Amity Loses Tight Game to Fairfield Prep

Fairfield Prep fullback Shane Dempsey’s one-yard plunge into the end zone with 1 minute, 8 seconds left in the game proved to be the difference as the Jesuits edged past Amity 39-32 in a wild Southern Connecticut Conference Division I shootout  Friday night at Alumni Field on the campus of Fairfield University.

“Offensively, they ran simple stuff and we had trouble stopping them because their (offensive) line outplayed our (defensive) line.  Their O line controlled the outcome of the game, especially in the second half. Since last year they have moved No. 75 (Serge Jean-Baptiste) from defense to offense. He’s 6-feet 2-inches and 275 pounds. He’s a big, physical, powerful kid who has good speed and can pull. He’s the key to their offensive line,” Amity Coach Bert Mozealous said.

At the outset of what proved to be a hectic fourth quarter, the two teams were tied at 26-26. Amity (now 2-4) went three-and-out on its first possession of the final session. Prep set up shop at its own 26-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage after the exchange of possession, Jesuit halfback Ryan Dillon raced around his right side and was off on a 56 yard dash before being hauled down from behind by Tyler Bishop at the Spartan 18. Dillon then lugged the ball down to the two. Dempsey scored on the next play to give Fairfield Prep a 32-26 lead with 6 minutes, 54 seconds left in the game. The score remained 32-26 as Regan Hass missed the extra point kick.

Following a 30 yard pass from quarterback Tyler Vallie to Cole German for a first down at midfield, Vallie ripped off an eight yard run and then sprinted 42 yards on a keeper that retied the game at 32-32 with 3:26 to go. Lyle Luth missed the PAT that could have given Amity a one point lead.

According to Mozealous, “If we had been able to kick the extra point we would have taken a one point lead and the pressure would have been on Prep. We have a sophomore kicker (Lyle Luth.) He missed three PAT tonight but he’s going to be a good kicker. He kept pushing the ball to the right, but keep in mind, that Fairfield University previously played on that field, so it has college goal posts, which are two feet narrower that high school goal posts. This is the first time all year that our kicker didn’t do the job. They also missed their share of PATs.”

The Jesuits missed four of five PAT attempts.

Starting from his own 29, Prep QB Tom Brewster set his team on an eight-play, 71 yard game-winning march. Dempsey’s second score of the fourth quarter was set up by a 14 yard scamper by Brewster and back-to-back runs of 20 and 14 yards by Dillon. He gained only 18 yards on four carries in the first half and also let the ball pop out of his hands and into the eager hands of Amity defensive back Cody Ellison, who was off on a 65 yard spring to pay dirt that (with Luth’s PAT)  gave the visitors a 7-0 lead with 6:43 left in the first quarter. Thanks to a sensational second half, Dillon (who was playing in place of the injured Joe McBride) ended up with 172 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries.

Mozealous added, “In retrospect I think we scored that last touchdown too early. We left too much time on the clock. They were able to move offensively because our defensive line wasn’t stopping people. They did a great job hitting our weaknesses and we weren’t able to respond defensively, especially in the second half. Because their line outplayed ours, Prep also controlled time of possession in the second half.”
Answering right back after the Spartans’ first TD, the Jesuits answered  back with a methodical 12 play-74 yard driver that was climaxed by Dempsey’s nine yard run. Xavier Frey missed the extra point so the Spartans retained their 7-6 advantage.

At the outset of the second quarter, Amity launched an eight-play, 63 yard drive that featured James Semmonella’s 28 yard run for a first down at the hosts 14-yard line and ended with Semmonella adding a three yard TD with 10:07 left in the half.

Leading 13-6, Amity kicked off to Prep. On the Jesuits first place from scrimmage, Dennis Flanagan intercepted a Brewster pass at the Jesuit 28 and returned it six yards to the 22. Two plays later Vallie completed a 27 yard TD Pass to Ellison that upped the Spartan lead to 19-6 with 9:10 still left in the first half. In addition to his two scores, Ellison also blocked an extra point and had his huge interception early in the game.

Later in the same stanza Chris Golger fell on a Vallie fumble at the Spartan 21. It took the Jesuits only four plays and slightly more that five minutes to find the end zone. Dempsey’s five yard keeper cut the visitors’ lead to 19-12.

“In the first half, we made some big plays and took advantage of them. We were leading 19-6,” said Mozealous. “Prep punted the ball to us on fourth down and we fumbled the ball away on our first play from scrimmage. They recovered, took the ball in for scored their second TD, and made it 19-12. I think that changed the momentum of the game.”

At the outset of the second half, Prep needed only six plays to again score. Dillon’s 22 yard dash at 9:22 made it a one point game (19-18). Golger failed to hit the potentially game-tying PAT so Amity was able to cling to its’ one point lead.

The one point lead did not last long. Amity’s next possession ended with a fourth down punt that Conor Barr gathered it at his own 45. Behind some excellent blocking, Barr raced down the Prep sideline, then cut across the grain into the open for a 55 yard return that gave the Jesuits a 26-19 lead, after Brewster added a 2-point conversion run.

Later in the third session, sophomore defensive back Ben Fiola intercepted a Brewster pass at the Fairfield Prep 20. Briefly pushed back five yards on a penalty, the Spartans tied the game at 26-26 when Vallie and Ellison teamed on a 24 yard TD toss with 2:20 to go in the period.  Luth missed that PAT that could have given Amity back a one point advantage.

Mozealous said, “No. 81 ( Hass) has a great leg. His kicks really pinned us back deep in our own territory. We couldn’t get good field position because we couldn’t get our returns past the 20-25. As a result, they consistently had better field position.”

Led by Dillon and Brewster (20 carries for 104 yards and one touchdown, the 4-2 Jesuits piled 305 yards on the ground along with 29 yards in the air and a total of 18 first downs.

Amity cashed out with 11 first downs, 158 rushing yards and 109 in the air as Vallie completed seven of 16 throws. The Spartan QB also rang up 92 rushing yards on 15 carries.

The Spartans return home to Sim Field Friday night to host Shelton at 7 p.m.