SYFC CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: 8TH GRADE TEAM - 23 vs. AMITY - 12
In the first round of the 2009 SYFC Playoffs on Sunday October 25th, Guilford faced an uphill battle complete with unfortunate injuries and the flu/illness bug that is taking over the Town – all against a very tough team from Amity. Suiting up only 16 players for the game, it was Guilford against the World – and at least on Sunday: Guilford 1, World 0. These young men from Guilford don’t have any quit in their vocabulary – working through pain and exhaustion in their desire to keep playing good football. Their Coaches and parents couldn’t be more proud of the effort and heart displayed by this bunch of young men.
David Knapp came out of the sick ward to lead the Defense anchored by teammates Hunter Martins, Freddy Trotta and Jon Paecht on the line and Ford Linell and David Laurie as linebackers. When a rest was needed, Derick Batick, Aaron Cowee and Tristan Park held down the fort up front. The secondary was key in stopping mity’s potent running game with tough open field tackles made by Ryan Hart and Joey Palmieri. The Defense played well all day – bending at times but coming up with key Defensive stops when it counted forcing Amity to turn it over to Guilford on downs a number of times with strong 4th down effort.
On Offense, the big men up front unraveled a defensive twist that Amity was using and proceeded to let their running backs find daylight. That Offensive Line consists of Dane Lawrence, Freddy Trotta, Jon Paecht, Ford Linell, Hunter Martins and Dave Laurie with Steve Lavoie back from IR spelling the guys when needed. On a victory mostly earned on the ground, Andrew Meoli scored two touchdowns and was joined by Joey Nault with one touchdown supported by a ball possession running attack with KC Horton and David Knapp doing the heavy lifting. It was a complete Team effort of which they can be proud.
This team is comprised of a good mix of baseball, hockey, lacrosse – even soccer and Piano players, Honor Roll kids, fisherman and many other interests – all who come together to work hard and love football. With football not being the top sport for many of them – we encourage each to play other sports and have other interests – but come ready to play football on Sunday. We hear over and over that football makes their sons better at their other sports – so we ask that you keep you guys playing football and not get caught up in this “specialized” world that too many coaches preach. There is no greater unity than teammates on a football team that plays hard together.
Guilford will take their 8th Grade Team on to play in the Championship game against a hard-pounding North Haven team.
ORANGE BOWL SERIES: 7TH GRADE TEAM - 27 at OLD SAYBROOK - 7
How 'bout them Indians! You played yet another game in which you improved. This is exactly what we told you would happen if you stuck to the plan and put in the effort. We did not stray off course all season. We promised Coach Unger that we would run the GHS plays on "O" and "D", and although it has been difficult at times, we are learning it at a very fast pace. It would have been easier to stray from the course, but easier is never better. You will have one more year to learn what you need to , and you will have a firm grasp by the time you get to GHS. This is how all the great programs got to where they are. They persevere, they never doubt, never quit and always strive to be the best. With Sunday's effort, you have proved to YOURSELVES that you can do it, and you will continue to do it.
Old Saybrook was not Milford, they were far better and you dominated the game from the opening whistle until the ending whistle. It is always fun to win them all, but it is much more gratifying to see consistent improvement, culminating in victory! You are building a bright future for yourselves as a class that will enter GHS in 2011, just one year more of GYF! So we won The commode.com Bowl, 27-7 and we travel to The Outhouse Bowl next Sunday.....................I cannot wait!
As for the game; as we said yesterday, we cannot win unless everyone contributes, and everyone did. Our defense was unyielding, with great line play by; Otis Eckmann, Driver Eldridge and Tommy Boy Stokes. Our safeties, Tony-O Pensa and Toast Stokes were fearsome hitters and our corners, Peir Weber, Johnny Altieri and Wolverine Perrotti did not give up a yard. Outside linebackers, Hacksaw Von de and Intimidator Lundberg were monsters and inside linebackers' Spud Iassogna and Chuck Molloy played like Jack Lambert and Mike Singletary.................nothing came through the middle. What can I say about Ricky Bobby Heller! Boy you put some big hits on yesterday! Wow! Crayola "The Leach" stuck onto Old Saybrook players and would not let go.
Our offense played a phenomenal game with great play calling by Coach Ranfone and Coach Ranfone if you know what I mean! Hollywood Ross played his best game as of yet(I expect one more), making some fine runs behind dominating line play(thanks Coach Cohen). Speaking of line play, how about Stone Cold Reynolds, and Guido Shan! Molloy, thanks for setting a great example of sportsmanship by ignoring horrible behavior exhibited by that one player. That epitomizes Guilford Football Pride!
I need to note a few other things; thanks to Jake "IB" Landon and Thom Heller for helping all season long. Thanks to Kara Heller for doing all the work that I am supposed to do, but don't. And thanks to Mr. Molloy for helping divert a disaster! We all hope our ill players; Kazoo Singleton, Sam Sham Cohen, Bug Cirillo and Crumpet Malone will return soon.
Finally, practice for the week will be Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 until 7:00 and we'll determine Saturday later in the week. Remember, we have one more boys, one more week of work, and only one more game as a 7th grader. Enjoy the moment.
Skynyrd Line;
"There's a fire that burns forever
Come a day we ain't gonna take no more"
Coach Joe
SUGAR BOWL SERIES: 6TH GRADE TEAM - 6 at BRANFORD - 26
SYFC CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: 5TH GRADE TEAM - 7 at EAST HAVEN - 31
Our boys showed some real Guilford pride in stepping up in the 4th quarter today. Despite a large deficit, the boys grabbed a late TD behind the running of Jake Moscarelli. Big Ben Currier (who made the key block on the TD) then took it in for the extra point with some very tough running. Despite the loss, the boys showed some real heart with many positive plays coming out of the game: Zach Conover's pass defense - with an interception and a deflected pass. Evan Hilgert's great play in the backfield on an extra point. The play of John Portacarrero defensively. The sensational catch by Will Ballard. The shotgun snaps from Anthony Avallone which were smooth as butter and the overall consistent line play of Wills Smith. Overall, the boys have lots to be proud of as we head into the final week of playoffs.
ORANGE BOWL SERIES: 4TH GRADE TEAM - 26 vs. TRI-TOWN - 6
The first week of the 4th grade Orange Bowl Championship series started with a media frenzy the likes of which has never before been seen at GYF. Channel 8 News showed up to interview our director of media relations and to get some behind the scenes footage of our road to the Bowl. Rumors have been floated that they were also scouting for next seasons ‘Dancing with the Stars’ but that report could not be confirmed as calls to the show’s producers had not been returned at time of press—much to the dismay of Baron Von Kaisen!
Game day dawned with bright sunny skies and a smell of victory in the air. The G8 juggernaut opened the field with a solid win in their SYFC championship semi-final game priming the field for another G4 win.
The Tri-Town Warriors opened with the ball and tried to go big against the G4 secondary but they must not get the news out there three miles east of nowhere; G4 D-backs give nothing but heartache.
When they failed in the air they tried to run the gut only to find Big Jake Pierpont there to stuff the hole. With 4th and long they found a rare break to the outside and it looked like trouble… that is until The Matador, Ryan Costanzo brought out the big wood to stop the break-away. The new life and a fresh set of downs only served to give AK-78 Korik, Sam Bam Jankura, MJ Loganator Driscoll, and Colin Pele Keith the chance to lay the hurt on and four downs later it was G4’s turn to roll up the yards.
MJ Loganator ran twenty yards to the right but it was called back for a bogus penalty. To show his displeasure he ran it for twenty-five to the left behind the dominating play of Giggles Ferrara, Pele, .44 Magnum Lawrence, T-Pain Small, and Diesel Andrus on the O-Line. The Bread Man Horton also got a piece of the first quarter action running a course even Magellan couldn’t plot.
The first quarter ended with a scoreless tie but the first play of the second quarter had MJ Loganator following T-Pain on a quick romp to the end zone and a 6-0 lead.
The ensuing kick off return went nowhere as Meat Meade came gunning for bear with a stick that left stars circling the Tri-Town Warrior who picked it up. Mighty Mite Gabriel stuck the first down play for no gain unassisted and the bend-but-don’t-break secondary kept the aerial assault in check. On 4th and short a QB sneak was routed by Diesel power and once again the ball was back in G4 hands.
Sam Bam went to the air to feel out the Warrior secondary and just when they were thinking pass on a long fourth down, the Bread Man came through again on the ground with the first down. Sam Bam next took a bootleg for another first down then went back to the air this time hitting Night Train Russell over the top. On the next play Night Train showed his many talents making the key block on another Bread Man wild ride that finished with the second TD of the day and a 12-0 lead. A short Bread run later and G4 was up 13-0.
Pele kicked another one deep but must have figured everyone else needed a break because he chased his own driving kick down and made the tackle deep in Warrior territory.
The Warriors tried to get tricky with a screen pass but that doesn’t work when you’ve got the Hammer Burchell breathing down you neck from the OLB position before your blockers can even get set. The next play they tried a swing pass but again, the Hammer came down hard. LT Stebbins and The Hammer combined on the next futile passing attempt teaching the Warrior QB what Crunch Time is all about. The high wobbling duck he got off was shot down by Night Train and the Warriors had to turn the ball over on downs.
LT got a chance to run the ball gaining seven hard yards up the middle. The Bread Man took the ball for another first down and LT brought the ball all the way to the 10 yard line breaking through five tackles before time ran out in the first half.
G4 started the second half with a Night Train express gaining seven on a reverse. MJ Loganator nearly took it the rest of the way but landed on a war bonnet inside the ten. With Snausages, (formerly Gold Finger) George in to anchor the left side of the line and Meat at the blocking FB position, the Bread Man carried a third loaf in for another six making it 19-0. Sam Bam hit Night Train on a quick post for the PAT and a 20-0 lead.
Well a deal is a deal and this team doesn't winge. With a three TD lead, Black-Eyed-Pete Downer won his bet and a chance at Monster Back. Halloween came early for the Warriors when he lined up inside, outside, over the top, and underneath to scare the socks off all that faced him.
Tri-Town got more and more aggressive in their play calling but the G4 D was there to meet every challenge. A long pass over the middle was stopped in its tracks by Buch Bucci. Mighty-Mite Gabriel busted through not one but two solid blocks for a sack then called his brother Jack Lambert in on the next play for another shared sack. T-Pain and LT were there for the ride but this one was all Gabriel brothers.
Still trying to go deep, the Warriors ran into a little CC Cox action. Fresh off the communion line for the first time and possibly getting a little divine help, CC broke up a pass at least six feet over his head to shut down yet another Tri-Town advance.
After a rare fumble, Tri-Town got the ball back deep in G4 territory. Mighty-Mite made the solo tackle on a motion dive for no gain and LT stuffed the next one. On the first play of the fourth quarter G4 mounted a goal line stand that seemed to hang forever. Eleven Indians against eleven Warriors all pushing and driving but the wind at Tri-Town’s back and when the behemoth Warrior finally hit the ground that was all the advantage they needed; he was just inside the goal line giving Tri-Town their only TD of the day. A good run to the outside gave them the PAT and it was 20-7.
An on-side kick was quickly scooped up by Ian Slaughter on the 49. Sam Bam went to the air again hitting a Night Train heading downtown over the middle for nearly 40 yards after being dragged down at the ten. Bread Man scored again, and again it was called back for another bogus penalty. Slaughter then took his turn to show off his running skills and brought the ball back down to the 3-yard line, then pounded it down to the one.
Tri-Town wasn’t ready to give up though and they popped the ball loose on the next play but AdRock Perrotti was there to save the drive recovering the ball back at the 5-yard line. That was just fine with Slaughter, just gave him some more running room. He swept right then cut back inside. Hearts jumped as the ball popped loose again but it didn’t matter, he’d already crossed the plane for his first ever touch down giving G4 the 26-7 lead.
The kick off return went nowhere and with less than a minute left in the game there just wasn't enough time for the Warriors to mount an offensive drive; especially with the G4 D playing so well.
Next week it's off to the Orange Bowl for G4 in East Haven—land of big hair, great apizza and trees on the poles (they'll be green in our honor this year).
