By Ken Lipshez
MaxPreps.com
The New Britain High School football team used second-half heroics to reach 3-0.
In Week 4, the Hurricanes waited until the waning minutes and came up empty.
Hartford Weaver made a pair of second-quarter touchdowns stand up after turning back two late New Britain drives Friday to knock the mistake-prone Hurricanes from the ranks of the unbeaten, 12-7, in an interdivisional Central Connecticut Conference clash at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
New Britain coach Paul Morrell thought his team would pull the fat out of the fire.
“We all waited for that spark and the spark never came,” Morrell said. “We can’t wait for the spark. We’ve got to grab the matches.”
The Hurricanes (3-1) had two chances to pull out a win. Quarterback Rafal Garcarz, on the bench for the first half with a sore back, led them down the field midway through the fourth quarter, but a first-and-goal from the 9 became fourth down from the 40 and they turned it over on downs.
Weaver (2-2) fumbled on the next play, giving New Britain a second life on the Beavers’ 39. The ’Canes made a first down on runs by Kaiuway Boima and Tommy Phommalinh, but Weaver stopped the drive at the 26 and ran out the clock.
The Weaver team, less than 30 strong, resiliently closed out the game.
“This is a huge moment for our program because numbers are low, kids are leaving the school,” Weaver coach Rob Fleeting said. “There are so many magnet schools popping up and it’s sad because we really work hard to bring the best out of these kids.”
Fleeting spent the week urging his players to play a team game.
“We saw a lot of kids freelancing, trying to do their own thing and really not understanding why they’re out here to play,” Fleeting said. “Our practice was focused on doing what you’re taught to do and sacrificing the things that you want to do. In order for us to start winning, we’ve got to believe in our coaches and believe in ourselves.”
New Britain had turned the ball over on its own 5 to pave the way for Weaver’s first touchdown. Quarterback Andre Campbell found Maurice Campbell wide open for the touchdown.
The Hurricane offense dug another hole on the next possession. A bad snap and three-yard loss led to a three-and-out, followed by a 19-yard punt. Weaver covered 44 yards in 11 plays, with Scwayne Holt bolting over from the 4 after New Britain’s fifth penalty lightened the Beavers’ load.
Weaver held a 12-0 halftime lead, the third time in four weeks New Britain trailed at the midway point.
Boima, who scored New Britain’s lone touchdown on a 7-yard run, led the offense with 87 yards on 16 carries.
Newington, Manchester Advance
Newington (3-1) and Manchester (4-0) emerged victorious in competitive CCC clashes.
Newington’s defense, with Shane Leupold making two interceptions and Mike Buonocore recovering a fumble, stymied Conard (2-2) on the road Saturday afternoon to ensure a 14-7 win.
Newington quarterback Spencer Parker scored on runs of 63 and 4 yards en route to gaining 123 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Jon Lis scored the Chieftains’ only touchdown on a 21-yard run in the third quarter.
In Manchester, the Indians’ defense swarmed all over Wethersfield quarterback Tyler Murphy and rode the running of Dejavon Chisholm to a 20-14 win in a battle of unbeatens Friday night.
Chisholm scored two touchdowns and rushed for 122 yards on 31 carries.
Manchester (4-0) sacked Murphy three times and held him to just three completions in 15 tries. Running backs Mike Lapointe and Steve Vasquez scored touchdowns for Wethersfield (3-1).
Week 4 Watch
* Undefeated Berlin was missing one of its bruising running backs in Kevin Tatro but missed little else Friday in crushing East Catholic, 36-0, to remain atop the Nutmeg League.
Taylor Tavarozzi rushed for three touchdowns and needed just seven carries to amass 133 yards. Kevin Parnell returned a punt for a touchdown.
Berlin has now outscored its four foes, 147-20.
* St. Paul/Goodwin Tech kept pace with the Redcoats by stampeding outmanned Plainville, 39-6, on Saturday.
Falcons quarterback Brian Kaczynski completed 14 of his 19 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Moore hauled in four passes for 115 yards, two for touchdowns. Marcus Aiken rushed for 108 yards on 15 totes, one for a touchdown.
* In another key Nutmeg League contest, Rocky Hill rebounded from its first loss to Northwest Catholic to pound Enfield, 35-0, on the turf at the Terriers’ home field.
Running backs Fernando Sanchez and Mike Mancini scored two touchdowns each. Joey Cavallaro returned from the injured list to snare two interceptions as the Terriers moved to 3-1 on the season.
* Back in the CCC, Southington shook off the rust from a 12-day break by shaking off Bristol Eastern, 27-14.
The Blue Knights’ offense featured the passing of quarterback Josh Lamson (13-for-24, 163 yards, 2 touchdowns) and the overall play of Evan Rodrigues (7 receptions, 129 yards, 2 touchdowns receiving and another rushing).
Nolan Rickard’s pick and 34-yard touchdown return sealed the fate for the Lancers (1-3).
Southington’s scheduled game with Hartford Public, rained out in Week 3, was pushed forward to Nov. 19.
* Undefeated Glastonbury and Windsor continued to march through CCC foes, victimizing two teams still in search of their first win.
Glastonbury tomahawked E.O. Smith, 54-6, with quarterback Erich Pfeffer (6-for-10, 106 yards, 3 touchdowns) and running back Jordan Brown (15 carries, 123 yards, 2 touchdowns) leading the way.
The Warriors showed now mercy in pummeling Maloney, 46-14, with Mitch Davis scoring four touchdowns, three rushing and one on special teams.
Jevaughn Huggins blocked two punts and turned one into a touchdown. Kareem Robinson had two picks.
Quarterback Pierre Narcisse completed 12-of-24 for 200 yards.
* Cheney Tech remained the class of the Constitution State Conference after walloping Wilcox Tech, 40-0. Running back Troy Wigmore scored three times in the first quarter as Cheney (4-0) built a 40-point halftime lead.
* Cromwell, Ellington/Somers and Tolland remained undefeated in the small-school Pequot League.
Tolland encountered little resistance against Gilbert in piling up all its points in the first half of the 44-13 rout. Cody Backus raced for 110 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries.
The Ellington/Somers juggernaut steamrolled Canton, 41-14, behind quarterback Peter Vamvilis (11-for-23, 238 yards, 3 touchdowns) and running back Sam Ziter (18 carries, 126 yards). Ziter had a touchdown running and another on the end of a Vamvilis aerial.
Dominique Carr grabbed two touchdown passes from quarterback Robert Jordan to lead Cromwell past Vinal Tech-Middletown, 21-0. Shawn Holley’s 80-yard punt return accounted for the Panthers’ third score.
Ken Lipshez of the New Britain Herald covers central Connecticut for MaxPreps. He may be reached at kenlip@aol.com
