdown booter.  He’s also capable of kicking the field goal from as far out as 40 yards.

Killingly will have a difficult time keeping its offense under 50 points against the Pride.

The Prides main weapons runningback Will McGlyn and quarterback Josh Dodd will not be enough to carry the team.  It will take the first miracle since Fatima for the Pride to win.

RPC’s Prediction: Killingly 51 – Quinebaug Valley Pride 6 

Plainfield vs. Griswold

These two rivals have a great gridiron history.  Plainfield has a difficult time beating Griswold on Thanksgiving Day.  Will this be the year that coach Pat Smith’s Panthers at 5-4 be able to turn the trick against coach Gregg Wilcox’ 3-6 Wolverines?  This should be the game of the day.

Versatility is the key to the Plainfield football team.  They possess a solid quarterback in the person of Marcus Robinson who has thrown 10 touchdown passes in nine games.  The Panthers have four runningbacks they can rely on depending who has the hot hand.  Cam Gonzales, Devin McGale, Kegan Marcoux or Chris Peasley are all capable of the big play.  Any of the four are capable receivers as well as Robinson’s favorite target Nick Burlingame.

If Plainfield is to be victorious they must contain Griswold’s signal caller Bryce Mileski who has tossed 11 aerial scores this season.  He’s also thrown for 882 yards in nine games.  His favorite target is Davaughn Luty, who has 447 receiving yards and six touchdowns.  Griswold is probably one of the toughest 3-6 teams in Connecticut.

Plainfield’s versatility and manpower should prevail in this one if the Panthers can stay out of penalty trouble.

RPC’s Prediction: Plainfield 24 – Griswold 20

Woodstock Academy vs. Thames River

Woodstock coach Darryl Daleen has done a great job in instilling a winning culture at Woodstock in the short time since his arrival.  Following years where wins were as scarce as hen’s teeth at Woodstock, the Centaurs have won four games this season playing an independent schedule.

Thames River plays in the Constitution State Conference where the Crusaders are 4-4.  Thames River finished 9th in the 15-team league.  Two of Woodstock’s victories this season have come against CSC teams, which bodes well for coach Daleen’s charges.

The Acads are led by runningback Kameron Janice who has 1,424 yards in eight games.  He’s been out of action for the last six quarters with an undisclosed injury.  If he plays, he’ll need a big game if Woodstock hopes to win.  The passing game relies on quarterback Jared Bouten who has thrown for 995 yards this season.  Bouten is also a capable runner from his signal caller’s slot.  If Bouten struggles, Woodstock can turn to sophomore Derek Thompson who threw for 204 yards in two quarters of play against Griswold and was 8-16-80 in his last game.

The favorite targets for Woodstock quarterbacks are Mason Defocy, Jake Straub and Eric Preston, who has 310 receiving yards.

Woodstock’s Achilles’ heel is its defense.  The Centaur offense has tallied 302 points this season, averaging 33.5 points per contest.  As much as the offense is capable of scoring, the defense has been as porous, giving up 288 points in nine games.  The D has allowed 32 points per contest to its opponents.  It will have to rise to the occasion if the Centaurs are to prevail.

The biggest obstacle for the Woodstock defense is Thames River’s quarterback Jared Neal.  The slippery Neal has 1,297 yards and 15 passing touchdowns in the air in nine games.  The unbelievable fact about Neal is that he’s also run for 1,326 yards.  That’s an amazing 2,623 yards from one player, an average of 291.5 yards per game.  Neal’s favorite targets are Marquez Hamilton who’s been on the receiving end of Neal’s passes for 452 yards and Jojo Beltran who has caught seven of Neal’s passes for touchdowns.  

Stop Neal and the Centaurs win.  Easier said than done. 

RPC’s Prediction: Thames River 35 – Woodstock 30

Windham Steamrolls Woodstock

The Windham Whippets jumped out to a 26-0 halftime advantage over Woodstock and rolled to an easy 46-0 shutout of the Centaurs in the final game of the regular season before the second season Thanksgiving Day games.  The loss drops the Centaurs to 4-5 entering its Turkey Day encounter with Thames River.

In a preview of what might occur on Thanksgiving, coach Daleen split the quarterbacking duties between the veteran Bouten and the rookie Thompson.  Bouten was 7-20-71 while Thompson struck on eight of 16 attempts for 80 yards.  The top receiver for Woodstock was Straub who had four receptions for 86 yards.

 

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