Senior defensive lineman Luke Scinto stripped Staples running back Matt Kelly and then recovered the fumble on a second down in overtime to lift the Cheshire football team to a dramatic 28-21 victory to claim the Class LL state championship before 4,182 at Strong Stadium in West Haven Sunday.

The third-seeded Rams (11-1) won their seventh championship, but first since 1997. It marked the first time that a championship game went to overtime since 1990 when both Newtown and Sacred Heart captured titles. It also marked the first time that an overtime state title game involved a member of the Southern Connecticut Conference.

Senior quarterback Greg Palmer scored on touchdown runs of 10 and 6 yards as Cheshire built a 21-7 halftime lead.

Senior Brendan Rankowitz caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from senior Keith Gelman, and Gelman scored on a 1-yard run, in the fourth quarter as the top-seeded, and top-ranked, Wreckers tied the game at 21 to force overtime.

Junior Mike Skibicki scored on a 2-yard touchdown run on the only carry of the game in overtime for the Rams.