Off-season news
Two more teams join the Pequot
WOODBURY, Jan. 2, 2008 -- Wolcott Tech-Torrington and Nonnewaug-Woodbury have been admitted to the Pequot Conference for the 2008 football season. Nonnewaug went 0-10 in its first varsity season in the Southwest Conference while Wolcott Tech fielded a junior varsity team in 2007. The league will decide this month on revamped alignment. The addition of Tech and Nonnewaug gives the Berkshire League four varsity football programs along with Gilbert/Northwestern and Housatonic/Wamogo. The league now has 19 teams.
Pequot Conference 2007 highlights
CIAC championship, Saturday, Dec. 1
Class SS: Seymour 44, Tolland 34
TRUMBULL, Dec. 1 – Leading by just two points, Seymour senior QB Rob Moir ran for a 37-yard touchdown on fourth down with 5:16 remaining as Seymour held off Tolland's upset bid in the Class SS championship game with a 44-34 victory at Trumbull High. Moir was 4 for 9 passing for 133 yards and three touchdowns, all to Rich Spader and ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Tolland’s Chris Leonard ran 24 times for 172 yards and a touchdown for Tolland, which was within two points with less than 6 minutes to play. But a costly offsides penalty turned a 4th-and-7 into a 4th-and-2. On the next play Moir raced around right end for the 37-yard TD.
Leonard rushed for 172 yards and four TDs as Tolland won its semifinal game with a 47-14 win over Bullard Havens of Bridgeport (8-2). Leonard scored on a 3-yard run in the second and on runs of 7, 10 and 3 yards in the third.
Tolland (9-3)
12 6 0 16 – 34
Seymour (11-1)14 22 0 8 – 44
First quarter
T: Chris Leonard 51 run (run failed)
S: Rob Moir 58 run (pass failed)
T: Matt Gavin 23 run (pass failed)
S: Rich Spader 45 pass from Rob Moir (Moir run)
Second quarter
S: Joe Gumberwicz 23 run (Willie Green pass from Moir)
T: John Brow 4 pass from Matt Gavin (run failed)
S: Rich Spader 53 pass from Rob Moir (Moir run)
S: Rich Spader 26 pass from Rob Moir (pass failed)
Fourth quarter
T: Cody Backus 1 run (Paul Lipicius pass from Gavin)
T: Paul Lipicius 13 pass from Matt Gavin (Leonard run)
S: Rob Moir 37 run (Moir run)
CIAC semifinals, Tuesday, Nov. 27
Class SS
Tolland 47, Bullard Havens-Bridgeport 14
Seymour 46, Woodland Regional 28
Class S
New London 34, Cromwell 14
Ansonia 25, Northwest Catholic 7
Week 11
For just the second time in school history, Avon finished 9-1 but it wasn't enough to qualify for the CIAC football playoffs. Weaver (9-1) beat Hartford Public, 19-0 to clinch a spot in the Class M semifinals. Tolland (8-2) beat Ellington/Somers, 33-0 on Thursday to qualify for the Class SS playoffs while Cromwell (10-0) qualified in Class S.
Wednesday, Nov. 21
Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 37, Canton 14
Windsor Locks 30, Stafford 26
Thursday, Nov. 22
Morgan 20, Old Saybrook 15
Haddam Killingworth 22, Valley Regional 8
Housatonic 42, Gilbert 12
Tolland 38, Ellington 0
Cromwell 41, Coventry 7
Week 10
Friday, Nov. 16
Morgan 48, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 13
Housatonic/Wamogo 37, Stafford/East Windsor 20
Saturday, Nov. 17
Hyde 34, North Branford 14
Haddam-Killingworth 22, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 13
Gilbert/NW Regional 27, Canton 12
Week 9
Friday, Nov. 9
Valley Regional/Old Lyme 49, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 18
Saturday, Nov. 10
Cromwell 28, Haddam-Killingworth 6
Hyde Leadership 47, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 7
North Branford 46, Morgan 13
Stafford/East Windsor 16, Gilbert/NW Regional 0
Tolland 45, Coventry/Windham Tech 0
Housatonic/Wamogo 49, Windsor Locks/Suffield 22
Week 8
Friday, Nov. 2
Cromwell 42, North Branford 0
Hyde Leadership 46, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 0
Tolland 52, Stafford/East Windsor 6
Saturday, Nov. 3
Avon 52, Housatonic 12
Coventry/Windham Tech 28, Windsor Locks/Suffield 8
Haddam Killingworth 42, Morgan 0
Sunday, Nov. 4
Valley Regional/Old Lyme 17, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 13
Ellington/Somers 48, Canton 22
Week 7
Friday, Oct. 26
Tolland 41, Gilbert/NW Regional 0
Coventry/Windham Tech 46, Stafford/East Windsor 30
Valley Regional/Old Lyme 43, Canton 36
Saturday, Oct. 27
Cromwell 14, Hyde Leadership 6
Haddam-Killingworth 36, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 0
Ellington/Somers 24, Housatonic/Wamogo 0
Sunday, Oct. 28
Avon 26, Windsor Locks/Suffield 0
Monday, Oct. 29
North Branford 13, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 6
Week 6
Saturday, Oct. 20
Cromwell 51, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 28
Hyde Leadership 27, Haddam-Killingworth 7
North Branford 28, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 7
Coventry/Windham Tech 42, Housatonic/Wamogo 24
Ellington/Somers 44, Stafford/East Windsor 12
Gilbert/NW Regional 14, Windsor Locks/Suffield 12
Morgan 33, Canton 21
Week 5
Friday, Oct. 12
Cromwell 49, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 14
Haddam-Killingworth 12, North Branford 7
Hyde Leadership 45, Morgan 0
Old Saybrook/Westbrook 49, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 15
Saturday, Oct. 13
Tolland 48, Windsor Locks/Suffield 12
Coventry/Windham Tech 41, Ellington/Somers 20
Avon 34, Gilbert/NW Regional 0
Housatonic/Wamogo 38, Canton 20
Week 4
Friday, Oct. 5
Hyde Leadership 47, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 0
North Branford 34, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 12
Tolland 34, Housatonic/Wamogo 6
Saturday, Oct. 6
Avon 41, Stafford/East Windsor 0
Old Saybrook/Westbrook 47, Canton 12
Coventry/Windham Tech 54, Gilbert/NW Regional 20
Ellington/Somers 34, Windsor Locks/Suffield 14
Cromwell 46, Morgan 0
Tolland 34, Housatonic 6
TOLLAND, Oct. 5 – The Eagles handed the Mountaineers (2-1) their first loss of the season. Jameson Martin (5-55) scored on a 35-yard TD for Housatonic, which won its opening two games for the first time since 1993. Chris Leonard (21-215) ran for a pair of touchdowns for Tolland while Cody Backus (13-91) scored a TD. The Eagles ran for 413 yards. "We talked a lot about character all week," Tolland coach Patrick Cox told the Journal Inquirer. "This is the best Housatonic team they've had in awhile. We led 20-0 at halftime and felt we had the game in hand but they had other ideas. The final score doesn't indicate how physical the game was."
Coventry/WT 54, Gilbert 20
WINSTED, Oct. 6 – A smaller Gilbert squad was pushed around by a more physical and bigger Coventry/Windham Tech team that earned its first win of the season. “We’ve put together the best 11 kids we can can find,” Gilbert coach Bob Reynolds said. “We’re a small team but the kids want to play. So, we just go play football. They’re full of heart.” Coventry’s Tyler Doiron (6-4, 240) ran six times for 59 yards while Austin Hall (6-4, 200) ran for 76 yards and a touchdown. Gilbert's freshman QB Bobby Lippincott threw a 20-yard TD pass to sophomore Casey Ramthun and sophomore Cody Stone capped it off with a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 28
Morgan 21, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 15
Avon 56, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 22
Saturday, Sept. 29
Ellington/Somers 44, Gilbert/NW Regional 20
Haddam-Killingworth 48, Canton 0
Hyde Leadership 41, Coventry/Windham Tech 10
North Branford 39, Windsor Locks/Suffield 12
Cromwell 38, Tolland 6
Old Saybrook/Westbrook 28, Stafford/East Windsor 6
Avon 56, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 22
MIDDLETOWN, Sept. 28 -- The Falcons (2-1, 1-0 Pequot Uncas) rolled to their second straight win and their sixth win in the last eight games with a 56-22 win over winless Vinal Tech/Coginchaug at Palmer Field. With 10 minutes gone in the game, Avon led by three TDs, 21-0. For Avon, it's the second-highest scoring output in team history.
HIGGANAM, Sept. 29 -- The Cougars' biggest challenge was finding a way not to score 50 points and get head coach Dennis O'Rourke suspended for one game for breaking the CIAC's score management rule. HK led 29-0 after one quarter, recovering a fumble following a high snap on a punt and blocking another punt for a TD. Jarrod Ramsey (4-112) went 85 yards for a TD run for the Cougars, who rushed for 293 yards.
Week 2
Thursday, Sept. 20
Ellington/Somers 48, Morgan 13
Friday, Sept. 21
Housatonic/Wamogo 26, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 14
Tolland 35, North Branford 34, 4 OT
Saturday, Sept. 22
Avon 34, Coventry/Windham Tech 14
Haddam Killingworth 43, Gilbert/NW Regional 8
Cromwell 55, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 6
Hyde Leadership 59, Windsor Locks/Suffield 12
Stafford/East Windsor 24, Canton 18
STAFFORD, Sept. 21 – Stafford took advantage of two mistakes on special teams to beat Canton. The Warriors, playing their first varsity game since 1964, had two key mistakes while punting. Tied at 18-18 with 22 seconds left on their own 45, the snap went through the hands of the Canton punter and was recovered at the 11-yard line. A penalty moved the ball to the six and Stafford’s Sean Heald (29-145, 3 TDs) broke a tackle in the backfield to score with 16 seconds remaining for the win.
Tolland 35, North Branford 34, 4 OT
TOLLAND, Sept. 21 – Chris Leonard (28-174) scored on a 2-yard run to send the game into overtime and teammate John Brow caught a five yard pass from QB Matt Gavin to lift the Eagles (2-0) to a victory in the fourth OT. The two teams each scored FG in the first OT and scored TDs in the second and third OTs. North Branford scored on a 37-yard FG in the fourth OT.
Housatonic 26, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 14
DEEP RIVER, Sept. 21 – The Mountaineer are 2-0 for the first time since 1993 after beating the Warriors. Tom Kennedy was the star for the second straight week with 110 yards on 23 carries while teammate and brother Will Kennedy scored two TDs and had 85 yards on 15 carries. Jameson Martin scored on a 65-yard kickoff return and a 1-yard TD run for Housatonic.
Week 1
Friday, Sept. 14
Cromwell 35, Windsor Locks/Suffield 6
North Branford 41, Coventry/Windham Tech 19
Tolland 28, Hyde 21
Morgan 35, Stafford/East Windsor 14
Old Saybrook/Westbrk 23, Gilbert/NWR 0
Saturday, Sept. 15
Haddam-Killingworth 22, Avon 16
Housatonic/Wamogo 34, Vinal/Coginchaug 20
Ellington/Somers 24, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 0
Tolland 28, Hyde-New Haven 21
TOLLAND, Sept. 14 -- The Eagles beat Hyde for the first time ever as Chris Leonard ran for 142 yards and 2 TDs. Tolland used a ball control offense to limit Hyde’s offensive opportunities. Leonard scored on runs of one and three yards while also adding a 22-yard pass reception for a touchdown in the first half. Hyde led 21-20 at the half on a 76-yard kickoff return from Rodney Williams, a 50-yard run by Zane Marks and a one-yard run from Dana Dellavoppe. But the Wolves were held scoreless in the second half. Matt Fox’s 1-yard run in the fourth quarter was the difference.
Morgan 35, Stafford/East Windsor 14
STAFFORD, Sept. 14 – Morgan leaped out to a quick 35-0 point lead in the first quarter and rolled to an easy season opening victory. "We made so many mistakes at the beginning of the game, but we regrouped at the end,'' Stafford’s first-year coach David Jedidian said. "I put some freshmen in that played better than expected.We definitely have some things to look forward to.'' Sean Heald led Stafford with 107 yards rushing while Matt Harrison threw for 116 yards and 2 TDs. Jim Kostek had three touchdowns and 107 yards rushing for Morgan (1-0).
Cromwell 35, Windsor Locks 6
CROMWELL, Sept. 15 – Max Piexotto threw for 2 TD passes and ran for a third to lead the Panthers to the victory. Cromwell led 28-0 at halftime. Thomas Holmes returned the opening kickoff 75 yards for Cromwell.
Housatonic 34, Vinal Tech/Coginchaug 20
FALLS VILLAGE, Sept. 15 – Senior Tom Kennedy scored four of five Mountaineer TDs to lead Housatonic to a 34-20 win over Vinal Tech/Coginchaug. He rushed for 105 yards and had a 20-yard interception return for a TD. "He was at every summer workout," first-year Housatonic head coach Daren Bayer told The Register Citizen. "He's not big, and he doesn't have blinding speed, but he's one of those kids who really leads by example.” Vinal was led by Jeremy Murphy (24-147) and QB Kevin Doherty (13-39, 147 yards).
North Branford 41, Coventry/WT 19
NORTH BRANFORD, Sept. 15 -- Gray Esposito rushed for 115 yards and 2 TDs while throwing for a third to lead North Branford. Austin Hall had four catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots (0-1). Ryan Tomlinson threw for 175 yards and three touchdowns for Coventry.
2007 team previews
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