Sports
Xavier Routs Norwalk In Class LL Semifinals, 55-14
Bears finish first season under Sean Ireland at 9-2, Xavier will face Staples in Class LL finals next weekend
Xavier showed Norwalk why it is the top-ranked team in the state and hasn't lost in two years.
Ryan Murphy scored two touchdowns for the Falcons, who built a big early lead and coasted to a 55-14 victory over the Bears in the Class LL semifinals Saturday afternoon at Ken Strong Stadium.
Winners of 25 straight games, Xavier (12-0) will face Staples in the state championship game next weekend at UConn's Rentschler Field. The Wreckers rallied from an early 14-point deficit to defeat Newtown 44-20 in Saturday's other semifinal.
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Norwalk ended a banner first season under coach Sean Ireland at 9-2. The Bears qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since 1998 and Tuesday's 36-22 win over Hall was their first postseason victory in school history.
After Mike Mastroiani's 14-yard TD run put Xavier up 6-0, the Bears briefly took a 7-6 lead on Delshawn Wilson's 72-yard TD pass to Andy St. Fleur. Xavier responded with three straight scores to quickly take control.
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Ryan Murphy scored on a 6-yard TD run and caught a 23-yard TD pass from Pat D'Amato, who then scored on a 17-yard keeper to make it 27-7.
Derick Edwards gave Norwalk some hope by returning an interception 11 yards for a TD, but Ryan Jacobucci's 10-yard burst gave the Falcons a 34-14 cushion at the half.
Xavier broke it open in the second half as DeAngelo Berry and Tim Boyle scored on TD runs of 17 and 8 yards. Boyle then capped the scoring with a 27-yard TD pass to Charlton Ortega.
