Rocky Hill Falls in Football Final

NEW BRITAIN, CT — Two teams with diametrically opposite football histories couldn't have been more evenly matched on the field in the Class S championship game at Willow Brook Park Saturday.

Fourth-seeded Rocky Hill was making its first-ever title game appearance against No. 2 Ansonia, holder of a state-record 19 championships in 29 tries.

Both teams exhibited their high-powered offenses early, as Rocky Hill took an early lead and maintained the advantage for just over 35 minutes of play. Unfortunately for the Terriers, a 22-point explosion in a five-minute stretch of the fourth quarter lifted Ansonia to a 28-21 victory and its 20th state title.

Rocky Hill demonstrated some effective trickery in the game's opening minutes, gaining 58 yards on a pass play from running back Grant Nieves to Matt Osgood to the Ansonia 14 yard line. Quarterback Dan Cavallaro rushed for a first down on fourth-and-3, setting up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Joe Catania with 3:31 elapsed.

Markell Dobbs broke free for a 51-yard scoring run less than a minute and a half later, but Nieves blocked the extra point kick by Bryson Cafaro to keep the Terriers in front, 7-6.

Ansonia punted on its next possession, pinning the Terriers on their own 7, but Catania exploded around right end, stiff-arming a Charger defender en route to a 93-yard touchdown that put Rocky Hill in front, 14-6.

The high-scoring opening period was contrasted by no points in the second half, which ended in a controversial fashion when Ansonia's Justin Lopez appeared to catch a pass in the end zone. However, the officials ruled (and video confirmed the call was correct) that Nieves had intercepted the ball, sending the Terriers to the locker room with their eight-point lead intact.

After intermission, Rocky Hill caught a break when Cody Teodosio dropped a pass with no Terrier defender within eight yards of him. Ansonia wound up having to punt on that possession.

Dobbs scored his second touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but Osgood stopped Dobbs on the two-point conversion attempt to keep Rocky Hill in front, 14-12. The very next play became the turning point of the contest, as a squib kickoff was mishandled by the Terriers and recovered by Ansonia at the Rocky Hill 26 yard line.

Faced with fourth-and 4, Cafaro connected on a 20-yard scoring pass to Jake Butler, giving the Chargers their first lead of the day. Cafaro ran for the two-point conversion for a 20-14 Ansonia advantage.

Rocky Hill's next possession featured a 33-yard pass play from Cavallaro to Nieves into Ansonia territory, but the Terrier offense stalled and turned the ball over on downs. On the first play after the change of possession, Dobbs broke off a 34-yard run to the Rocky Hill 26, setting up an 8-yard scoring run by Cafaro, followed by a conversion pass to Teodosio to make it 28-14.

Cavallaro completed a 34-yard pass play to Nieves, and a pair of defensive penalties aided Rocky Hill deep into Charger territory. On fourth-and-10, Cavallaro then found Nieves for a 19-yard scoring hookup with 2:34 left to play.

Nieves briefly got a hand on the ensuing onside kick, but Ansonia recovered on its own 38 yard line and successfully ran out the clock to secure the championship.

Dobbs finished with 191 yards on 34 carries, while Cafaro added 77 yards on the ground.

For the Terriers, Catania gained 192 rushing yards on 22 attempts, while Nieves grabbed four passes for 90 yards.

Ansonia wound up with a perfect 13-0 record, while Rocky Hill finished 11-2.

Photo credits: Tim Jensen