By Russ Waterman
MaxPreps.com
Connecticut won its sixth straight Governors' Cup all-star football game against Rhode Island, 31-10, a contest matching the top senior players from the neighboring states at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
The tone of the game was set almost immediately, when Connecticut scored soon after recovering a fumble deep in Rhode Island territory and then converting the turnover to a touchdown two plays later. Connecticut then pulled away by scoring 17 points in a five-minute span from the end of the second quarter to the beginning of the third quarter.
Rhode Island tied it at 7 with 1:59 left in the first half, when Anthony Petrarca (Warwick Vets) recovered a fumble at the Connecticut three-yard line after a Connecticut receiver mishandled a punt from Nate Lovett (East Providence). The team's offensive MVP, Stanley Dunbar (St. Raphael Academy) ran in the ball in on the third play from scrimmage and Lovett kicked the point after.
"We had great defense in the first and second quarter," Rhode Island head coach Keith Kenyon said. "It was being played at our pace and our tempo. But we just made too many mistakes, turned it over four times and three of those turnovers led to scores."
LaSalle's Neil Rooney, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end who will play at Brown University next season, was named the Ocean State squad's defensive MVP, recording a sack and several tackles. Inside linebacker Will Lopes of St. Raphael, linebacker Mark Lauritto of LaSalle and defensive back John Perroti of North Kingstown also were outstanding on defense.
The longest Rhode Island play from scrimmage was in the fourth quarter on a 40-yard run on a fake-punt play by Alex Mendez (Cranston West), which set up the final points, a 35-yard field goal by Lovett.
"I'm proud of our kids," Kenyon said. "They continued to play hard and never quit or backed down."
Swimming: Elizabeth Beisel Qualifies for Olympics
Elizabeth Beisel qualified for the 2008 Olympics by finishing second in the finals of the women’s 400-meter individual medley on the opening day of the U.S. Olympic swimming trials held last night in Omaha, Neb. She continues her quest this week to earn even more Olympic berths, having qualified to swim in a total of seven events at the trials.
It took a world record time of 4:31.12 by three-time world champion Katie Hoff, 19, to defeat Beisel, a 15-year-old sophomore from North Kingstown High, who completed the 100-meter segments in the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle in 4:32.87, the third-fastest time in the world this year.
Beisel set national age-group records in the 100-meter backstroke and in the 400-meter individual medley at age 12 and won four individual titles at the 2007 National Junior championships. She is a member of the Attleboro (Mass.) Bluefish Swim Club.
2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games Continue Through July 5
Retired General Colin Powell will deliver the keynote address on leadership and American Patriotism in Providence on July 1 for the 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games, which began on June 28 and will continue through July 5 at the University of Rhode Island in West Kingston
Over 1,000 participants ages 15-19 from every state in the nation and from over 20 countries are competing in several team sports, including baseball, basketball, softball and swimming, while also demonstrating talents in the visual and performing arts. They will also participate in additional activities that include the themes of sportsmanship, Environment, World Peace, Ethics and Journalism, Leadership, and Technology.
For schedules, ticket information and other details about the 2008 U.S. Scholar-Athlete Games, call the Institute for International Sport at 401-874-5088, e-mail ussag@internationalsport.com or visit www.internationalsport.com.
Russ Waterman covers Massachusetts and Rhode Island for MaxPreps.com. He may be reached at rwathoop3@aol.com
