Travis Stella's TD With 28 Seconds Left Gives Wilton 35-28 Win over Fairfield Warde

Every time the Wilton and Fairfield Warde football teams get together, the game seems to come down to the last minute and Friday night was no different.

Travis Stella scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds remaining as the Warriors rallied in the fourth quarter for a wild 35-28 victory over the Mustangs at Tetreau-Davis Field.

Wilton quarterback Sean Carroll, who rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns running the Warriors' option attack, was not surprised that the game was decided in the final minute.

"Warde and us are very similiar teams," he said. "We are both ground-and-pound, four yards and a cloud of dust. We were expecting a huge battle with them and it's great to come out on top. They're a very good football team."

Friday's contest was a battle of 4-4 teams looking to win their final two to finish 6-4. Wilton now can secure a winning season with a victory over Trinity Catholic on Thanksgiving while Warde needs a win over Fairfield Ludlowe for its third straight 5-5 campaign under coach Duncan Della Volpe.

"It's just amazing that when we get crucial plays in the game, things always go against us," Della Volpe said. "It's just unbelievable. We stop them on fourth down and there's a penalty and we give them a chance to get a touchdown. I feel terrible for our seniors because they just can't catch a break."

Della Volpe was referring to a questionable pass interference penalty on 4th-and-9 from the Mustangs' 20 with Warde up 21-14.

Kerven Jacques batted down the pass, but was called for a penalty. One of the officials indicated that Jacques put his hand on the back of the receiver to impede him. Della Volpe didn't see it that way.

"I saw a good defensive play and I've seen it time and again," he said. "For a game that had no penalties called, there's one penalty - it was on fourth down when we stop them. It's amazing that's the only penalty in the whole game."

The Warriors took advantage to tie the contest on Connor Devane's 1-yard TD run, then scored twice in the final four minutes, including a game-tying 80-yard run straight up the middle by Carroll, to erase a 28-21 deficit.

"It shows great resilience by our team, especially the offensive line," Carroll said. "That fourth quarter, we pounded the ball right down their throats. We weren't letting up. I don't think we passed more than five times in the second half.

"It's great when you don't have to. You can stick to one part of the game. It shows great determination and focus by our offense to score 14 points the last five minutes of the game."

After Carroll's 3-yard TD gave the Warriors a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, Warde's Dave Wolff capped an eight-play, 80-yard with a 6-yard TD early in the second period.

Following a 7-7 tie at the intermission, things opened up in the second half as the Mustangs scored on their first three possessions. Joe Marx had two long touchdowns after Wolff hyperextended his ankle.

After Chris Foley's 7-yard TD pass to Kevin Sullivan staked the Mustangs to a 14-7 lead, Marx scored on a 66-yard burst in which he broke several tackles, then took a screen pass 61 yards to give Warde a 28-21 lead with 9:44 remaining.

"(Marx) was a beast," Della Volpe said. "He had to pick it up because poor David Wolff was injured again. That was two great runs."

After tying the game on Carroll's 80-yard run, the Warriors forced a three-and-out and kept the ball on the ground.

Carroll picked up 10, Devane ripped off 29 and Stella churned out 18, resulting in a 1st-and-goal at the 3. Stella scored the game-winning TD two plays later. Warde reached Wilton's 42, but a final, desperation pass was broken up to seal the win.

Now the Warriors have a chance to finish 6-4 after winning four games last year.

"That's what you play for, but we'll worry about that next week," Wilton coach Bruce Cunningham said. "I just want them to enjoy this. We don't play for 10 days, so we're going to enjoy this one."

Wilton finished with nearly 400 yards rushing, as Devane ran for 98 yards on 15 carries and Stella added 82 yards on 10 attempts.

"Coach Cunningham is an excellent coach and he has this program headed in the right direction," Carroll said.

For Warde, Marx surpassed the century mark with 111 yards on 10 carries and Devin Lofton added 92 yards on 12 totes.