New London has never been afraid to face talented teams in its non-conference schedule. While the Whalers are consistently one of the top teams in the Eastern Connecticut Conference every year, they've made it a point to schedule tough opponents across the state to show their worth to outside the I-395 corridor.
In the last two years, New London has played, and beaten, a team from the Southern Connecticut Conference — Sheehan in 2009 — and the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference — Wilton in 2010.
On Friday, New London took the two-hour drive to play another FCIAC opponent in seven-time state-champion Greenwich and beat the Cardinals handily, 51-33. After a week of uncertainty as to when and where the game would be played — West Haven and Bunnell high schools were possible venues — the Whalers were ready to go Friday night and it showed in the victory.
"Everybody was talking about where we're gonna play, all this stuff, and it just came to a point where we were like, 'Hey, we just wanna play,' " New London coach Jeff Larson said. "We'll drive to Florida to play, just let us play. And these kids came out and they played."
While the Whalers typically fight for ECC supremacy with teams such as Montville and Norwich Free Academy, it's in the non-conference games where they can see what the team will do in the playoffs, which it hasn't missed since 2006.
"I love close games, especially against a powerhouse like Greenwich," New London defensive back Jevon Elmore said about Greenwich's one-point lead at halftime. "The ECC, that's our hometown (conference) but going out and playing those teams that you know are going to get you better for the playoffs, that's what we want at New London."
Familiar surroundings
Killingly's victory over Woodstock on Friday was significant because it was the first win for the Redmen on their new field. For Killingly head coach Chad Neal, the win had added significance because of the coaches on the opposing sideline.
"Gary Brine is a former head coach here. Gene Blain is a former head coach. They won a state title here," Neal said. "We have a lot of respect for those guys and it means a lot to beat them because we have so much respect."
The coaching dynamic added another take to an already intense rivalry between the Northeast schools.
Following the loss, Brine had little to say about the rivalry.
"It doesn't mean anything to me," Brine said. "It doesn't mean anything coming back here, playing here. This field means nothing. The school means nothing. I have no feelings."
Despite having issues with asthma and cramping throughout the contest, Killingly running back Jay-R Richeeds rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns. He spoke of the importance of the win, but also said he knew of the importance for Neal.
"He wanted us to win and he wanted us to make a statement and that is what we did (Saturday)," Richeeds said. "It was a big game."
Coming up short
There are a lot of sore spots for Fitch to point to in its 13-12 loss at home to Stonington.
Given a short field off of failed fourth-down conversions, the Falcons did fine, but there were many missed opportunities elsewhere.
"We moved it OK," Fitch coach Mike Emery said. "I thought we moved it OK all night; it was just the mistakes."
On their opening possession, the Falcons marched 58 yards to the Bears' 12-yard line, only to produce a one-yard gain and a false start before two incomplete passes kept them off the scoreboard.
Fitch's next possession came courtesy of a fumble recovery at the Stonington 40. That drive stalled at the 25 without points.
The Falcons opened the second half with a 36-yard run by Saffwan Davis, but an interception stopped them at the Bears 30.
New approach
Coaching is all about adjustments, whether it's finding the right motivational tools or making changes in the offensive or defensive schemes.
After an 0-2 start, Quinebaug Valley coach Shane Szydlo addressed both during the week, resulting in a 48-14 win over winless Wilcox Tech.
Quarterback Jason Authier, who had a hand in all 28 points the Pride scored in the first half, said the team had a number of goals.
"Intensity was the No. 1 goal, because last week (a 42-14 loss to Prince Tech), we really didn't have whole team effort. Hard hits is what we wanted to do. ... The coaches went over a new line blocking scheme and that worked well."
Szydlo also credited the mental approach.
"It was a good locker room and that transpired down here to the pre-game, which was really good," he said. "The team's offense was very good."
Different directions
To this point, it's been a tale of two seasons for East Lyme and St. Bernard/Norwich Tech.
The Vikings, behind Chad Berry's three-touchdown effort, rolled to a 41-7 win over the Saints. For St. Bernard/Norwich Tech, the loss left more questions than answers as the Saints have allowed 82 points while mustering only seven in losing two straight.
"When I took the job, I knew it was going to be a learning curve for the kids and it wasn't going to be easy," first-year St. Bernard coach Scott Cook said. "But on the bright side, they didn't give up. We got seven points on the board."
East Lyme coach Paul Tenaglia was happy with how his team performed close to the goal line.
"We were big in the red zone, and I stress the red zone all the time and the kids know that," he said.
Said Berry: "Everyone stepped up and played their rolls to the highest potential. I saw a lot of guys making big plays."
Playmaker
Norwich Free Academy sophomore Marcus Outlow is demanding more touches on the ball. Not vocally, but through his performance on the field.
Outlow touched the ball seven times on Friday night against Plainfield and on three of those occasions found the end zone.
He caught three passes for 118 yards for a 39.3 yard-per-catch average, and had touchdowns of 43 and 56 yards.
"That's a darn good average, and we missed him a couple of times where he could have had more," NFA coach Jemal Davis said.
"Me and (quarterback Erik) Washburn have been working on our timing in practice, because in the past few practices, we've been off-target," Outlow said. "We just wanted to stay out there with each and made sure we had the timing down. I just try to go out and give 100 percent with everything I do."
On the ground, Outlow only touched the ball four times and finished with 77 yards (a 19.2 ypc average), including a 53-yard touchdown jaunt.
Why hasn't Outlow seen the ball more?
"It's just our system. Based on what they give us, we're going to do different things," Davis said. "What he's doing, when it's his opportunity, he's taking advantage of it. If he's in a situation where we can get him 15 carries, who knows what will happen?"
Opposing coaches are not eager to find out.
"We have a lot of weapons on this team and I'm still young; there are a lot of guys before me," Outlow said. "I know my future will be bright and I'm going to have to touch the ball a lot more so I'm grateful for what I have right now."
A helping hand
Montville guard Isaiah Holloway knew it wasn't legal, but if it wasn't caught? No harm, no foul.
Up 13-3 in the third quarter, Montville was driving and was at the Bacon Academy 5-yard line. Fullback Ken Strecker took the handoff and went into the line, and apparently was stopped around the 3-yard line. Holloway, on his knees near the end line, grabbed Strecker's jersey and threw the back over the goal line. No official picked up on it.
"I'm going to be dead honest, I have no idea what happened," Strecker said. "I rolled, somebody hit my knee so I lifted it and tried to tuck and I stood up and realized I was in the end zone. (Holloway's) a big man; he could have picked me up and threw me if he wanted to."
Then Strecker turned to Holloway standing nearby and blurted out, "Thank you, you got me a touchdown."
The offensive lineman was more than happy to oblige his teammate.
"I know I'm not supposed to do that, but I saw him, and I was like, 'Kenny is getting this touchdown right now,' because we worked too hard to get down the field and get a touchdown," Holloway said. "I just grabbed him and threw him in."
Strecker finished with 171 hard-fought yards on 23 carries and scored twice.
"Kenny had been running hard the whole game. Look at him: He's covered in dirt and grime, he's been getting hit hard all game and he deserves to get as many touchdowns as he can," Holloway said. "My job is to make sure he does."
Any way he can.
Players of the Week
Offense: Kyle McKinnon, New London. The senior running back rushed for 250 yards on 30 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 11, 68 and 25 yards in a 51-33 win over Greenwich on Friday. It was his second straight three-touchdown game.
Defense: Jevon Elmore, New London. The senior defensive back had three interceptions in a 51-33 win over Greenwich on Friday, including one for a 34-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that capped off a momentum-shifting second half for the Whalers.
Special teams: Jason Authier, Quinebaug Valley. The senior returned a fumbled kickoff nine yards for a score, kicked three extra points and hit a 34-yard field goal.
Quotable
"They're a quality team. Their defense is tough, big, it was a dogfight." — Montville offensive lineman Isaiah Holloway, on Bacon's defensive effort against the Indians.
"Go Kyle! Go Kyle! And don't get caught!" — New London coach Jeff Larson, while watching running back Kyle McKinnon rush for a 68-yard touchdown with five minutes left in the first half of the Whalers' 51-33 win over Greenwich on Friday.
"We've punted already about 17 times this year in three games. We only punted all of three times in all of 2010. We've had to change what we do because of the personnel we have. It's not a knock on our offensive guys, we just don't have freaks all over the place who score at a moment's notice like a video game." — Montville coach Tanner Grove, on his team's lessened offensive ability this year.
This Week in History
Oct. 8, 1983: Putnam 14, Griswold 0. Bob Mooney scored on a 13-yard run off a lateral from Rusty Green, who caught a pass from Scott Belanger, and Tino Rovero added a 1-yard run for the Clippers, who won their fourth straight en route to a 10-0 regular season.
Game of the Week
Ledyard at New London, 6:30 p.m., Friday: The two-hour drive last Friday to Greenwich didn't seem to bother New London, which put 51 points on the board. The Whalers stay home to host Ledyard, which had a week off. Colonels quarterback John Rainey will be tested by a secondary that already has returned three interceptions for scores.
On the air
Friday: 6:05 p.m., WXLM (980 AM): Waterford at Fitch.
Saturday: 12:45 p.m., WINY (1350 AM): Griswold at Woodstock.
7 p.m., WCTX (TV-9): Ledyard at New London (tape delay).
Playoff picture
Class LL: 1. Xavier 113.33; 2. Newtown 110, Conard 110.00, Pomperaug 110.00, Norwalk 110.00; 6. West Haven 106.67, Hall 106.67, Hartford Public 106.67.
Class L: 1. Daniel Hand 123.33; 2. Windsor 116.67; 3. Coventry-Windham Tech 115.00, New London 115.00; 5. New Canaan 110.00, Bunnell 110.00, North Haven 110.00; 8. Naugatuck 106.67, Masuk 106.67.
Class M: 1. Ansonia 116.67; 2. Bullard Havens Tech 113.33; 3. Ledyard 110.00, Berlin 110.00, Montville 110.00; 6. Ellington-Somers 103.33; 7. Bethel 80.00, Wolcott 80.00.
Class S: 1. Holy Cross 130.00; 2. Capital Prep-Classical Magnet 120.00, Cromwell 120.00; 4. Northwest Catholic 115.00; 5. Valley Regional-Old Lyme 113.33; 6. Coginchaug 110.00, Bloomfield 110.00, Seymour 110.00.
Marc Allard, Tim Ehrens, Peter Koiva, Joe Perez and Brett Poirier contributed to this report.
03 Oct, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGJkRqtteg7nHuA2lIANwQLagWP2w&url=http://www.norwichbulletin.com/mysource/highschoolhuddle/x1461792145/H-S-notebook-Whalers-travel-far-to-show-their-talent
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