No. 4 Xavier comes from behind to stun Hillhouse

NEW HAVEN — The Xavier football team responded to its coaches’ challenge at halftime to play more aggressively and as a cohesive unit.

It just wasn’t until early in the fourth quarter, and the Falcons facing an almost insurmountable deficit, that the message finally resonated.

Once it did Xavier, ranked fourth in the Register Top 10 Poll, rallied for a dramatic 50-49 Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision victory over host Hillhouse Friday afternoon at Bowen Field.

Senior DeAngelo Berry scored on a 1-yard run, and then ran in the successful two-point conversion with 51 seconds remaining, to provide the winning score for the Falcons (6-1).

Xavier scored 29 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase a 49-21 deficit. Xavier also trailed by 21 points on three separate occasions in the contest.

PHOTOS: Xavier rallies to beat Hillhouse

“There was never any doubt in our minds,” said Berry, who carried 17 times for 90 yards and three TDs. “Every time we come down here it’s always a hard environment; no fans, and they have all their fans. But the coaches let us know that it’s never over until it’s over. We knew we could do it.”


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No. 9 West Haven takes out Cheshire 

WEST HAVEN — The Cheshire football team had West Haven right where the Rams wanted it in a Southern Connecticut Conference Division I East contest Friday evening.

Leading in the first quarter and having taken 7 minutes off the clock, momentum was clearly on Cheshire’s side.

Then West Haven, the No. 9 team in the Register Top 10 poll, turned to Ervin Philips and its running game to score 22 unanswered points in a 49-20 West Haven victory in a Southern Connecticut Conference Division I East game at Ken Strong Stadium.

PHOTOS: West Haven takes out Cheshire

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Guilford runs past Branford 

GUILFORD — The Guilford football team came into Friday night’s game wanting to prove that it was better than its 1-4 record.

After close losses to Hillhouse and West Haven, the Indians proved just that by rushing for 483 yards in beating Southern Connecticut conference Division II West rival Branford 41-14 at Kavanaugh Field.

“What I wanted was for our guys to show the fans, their families and the town that they are an excellent team,” said Guilford coach Tommy Unger. “There’s no morale victories, but these kids are really good. I’m happy we got this win tonight.”

PHOTOS: Guilford tops Branford

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ROUNDUP: Amity shocks Fairfield Prep

NEW HAVEN — DeAngelo Berry scored on a 1-yard run, and then ran in the successful two-point conversion with 51 seconds remaining, as visiting Xavier, ranked fourth in the Register Poll, rallied for a 50-49 Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision victory Friday afternoon at Bowen Field.

The Falcons (6-1) scored 29 unanswered points in fourth quarter to erase a 28-point deficit. Xavier also trailed by 21 points on three separate occasions in the contest.

Senior quarterback Tim Boyle connected with junior Joe Carbone on a 41-yard touchdown pass with 6:12 left to cut the Hillhouse (5-2) lead to 49-42.

On the ensuing drive, Chidi Broderick recovered a fumble to give the Falcons the ball at the Academics' 27-yard line which set up the winning score.

Berry rushed 17 times for 90 yards and scored three times. Boyle gained 39 yards on six carries and scored twice. Junior Andrew Meoli carried nine times for 106 yards and one score for Xavier.

Junior Harold Cooper rushed 20 times for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Je'Vaughn Moore, James Moore and Andre Anderson also had rushing touchdowns. Je'Vaughn Moore threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Darryn Horner.

In non-football related news, this was sent from the CIAC:


Due to the predicted impending inclement weather, and that Thursday November 1 is the last date to count for boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball and field hockey, the CIAC is making the following
adjustments to its season limitations regulations to give schools the greatest opportunity possible to complete their regular season schedules prior to the tournaments:

1) Games scheduled for Monday, October 29-Thursday, November 1 may be
rescheduled to Saturday, October 27 even if the change would put one or
more of the schools involved over the maximum number of games allowed in
the week.

2) Games scheduled for Monday, October 29-Thursday, November 1 may be
rescheduled to Sunday, October 28, providing:

-- The Sunday game is mutually agreed upon by both schools
-- The Sunday game will not start prior to 12:30 p.m.

The CIAC hopes these changes will be helpful to member schools and will
allow them to complete their regular season schedules prior to the last
date to count.

HAND remains No. 1 in Top 10 Poll




FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: New offense helping Old Saybrook co-op program


Entering his second year as coach at Old Saybrook/Westbrook, Rudy Bagos stressed to his players the need to perform better against the better teams in the Pequot Conference.

It’s something the Rams struggled with last season. The co-op, which finished 5-5, suffered losses to Valley Regional/Old Lyme, North Branford, Coginchaug, Cromwell and Haddam-Killingworth. All but Coginchaug qualified for the Class S state playoffs.

In those games, the Rams were shut out three times and combined to score just 12 points. Old Saybrook/Westbrook, though, did defeat perennial league power Hyde, which had a subpar year in 2011.

So there was cause for celebration this past week when the Rams knocked off Coginchaug, earning a hard-fought 22-14 victory at home on Saturday. Coginchaug had allowed just 13 points in its four previous games.

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CIAC PLAYOFF RATINGS
Tuesday Morning Quarterback: Week 6 Highlights
POLL: Who will win Xavier-Hillhouse game? VOTE NOW

VIA PRESS RELEASE


Following Norwich Free Academy’s 51-0 varsity football victory over Stamford on Saturday October 20, NFA has elected to self-impose a penalty of a one-game suspension for varsity football coach
Jemal Davis for violation of the CIAC Score Management policy as written in the CIAC Football Tournament Packet. The CIAC review committee accepted this decision and no further action will be taken. The suspension will be for the game on Saturday at Bacon Academy.

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 6. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


Some interesting games last week:

No. 1 Hand survived against No. 8 West Haven
No. 10 Southington edged No. 9 Glastonbury
No. 5 Windsor rallied past previously unbeaten Middletown

With that being said, this week's ballot:

1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. West Haven
5. Xavier
6. Windsor
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Masuk
10. Southington
11. Berlin
12. North Branford
13. Norwich Free Academy
14. Fairfield Prep
15. Glastonbury

NO. 1 HAND SURVIVES AGAINST NO. 8 WEST HAVEN

MADISON — Down by one following an Ervin Philips touchdown run, eighth-ranked West Haven decided to attempt a two-point conversion in the closing minutes of its contest with No. 1 Hand.

The call was gutsy, but fitting for the type of performance the Westies delivered on the road Saturday at the Surf Club.

West Haven executed the play exactly as it was drawn up, with senior quarterback Javon Taylor rolling right and two receivers emerging from the backfield and getting open in the flat.

The ball was thrown, hit Philips’ fingertips and fell incomplete.

Hand took over, proceeded to run out the clock and escaped with a thrilling 21-20 Southern Connecticut Conference Division I East victory.

PHOTOS: Check out the action from Hand's one-point win over West Haven.


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 BRANFORD has been nominated for the TEAM OF THE WEEK! VOTE!

SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Foran tops ND-West Haven

Quarterback Jake Kasuba completed 20 of 28 passes for 298 yards including two touchdown passes to lead the Foran football team to a 50-35 victory over Notre Dame-West Haven Saturday in a Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision game at Milford.

Nick Weissauer had nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown and added two touchdown runs for the Lions (4-2). Sean Deegan added four catches for 146 yards and two touchdown receptions and Niko DeRosa had 132 yards on 18 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run for Foran.

Cameran Tucker led the Green Knights (1-5) with two touchdown runs.

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 CHESHIRE edges WILBUR CROSS

 FRIDAY'S ROUNDUP 

THURSDAY'S ROUNDUP