West Hartford Youth Football – Week Ten Championship Game Summaries

MIGHTY MITE SUPER BOWL

(#1 seed) Moe’s Southwest Grill Jets 26 – (#2 seed) Macca Plumbing Cowboys 14 

As reported by Steve Levy on the late edition of SportsCenter, the #1 seed Moe’s Southwest Grill Jets defeated the #2 seed, and two-time defending champion, Macca Plumbing Cowboys 26-14 Sunday afternoon to win the 2013 Mighty Mite Super Bowl.

The Jets’ offense was paced by the solid ground game of Logan Murphy, Tommy LaSpada, DJ Romano, Wyatt Reid, and Israel Lopez, who each had solid gains behind great offensive line play from Jonny Robinson, Walker Beverly, Ben Brockway, Ryan Bushnell, Troy Griffith, and Aidan Dorian.

The Cowboys were once again led by the dynamic dual-threat of Jack Kennedy, the receiving hands of Jack Correia, and hard runs by fullback Matthew Bates.

The game started as a defensive battle, and the Cowboys eventually opened the scoring late in the first quarter as Kennedy found Correia for a 20-yard scoring strike. The Jets defense denied the rushing conversion attempt, and the score stood at 6-0. The Jets immediately responded with a six-play, 30-yard drive capped with a Murphy touchdown to tie the score at 6-6.

The Cowboys responded with a three-play drive capped by a Kennedy touchdown, and Kennedy conversion pass to Correia to put the Cowboys up 14-6. Once again, the Jets responded with a methodical 12-play drive capped with a Murphy score and LaSpada rushing conversion to narrow the gap at the half to 14-13.

After an inspirational half time speech, the Jets responded with a burst of energy on both offense and defense– shutting out the Cowboys for the balance of the game behind great gang tackling and superior individual efforts by Romano Beverly, Brockway, Dorian, Charles Dowd, Joey Hassett, Robinson, LaSpada, Joe Sabia, Spencer Schwartz, Ged Gengras, and Murphy.

The Jets received the second half kickoff and moved the ball up the field in eight plays to take a 19-14 lead. The Cowboys defense led by Kennedy, Steven Mascolo, and Walker Disque, denied the conversion attempt as fullback Beverly was tackled shy of the goal line.

The Cowboys started their next drive at mid field, but were eventually forced to punt, as Kennedy was pressured by Beverly and Romano, Chase Fountain was tackled behind the line, and Kenney’s third down pass fell incomplete as Aidan Dorian had great coverage.

The Jets capped the scoring on a powerful drive of off-tackle runs. LaSpada found the end zone and converted the extra point to push the score to 26-14 early in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboy faithful would not give up and willed their team up the field on a nine-play drive to the Jets’ 1-yard line - following four consecutive runs by Kennedy. Facing a pivotal fourth down, Kennedy’s attempted quarterback sneak was denied as Brockway and Beverly made a great gang tackle to bring the ball carrier down shy of the goal line and force a turnover on downs.

With the end zone at their backs, the Jets took control of the ball and turned back to the ground game, leveraging the legs of Murphy, LaSpada, Reid, and Romano to methodically move the ball up the field until time expired.

As always, the Cowboys played as a solid team the entire season, and left it all on the field Sunday afternoon. Coaches Kennedy, McCann, Tanis, Woerlen, Correia, and Disque did an excellent job coaching a great group of players to one of their best-played games of the season.

The Jets sendoff seniors Wyatt Reid, Sam Rosa, Jonny Robinson, Troy Griffith, Charles Wang, DJ Romano, Ben Brockway, Aidan Dorian, Charles Dowd, Logan Murphy, Tommy LaSpada, Chris Mock-Rossi, Israel Lopez, Joey Hassett, and Walker Beverly as champions and will look to future stars Joseph Sabia, Ryan Smith, Spencer Schwartz, Ged Gengras, Thomas Moore, Luke Boucher-Zazzaro, Ryan Bushnell, and Austin Bourgoin to continue the Jets’ winning tradition next season.

PEE WEE SUPER BOWL

(#1 seed) Dick’s Sporting Goods Patriots 25 – (#2 seed) The Watts Group Giants 0

For the first time in a decade, the #1 seed Dick’s Sporting Goods Patriots are Pee Wee Division Champions following a hard fought 25-0 victory over the #2 seed Watts Group Giants in Sunday’s 2013 Pee Wee Super Bowl at Sterling Field. The Patriots finished the season 10-0.

The Patriots were paced on the offensive side of the ball by Silas Bridges, Kenneth J. Shazel, Jr. and Dillon Bent – who each found open running lanes behind solid blocking from offensive linemen Luke Hache, Joey LaSpada, Bryson Denby, Will Carson, and Parrotta. The Giants received solid play by Skye Dolce, Dan Hussey, and Sean McNamara, who each had big gains behind gaping holes created by Damien Thompson, Jayden Fuller, Jayden Correro, Iron Mike Mancini, Richie Aponte, Sekope Colon and Kam McKain.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots were led by outstanding play from linebacker Robert Parrotta (three sacks), Bridges (sack and fumble recovery), Luke Duzan (sack), Matthew Keller, Michael Quiros, and Carlos Kerrigan-Mock, who each had interceptions on the day.

The Patriots opened the scoring early in the second quarter, capping a five-play drive with a 35-yard touchdown run by Bent, who found the end zone behind sound blocking by Bridges and Shazel. The Giants denied the passing conversion, and the lead stood at 6-0. Following a Keller interception (his fifth of the season), the Patriots scored two plays later, as Bridges bolted 45 yards to the 5-yard line before being pushed out of bounds on a great touchdown-saving tackle by Dan Hussey and Kevin Tiernan. Shazel punched it in on the next play for a 12-0 lead.

The Giants defense rose to the challenge on the next Patriot possession, as Dolce, Macnamara, Mancini and Aponte, each made key tackles on Keller and Bridges to force the Patriots into a three-and-out.

On the Patriots next offensive possession, Bridges burst 50-yards to the end zone on a fantastic run. Following Shazel’s rushing conversion, the team’s entered the half with the Patriots leading 19-0.

The second half was dominated by solid defensive play on both sides of the ball. Patriots’ running backs Luke Duzan, Brian Kenna, Parrotta and Jacob Torres each saw extended playing time in the second half due do great hustle and sportsmanship during the week. The Giants continued to pound the middle of the line with punishing runs from Hussey and McNamara. The Giants later turned to the passing game as Dan Hussey connected with his twin brother Joe and later McNamara to push the Giants into Patriots territory early in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing play, Hussey rolled right and looked for McNamara down the middle of the field. Second year defensive back Michael Quiros came up with a huge play, out-leaping McNamara for the interception to give the Patriots favorable field position.

The Giants defense would not relent as Aponte, Mancini, and Colon continued to get penetration and deny the Patriot rushing attack. The Patriots eventually turned the ball over on downs late in the fourth quarter.

Duzan continued his family’s Patriot legacy with great defense in the fourth quarter, sacking the quarterback and jogging back to the defensive huddle only to be mobbed by his teammates in congratulations.  

Leading 19-0 late in the game, the Patriots ended their season in fitting fashion, as second year defensive back Carlos “Rudy” Kerrigan-Mock intercepted a Hussey pass and returned it 20 yards for the touchdown as time expired – after which he was carried off the field in victory by his teammates. A fitting end to a thrilling season for the Patriot faithful.

The Giants should be commended for putting forth their best effort in the biggest game of the season and leaving it all on the field. Dolce, McNamara, McKain, Dan and Joe Hussey, and Kevin Tiernan led a Giant team which each played with determination and the heart of a champion.

The Patriots send-off seniors Shazel, Quiros, Kerrigan-Mock, Keller, Torres, Kenna, Bridges, Andrews, Hache, Denby, and Carson as Pee Wee Division champions, and will look to underclassmen Duzan, Parrotta, Bent, Arsenault, and LaSpada to continue the Patriot tradition next season.

PONY DIVISION WEST HARTFORD CHAMPIONSHIP

West Hartford Health and Rehab Wildcats 18 – West Hartford Chargers 6

On a cool clear fall evening the West Hartford Health and Rehabilitation Wildcats and the West Hartford Chargers met under the lights at Hall High School to determine the WHYFL Championship.

The Wildcats received the opening kick and the offense went to work. The Cats were able to spring David Torres loose on a 20 yard run only to have the ball stripped away by Charger Spencer Merkel creating the first turnover of the game giving them possession inside their own 10 yard line. Chargers Colby Lytle and Valentino West gained ground only to be stopped by a stout Wildcats defense. Cats John Kirklin, Huey Wells and Chris Chukwura made drive stopping tackles forcing a Charger punt.  Behind Wildcat center Dominic Mongillo, QB Max Main led the team downfield. David Torres and Griffin Smith gained yardage for the Cats, but it was Ryan Orlowski who blasted 13 yards up the middle for the game’s first score.

Receiving the following kick, Charger Grant O’Connor then let the Chargers on their own drive. The Bolts then struck with a 6 yard run by Merkel into the end zone tying the score at 6 ending the first half.

The Chargers’ opening possession of the second half was met by a fired up Wildcat defense. Carter Horton, Dario Laria and Cullen McCaffery made key stops along with Brendan Begley, turning the ball over to the offense. Back on the attack, the Cats gained big yards on runs from Main, Torres and Nolan Tibball and converted on a 1 yard strike by Orlowski taking the lead 12 -6.

As the fourth quarter began, the Wildcats took control of the game. Main scored on a 47 yard run and backup QB Franklin Robinson led the team on his own drive as time ran out. Final score 18 – 6 Wildcats.

It was a very well contested game by the Chargers who finished with a fine record of 6 – 2 and fought relentlessly in this close contest.

The Wildcats (7–1), driven purely by the desire to execute as a team and compete for a Championship, will represent West Hartford against the White Team from Farmington in this first Super Bowl of the newly combined division.

Farmington White 28 – Farmington Black 6