LEDYARD – About all that eluded the Ledyard l crew on this Friday evening had been the helmet stickers that coach Mike Serricchio awards for a recreation performed freed from pre-play penalties.
Alas, the Colonels had one false begin.
Coach ought to let it slide. That penalty got here late within the fourth quarter because the Colonels had been placing the ending touches on an emphatic 37-14 victory over Branford in a Connecticut Excessive Faculty Soccer Alliance showdown between the ECC and SCC at Invoice Mignault Area.
Ledyard got here away at 4-1 and knocked Branford to 4-2 with textbook l. Led by a four-touchdown evening from junior working again Titus Streckfuss, Ledyard scored on its first 5 possessions and doubtless would have scored on its sixth if not merely working out the clock.
The Colonels had possession of the ball for all however 4 minutes of the second half, gobbling up the primary 10:34 of it with a 16-play drive that prolonged a 27-14 halftime result in the 37-14 closing.
Branford had the early higher hand, taking leads of 7-0 and 14-6 behind senior quarterback Chris McKittrick's 6-yard TD cross to Aiden Dupre after which his personal 2-yard run. However the Hornets, together with being unable to cease Ledyard, had been undone by two fumbles in their very own finish within the closing 5 minutes of the primary half proper after the Colonels had pulled even at 14-all.
Ledyard cashed in on each, driving 30 yards to take a 21-14 lead after which pouncing on a free ball on the 45 on the following kickoff. The Colonels scored off the latter as time expired within the half, with Streckfuss chalking up a 3rd straight landing from three yards out.
Momentum had swung mightily. If there was any doubt, Ledyard put it to relaxation with that 16-play odyssey that consumed all however 1:24 of the third quarter.
The Colonels inexorably moved the chains, with Jackson Favry, Jackson Grimm, Giovanni Velez, Dorian Greene and Streckfuss taking turns working behind blocking again Chris Robertson and the unbalanced line of Brayden Gugliotta, Kadin McCarthy, Jack Williams, Jack Gallagher, Christian Smith and heart James Lacadie.
All instructed, Ledyard amassed roughly 350 yards of offense.
It was the primary assembly between the 2 squads since 2011. Each got here into Friday evening with only one loss, each to undefeated Lyman Corridor – Ledyard 27-14 on opening evening, 4.
Since then, each received within the profitable groove to rise to No. 5 of their respective playoff courses. Class SS Ledyard averaged 52 factors in routing Platt Tech, Montville-St. Bernard and Killingly. Class M Branford downed Class LL Shelton 28-21 earlier than blanking Barlow and Wilbur Cross-Profession.
A 4-1 begin for Ledyard matches its 4-1 begin of 2024. Ledyard has reached the Class SS playoffs for 2 years working. Branford, additionally at 4-2 after six video games final yr, is searching for its first berth since 2021.
This story will probably be up to date.
Participant of the Sport
Titus Streckfuss: The junior working again scored 4 of Ledyard's 5 touchdowns and ran residence three 2-point conversions.
Quotable
"I’d by no means say his identify in my life as a result of it is going to hang-out my goals" – Branford coach John Limone on Ledyard's Titus Streckfuss.
Ledyard 37, Branford 14
BRANFORD 7 7 0 0 – 14
LEDYARD 6 23 8 0 – 37
B-Aiden Dupre 6 cross from Chris McKittrick (Aidan Tracy kick)
L-Titus Streckfuss 1 run (run failed)
B-McKittrick 2 run (Tracy kick)
L-Streckfuss 3 run (Streckfuss run)
L-Streckfuss 3 run (Jackson Favry run)
L-Streckfuss 3 run (Streckfuss run)
L-Jackson Grimm 8 run (Streckfuss run)
Information: Branford 4-2; Ledyard 4-1.
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