West Hartford Youth Football: Week Four

The 2012 season of the West Hartford Youth Football League (WHYFL) hit the half way mark Sunday, Sept. 30, with a full slate of games at the Mighty Mite (7-8 year olds), Pee Wee (9,10, and 11 year olds), Midget (12 year olds), and Pony (13 year olds) divisions at Sterling Field.

MIGHTY MITE DIVISION

Macca Plumbing Cowboys 32 - Center Orthodontics Browns 19

Jack Kennedy scored three touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a 32-19 victory over the Browns Sunday afternoon at Sterling field in a highly anticipated battle. 

The Browns drew first blood after recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff with a touchdown run by Jack Brown and converted the extra point.  The Cowboys took the next drive the length of the field capped by a 10-yard touchdown run by Jack Kennedy and were denied the conversion. 

The Browns opened the second quarter with a solid drive capped off with a nice 30-yard run by Dejaun Banks.  The Cowboys then moved the ball down the field and pulled within one point on a 5-yard Jack Kennedy touchdown run.  The score at half time was 13-12, Browns.

The second half started off with the Browns punting on the first drive.  The Cowboys scored on their opening possession with a long run by Kennedy, his third touchdown of the game.  The Cowboys recovered the fumble on the kickoff and punched in another touchdown with a 15-yard run by Nick Urso making the score 26-13.  The Browns moved the ball in the 4th Quarter until a Declan McCann interception for the Cowboys stopped the drive. 

The Cowboys then scored their final touchdown of the game with a nice run by Chase Fountain.  The Browns scored their final touchdown as time expired on a long run by Dejaun Banks, his second of the game. 

Cowboys Standouts were Jack Kennedy, Nick Urso, Chase Fountain, Jack Correia, Declan McCann, and Matthew Sampt. The Browns Standouts were   Dejaun Banks, Jack Brown, Matt Farber, Boomer Stauton and Henry O’Conner.                            . 

Next week the Cowboys take on the Jets and the Browns face the Steelers.

Kenneth Namnoum Jets 31 - Spine & Sports Medicine Associates Steelers 19

The Jets leveraged a strong ground game and capitalized on turnovers en route to a hard earned 31-19 victory over the Steelers Sunday afternoon at Sterling Field. 

The Jets’ ground game was propelled by a multi-player attack. D.J. Romano rushed for 3 scores. Halfback Aidan Dorian rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown. Wyatt Reid also rushed for 40 yards and one score. Fullback Tommy LaSpada also rushed for 60 yards on a series of tough runs through a stingy Steelers’ defense and newcomer Ben Brockway added 21 yards on four bruising carries.

The Steelers were once again led by the legs of quarterback Drew Taylor and halfback Dylan Swift. Swift had 60 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and Taylor added another 35 yards rushing and a score.

The Jets opened the game with a six-play 30-yard drive as Reid followed the blocking of Clayton Gengras, Ben Brockway, Jonny Robinson, and LaSpada en route to the end zone to put the Jets up 6-0. The Jets’ rushing conversion failed as running back Clayton Gengras was brought down short of the goal line by Swift.

Following a Steelers’ fumble, the Jets extended their lead to 12-0 on Romano’s first score of the day. The Steelers responded two plays later as Swift twisted, ducked, and then sprinted to the end zone on an electrifying 45-yard score. Taylor converted the extra point to pull the Steelers within 12-7.

Dorian pushed the Jets lead to 18-7 four plays later as he made some nifty moves through the Steelers defense on his way to a 20-yard touchdown.

The Jets forced the Steelers to punt late in the first half and nearly scored on the last play of the first half as Reid burst into the open and reversed field on what appeared to be an open lane to the end zone, but Steelers defensive end Anthony Catanzaro made a heads up play to recover and force Reid out of bounds at the goal line as time expired.

The Jets forced a three and out on the Steelers first possession of the second half, but Taylor drew his team within 18-13 on a nifty bootleg around the left end.

Romano added two more rushing touchdowns and Swift scored for the Steelers on a hard earned 27-yard score.

Standouts for the Steelers included Swift, Taylor, Catanzaro, David Deitrich, Kevin Kirklin, and Andrew Hunter.

Standouts for the Jets included Romano, Reid, Dorian, LaSpada, Brockway, and strong team defense by Charles Dowd, Joe Sabia, Robinson, Sam Rosa, Marcus Bjarke, Spencer Schwartz, Ged Gengras, and Sam Lumelsky. Troy Griffith was also a standout on special teams.

The Jets face the Cowboys next week, and the Steelers will matchup against the Browns.

PEE WEE DIVISION

Walter Hussey Giants 33 - JT Ghamo 49ers 8

The Giants remained undefeated as they rushed to a 33-8 victory over the 49ers Sunday afternoon.

The Giants went right to work scoring on an Otis Donaldson 22-yard sweep on their first possession of the game. Jeff LaRosa later returned a 49er punt for a touchdown to extend the Giant lead to 12-0.

On the next Giant possession, LaRosa hit Donaldson in stride on a perfectly executed 40-yard bomb. The Giants pushed their lead to 26-0 on a 35-yard dash down the sidelines by fleet Franklin Robinson.

The Giants tallied their last score on a 30-yard run by LaRosa. CJ Denson added all the extra points to cap the scoring.

The 49ers scored on a nice run by Josiah Rivers. The two point conversion was caught by Carter Fradette to make the final margin 33-8. Several Giants spelled the starters for the better part of the second half and more than held their own. Standing out for the Giants were Kam McKain, Skye Dolce, Birthday Boy Matt Keeley, Jaden Carrero Joe Hussey, Kevin Tiernan and Mike Mancini.

Wealth Management Group of North America, LLC Titans 39 – Deakin, Edwards & Clark Colts – 32

The Titans needed a true team effort to outlast the Colts 39-32 Sunday afternoon at Sterling Field.

The Titans opened the game with a 13-play drive capped with a touchdown by Titans QB Max Leyland to make the score 6-0. The conversion attempt failed.

The Colts answered on a 59-yard kickoff return from Andrew Lagoy. Dean Edwards converted the 2 point play to Nathan Bones to bring the score to 8-6 Colts. 

Leyland responded with a second QB sneak to put the Titans back up 12-8. The Colts again quickly answered with aggressive defense to force a fumble. Sean James later scored on a touchdown run, and Dean Edwards converted the 2 point play to put the Colts up 16-12 at the half.

The Titans offense stepped up in the third quarter, notching two scoring runs by Namar Gaynor, with a nifty spin move, and Cam Wilson, with a 35yrd run to extend their lead to 25-16. The Colts answered with a touchdown run and a 2pt conversion Pass to Andrew Lagoy to draw within 25-24.

Cam Wilson again scored for the Titans in the fourth quarter, and this time the Titans followed up with an extra point to make the socre 32-24. Colts came back with a second touchdown run by Sean James and a 2pt conversion pass to Andrew Lagoy to make the score 32-32.

Cam Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, and the Titans were able to convert the extra point to close out the scoring with a 39-32 victory.

Of special note for the Colt’s was Noah Pryzbek who played a solid game.

The Titans defense was lead by Dario Laraia with solid play by Joey Lemieux, Aarik Rochester and Aiden Guzman. The Titans offense was led by great offensive line play by Guzman, Rochester Laraia along with Zander Boehm and James Cheverier and had big rushing plays by fullback Brian Renker and a fantastic catch by Jimmy Sabia.

Venora Electric Vikings 27 – Edward Connors Insurance Patriots 12

On a glorious day at Sterling Field, the Venora Electric Vikings defeated the Edward Connors Insurance Patriots 27-12. 

Matt Langevin opened the Viking scoring in the first quarter on an end around run to push the Vikings to an early 6-0 lead. The Pats defense successfully defended the extra point attempt as Rob Parrota broke through the line to defend the pass, The Patriots responded on an end around scoring run by Dillon Bent to even the score 6- 6 at the end of the first quarter. 

The Patriots kicked off and were able to pin the Vikings offense at their 5 yard line.  Alex Dobbins connected with Tim Cotter on a 35 yard pass play to break into Patriot territory. After several running plays, Matt Langevin broke a run around the left end for the touchdown. Alex Dobbins connected to Cooper Silver for the two point conversion to push the Vikings to a 14- 6 lead.

The Patriots were not denied on the ensuing kickoff, returning the run into Vikings territory.  Dillon Bent took a George Andrews handoff for a score with outstanding blocking from Ken Shazel around the end.  The teams entered the half with the Vikings leading 14 -12.

In the second half, both teams engaged in a defensive battle through the third quarter.  The Vikings defense shut down the Patriots offense, led by middle line backer Sean Clifford, defensive ends Alex Dobbins and Tim Cotter and defensive tackles Neil Gustafson and Mike Pollack.  The Pats were not to be denied with outstanding defensive play from Daquan Shaw and Silas Bridges. 

Going into the 4th Quarter, the Vikings posted scores on a run around the right end by Matt Langevin supported by successful offensive line play by Griffin Van Rye, Ryan Venora and Brock Pizzoferrato.  The Vikings took the lead 20 - 12 after an unsuccessful extra point attempt which was defeated by Rob Parrota and J.P. Evans.  After a Pats turnover on downs, the Vikings drove the ball up the field on runs by Sean Clifford and Luke Wilson.  Once bringing the clock to under two minutes, Alex Dobbins ran up the middle for a Vikings touchdown, with a successful conversion run to Matt Langevin capping the scoring at 27 - 12. 

The Ed Connors Patriots (1-2) take on the Brewer Paving Packers (2-1) in week 5.  The Venora Electric Vikings (2-2) have a bye week prior to taking on the JT Ghamo 49ers (2-1) in week 6 of the season. 

MIDGET DIVISION

Sinatro Agency One Wildcats 28 - West Hartford Firefighters Association Eagles 28

Eastern Rehabilitation Network Chargers 48 – West Hartford Rotary Club Raiders 7

The Chargers rebounded from last week’s defeat to the Wildcats with a convincing 48-7 win over the Raiders 

The Raiders got on the board first with a 40-yard Jack Moore touchdown pass and extra point run by Spencer Witter. The Chargers struck back with a 30-yard touchdown run by A.J.Fair to make the score 7-6 Raiders. The Charger defense held the Raiders on their next possession forcing a Raider punt .

Spencer Merkel  returned the punt 40 yards to the Raider ten yard line and A.J Fair rushed his second score of the day to make the score 12 - 7  Chargers to end the first quarter.

The Raiders started the 2nd quarter with a consistent march down the only to be stopped on the Charger 5 yard line with 1:45 left in the half. Two plays later, Spencer Merkel burst 60 yards around left end for a touchdown and an A.J Fair screen pass conversion made it 20 -7 Chargers entering the half.

The Chargers received the ball to start the second half and once again, Spencer Merkel scored on a 50-yard run with an A.J. Fair two point conversion to make the score 28 - 7.

On the ensuing kickoff, A.J Fair made a big hit on Spencer Witter, forcing a fumble, and Spencer Merkel recovered the ball on the Raider 35 yard line. Five plays later, Grant O’Conner scored from 6 yards out on a quarterback sneak to make it 36-7 Chargers.

On the next kickoff, Spencer Merkel forced a fumble from the ball carrier, which was recovered by the Chargers on the Raiders’ 30 yard line. Two plays later , Colby Tyler caught an end delay pass from Grant O'Conner for 30 yards, and another Charger touchdown, to make the score 42-7 Chargers. The game ended with an A.J.Fair interception return for a touchdown. Fair, returned the Raider pass 70 yards to cap the scoring at 48-7. 

Next Sunday October 7th, the Chargers will play their first rematch with the Eagles. In their first meeting, the Chargers beat the Eagles 20-12.  The Eagles are coming off a 28-28 tie with the Wildcats, indicating that next week’s game should be a real battle.

PONY DIVISION

Universal Connectivity Raiders 26 - Wiremold Legrand Chargers 6

West Hartford Police Association Eagles 36 - Sinatro Agency One Wildcats 30

On the last day of September, the Eagles outlasted the Wildcats 36-30.The Eagles scored first with a 60-yard touchdown run by Sam Lefante. The Eagles led 8-0 following the two point conversion pass from Burke Martindale to Nathan Brucelis. On their next possession, the Wildcats scored on a 5-yard pass from Michael Matthews to Vincent DeCrisantis, which was set up by a big run by Jaeshawn Wilson. The extra point was no good making the score 8-6 Eagles at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Wildcats had the Eagles pinned 3rd and long at their own 15, when Burke Martindale took a snap that landed in the end zone, rolled left, and hit Sam Lefante 10 yards down field and, with the help of some outstanding blocking, Sam ran 75 yards for the touchdown. The two point conversion from Martindale to Lefante made the score 16 -6 Eagles.

The Wildcats countered with a long touchdown run by Wilson.  Later in the quarter, Stephen Bintz rumbled in from 7 yards out for the Eagles. The Wildcats later picked up six more points when Jaeshawn Wilson took it to the house on a 50-yard fumble recovery, which made the score at the end of the first half 22 – 18 Eagles.

In the third quarter, Martindale had a 20 yard touchdown pass to Nathan Brucelis and a two point conversion by Martindale to Lefante.  The Wildcats countered with another touchdown by Wilson.  The score at the end of the third quarter 30 -24.

The fourth quarter saw Lefante score his third touchdown of the day on a pass from Martindale that went 45 yards for the score. Wilson of the Wildcats later scored his fourth touchdown of the day, but it was not enough as the Eagles outlasted the Wildcats 36-30.