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The football team runs out on to the field at the Bentley Athletic Complex for a first time this season. Photos by Abby Ditzel/Woodstock Academy.



Football romps in season opener
The script could not have been written any better. The first play of the 2024 high school football season for the Woodstock Academy Centaurs featured their opponent, Bassick, winning the opening toss and electing to kick off.
Hindsight being 20/20, the Lions probably should have chosen to take the ball.
Quaderi Bacon’s kick was briefly bobbled by Centaur returner Gabe Luperon but he was able to control it at the 15-yard line and started up field.
“When I saw the ball fumble by me, I was like, ‘this play is done.’ But I took it and I saw this gap just open up, went straight through it and the rest is history,” Luperon said.
“Around the 30-yard line or something like that, I was like ‘Uh-oh, (a Bassick player) is coming after me’. Around the 5-yard line, he got me around the ankles but I was able to get in,” Luperon said.
The 85-yard touchdown return sparked a 35-point first quarter for the Centaurs who cruised to a 41-6 season-opening win over their Bridgeport-based opponent.
“That was exciting,” coach Sean Saucier said of the return. “I have high hopes for Gabe this year. He started it off in the right fashion and set the tone.”
The points just kept on coming in the first quarter whether the Centaurs had the ball or not.
Mistakes on Bassick’s part helped to contribute to the Woodstock success.
The Lions were forced to punt on their first possession and the snap went sailing over punter David De Los Santos’ head into the end zone where the Centaurs tackled him for the safety,
Woodstock took over following the free kick by Bassick at the Lions’ 45-yard line. Luperon, in his only carry of the day from scrimmage, broke through for 34 yards and a facemask moved the ball to the Bassick 7-yard line. Quarterback Sam Clark found an opening down the sideline for the touchdown.
Bassick fumbled on its next possession and it was picked up by Dylan Phillips who ran it in from 39 yards out for the score.
The Centaurs added another score after they forced another Bassick punt which was bobbled by the Centaurs. The ball ended up in the arms of Aiden Brailsford who went the 32 yards for the score.
Clark finished up the scoring and completed his only pass of the game with 4 minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter. He hit Luperon who came from the slot, cut it inside and found himself open for an 18-yard scoring pass.
“I was wide open and Sam just lofted it up to me and I caught it. It was a routine catch,” Luperon said.
It did, however, send the starting offense and defense to the sideline for the remainder of the game.
“It was good,” Luperon said of the early lead. “We were able to get some of the JV players some reps in and now, our minds are on Stonington next week.”
Mason Bourget (3 carries, 20 yards) scored the only other touchdown for the Centaurs in the second quarter on a 1-yard dive.
“It was what it was,” Saucier said. “We did what we needed to do. You try to balance. Unfortunately, these types of games do happen and you try to do the best you can to get your kids some experience and time but also try to be sportsmanlike about it.”
Freshman Caydem Herlihy took the majority of the snaps at quarterback and finished 2-for-2 passing for 28 yards.
“He’s been an iron man. He’s played four positions for us, quarterback, slot receiver, H-Back, he’s our emergency kicker,” Saucier said.
Keegan Brown, another freshman, was the team’s leading rusher with 35 yards in six carries.
The only concern- the Woodstock got little in the way of reps as they had only four offensive plays from scrimmage.
"There was a couple of times when I did want to fair catch the punt so we could run some offensive plays but it just kept bouncing our way,” Saucier said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy


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