Ned Griffen: The Lonesome Polecat: MIGHTY Windham shakes things up

Oct. 17—Howdy,

One has generally been able to count on the a few things from Windham football over the past few decades: low numbers, not much size, athleticism and rugged dudes.

"I say we have depth this year because I have three kids that don't both play ways on each side," Whippets head coach Randall Prose quipped.

"Coach (Brian) Crudden (Windham's former head coach) and I are good friends and he's like, 'This is what we get. This is the Windham way.' We don't get a ton of numbers. I think I've got, including freshmen, almost 50 kids out so the numbers are better than it had been before."

As for the talent and tough guys, the Whippets still have an abundance of both as they got the attention of the entire state last Friday. They went to Killingly, then ranked sixth in The Day Top 10 state coaches' poll, and raced to a 41-26 win, snapping the latter's 17-game winning streak.

Asked when he noticed his team believed it could win, Prose said, "Right off the rip. (We scored) on the third play (senior Victor Mejia's 69-yard run). They're like, 'Oh, we can play with these guys.'

"'I was like, 'Yeah, I know.'"

Windham (5-0), using its tried-and-true Wing T offense, ran 43 times for 359 yards and six touchdowns.

Killingly (4-1), by comparison, had 296 total yards.

Mejia ran 24 times for 209 yards and three touchdowns while classmate Zack Robinson-Smey ran 10 times for 98 yards and three touchdowns and completed all eight of his passes for 86 yards.

The score would've looked more lopsided if Killingly hadn't scored on the final play.

"We didn't see a weakness that we could attack," Prose said. "There were no big holes or weak spots. Killingly is a very solid football team. You just have to defeat them and our kids were up for that."

State football fans and observers should probably have been more aware of Windham prior to this weekend based on experience. It returned 20 of 22 starters from last year's 5-5 team that won five of its last six games.

"We were optimistic and excited," Prose said about this season. "We thought we had a really good team and the kids are actually living up to the expectations. They're pretty focused.

"We've had some nice surprises from kids that are playing better than we expected and the other kids are right where we expected."

Prose singled out senior Alex Lee (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) and sophomore Malachi Fowler (5-11, 225) as two players who've stepped up this season.

"(Lee) is playing left tackle and defensive end and he had a big hit on (Killingly) quarterback (Thomas Dreibholz) to get an interception," Prose said. "(Fowler) may be the toughest kid on the football team. He plays middle linebacker for us and he just tags people all night long and he plays right guard. And, as you know, in the Wing T the guards are the heart and the soul of the block."

Seniors Francisco Cruz (center, 5-9, 235), Yael Garcia Rodriguez (left tackle, 5-9, 225) and Isaiah Alexis Mangual (right tackle, 6-5, 250) round out Windham's offensive line.

"We have a really good line," Prose said. "We're not huge, but they're athletic and they execute."

Mangual helped the Whippets to the CIAC Division V boys' basketball championship last March, the program's first state title since 1941. Yael Garcia-Rodriguez won the 220-pound championship at last season's Eastern Connecticut Conference wrestling tournament and was runner-up at the Class S tournament.

Windham hasn't thrown much but Robinson-Smey has completed 17 of 28 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He's rushed 38 times for 423 yards and eight touchdowns.

"He loves to run the ball," Prose said. "I have to tell him (he's) a quarterback. You could throw it once in a while."

Senior Travis Mangual Jr. (6-3, 185), another key member of the Division V championship boys' basketball team, has caught 11 passes for 133 yards.

Mejia, a 5-10, 190-pound fullback, leads the team in carries (88), rushing yardage (856) and touchdowns (12). Senior halfback Dustin Solensky has run for two touchdowns.

Windham was so deep at running back that senior Emanual Vazquez (5-10, 190) moved to tight end. He also plays cornerback.

"He probably would've started in the backfield for any Windham team I've been around," Prose said. "There's just so much talent back there. He made a big play on a screen play against Killingly (last) week and he's in there blocking."

The one bummer to Windham's season is that it hasn't played at home yet because its athletic complex is being renovated. It will continue to play its next four games on the road, including New London this Friday, but hopes to play at home against Montville on Nov. 23.

The Whippets have been able to practice at home, though.

"The kids haven't complained at all," Prose said. "We convinced the construction crew to leave us at least enough grass out on the practice field. ... the outfield of the baseball field.

"We have all our equipment in big, giant storage bins, like a temporary container. So we've been, as the kids affectionately call it, living out of the dumpster."

NOTE: "MIGHTY Windham" is a registered trademark of Day sports leader Charles "Chuck" Xerxes Banning, a proud Windham graduate (Class of 1948).

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A few other games of note from Week 6:

No. 7 Greenwich 36, No. 3 St. Joseph 26

The weekend's most anticipated game didn't disappoint.

The Cardinals' Jack Wilson was the man as he completed 16 of 23 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown and ran six times for 68 yards and three scores, including scoring from 4 yards out with 1:22 left in the game to ice the win.

Jack Konigsberg added 12 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown for Greenwich (4-1) and Charlie Dixon had seven catches for 115 yards. Also, James Wailgum had five catches for 77 yards and a score and Dominic DeLuca and Griffin Galletta each had a sack.

Will Singewald completed 19 of 36 passes for 238 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for the Cadets (4-1). Mickey Covino had six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, Brandon Hutchinson had seven catches for 69 yards and a score and Keenan Fraczek had a sack.

Masuk 31, Bunnell 28

Masuk may be the state's most exciting team because, win or lose, one is going to get their $$$$ worth at its games.

Freshman Jackson Zylick kicked a game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired as the Panthers rallied for wild home win last Friday.

Masuk (3-2) trailed 14-0 after one quarter.

Jason Champagne ran 24 times for 134 yards and three touchdowns and caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers, who should by now be used to berserk games. They started the season by rallying from a 20-point halftime deficit at Trumbull and took the lead with 26 seconds left. The Eagles, however, scored the go-ahead touchdown for a 49-43 win (Sept. 9).

Two weeks later, Masuk gave host St. Joseph all it could handle in a 24-21 road loss. The Panthers scored twice in the final nine minutes to cut their deficit to three but a game-tying 41-yard field goal with 3.7 seconds left glanced off the cross bar.

Masuk beat New Milford 36-28 on Sept. 30.

Michael Trovarelli did all he could to get Bunnell a win. He ran 31 times for 171 yards and two touchdowns, threw a 49-yard touchdown pass and scored on an 83-yard punt return for the Bulldogs (3-1). Rohan Terrell added 13 tackles and Eamon Moran had 12.

Fairfield Prep 33, Cheshire 10

Prep has had a rough go to start the season after finishing as the CIAC Class LL runner-up last year.

To wit:

Lost its season opener to Belen Prep of Miami, Florida, 15-14 (Sept. 9).

Lost to New Canaan 14-7 despite having the edge in both offensive yardage (155-93) and holding the Rams to six first downs.

Lost to unbeaten Hamden 42-27 on Sept. 30.

The Jesuits weren't winning. ... but they also weren't losing to jabronis, either.

Prep looked nothing like a 2-3 team last Friday as it took apart unbeaten Cheshire, scoring the game's final 33 points.

Malachi Mercer-Robinson ran 17 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns for the Jesuits and Wally Wuchiski added 18 carries for 125 yards and a score. JaVere Cannonier also scored the team's first touchdown on a 64-yard fumble return and Mason Frey scored from 80 yards out after a blocked field goal.

Darien 18, Wilton 15

Here's last Friday night's other thriller.

Wilton's Thomas McKiernan caught a 45-yard touchdown pass and Peter Reyes' 2-point conversion gave his team a 15-12 lead with 1:17 remaining.

The Blue Wave got the ball back at their own 29-yard line six seconds later with two timeouts left.

Trevor Herget made two big catches to help Darien move down field and Jake Wilson ran for a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown with 8 seconds left.

YOWZAH.

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Last Saturday was a good one for Woodstock Academy.

The Centaurs blanked Bacon Academy 28-0 with Sean Saucier, their head coach, back on the sidelines.

Saucier has been away from the game since his son, Braiden, the starting quarterback, suffered a medical emergency during the first half of Woodstock's season opener at Enfield (Sept. 9).

Teddy Richardson threw touchdown passes for 50, NINETY-SEVEN and 12 yards to Carter Saracina for Woodstock (2-3) and threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Nagle.

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BEHOLD, The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Southington (5-0, six first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (5-0, three first-place votes); 3. Maloney (5-0, three first-place votes); 4. Greenwich; 5. West Haven (5-0, one first-place vote); 6. St. Joseph; 7. Hamden (5-0); 8. Shelton (4-1); 9. North Haven (4-1); 10. Notre Dame-West Haven (4-1).

It's a bit odd that Notre Dame is behind North Haven as it beat the latter 14-7 on Sept. 16.

Voters, however, have backed North Haven more since it upset then-No. 1 Shelton 18-10 on Sept. 30.

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The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Southington (17 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (5-0, seven first-place votes); 3. Maloney; 4. Greenwich; 5. West Haven; 6. Shelton; 7. St. Joseph; 8. Ansonia (5-0); 9. Hamden; 10. Killingly.

Killingly four spots ahead of Windham? OK.

Ansonia is No. 11 in The Day coaches' poll and Killingly is No. 14.

North Haven is No. 12 in the media poll and Notre Dame-West Haven is No. 18.

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Ned Freeman's cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps: 1. New Canaan; 2. West Haven; 3. Southington; 4. Notre Dame-West Haven (4-1); 5. Greenwich; 6. St. Joseph; 7. North Haven; 8. Maloney; 9. Hamden; 10. Staples.

Shelton was No. 11, Killingly No. 24 and Ansonia No. 32.

Fairfield Prep is the new owner of the state's top-ranked schedule. It's lost to New Canaan (14-7) and Hamden (42-27) and beaten Cheshire.

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Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:

1. Southington

2. Greenwich

3. St. Joseph: No penalty for losing to our No. 2 team by 10 points.

4. West Haven

5. Maloney

6. Hamden

7. New Canaan

8. Notre Dame-West Haven: Beat our number nine team (14-7, Sept. 16). Its loss was to our number four team (25-8, Sept. 9).

9. North Haven

10. Shelton

11. Staples

12. Newtown

13. Fairfield Prep: Looking past its record and who it's played.

14. Trumbull

15. Berlin

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NOTABLE DUDES~!

Hunter Agosti and Rowan Johnston, Trumbull: Nothing shocking — Johnston had another multi-touchdown game for the Eagles in last Friday's 42-14 win over Stamford. The junior ran 23 times for 172 yards and three touchdowns to give him 21 TDs through five games. Agosti completed 13 of 27 passes for 185 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for Trumbull (4-1).

Jansyn Booth, Hartford Public: Booth threw three touchdown passes in last Friday's 26-0 win over Tolland. The Owls (4-1) are off to their best start since 2012 when they finished 7-3. They won a total of five games the previous three seasons and haven't won more than three games since 2014 when they finished 6-5.

Jaxon Barboza, James Green, Jacob Lenz and Jackson Poutlon, Ledyard: Green ran 24 times for 289 yards and three touchdowns in last Friday's 34-22 win over Waterford. Poulton had 13 carries for 122 yards and a score, Lenz scored on a 32-yard run and had nine tackles and Barboza had 12 tackles for the Colonels (5-0).

Lucas Coleman, Nick Covino and Charlie Gulbin, Fairfield Warde: Gulbin was an efficient 11 of 14 passing for 169 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another in last Friday's 40-20 win over Bridgeport Central. Coleman caught four passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns and Covino had seven tackles, including two for a loss.

Drew Colesworthy and Justin McCormack, New Fairfield: McCormack ran 19 times for 155 yards and four touchdowns and completed 8 of 14 passes for 84 yards as the REBELS edged Weston 26-20. Colesworthy had 14 tackles for New Fairfield.

Kyle Colsey and Justin Keller, Ridgefield: Keller was an absurd 11-of-11 passing for 269 yards and five touchdowns in last Saturday's 42-0 thumping of Westhill. Colsey had four catches for 165 yards and three scores for the Tigers (3-2).

Jack Cushman, Joe Gaetano and Josh Smith, Foran: Cushman threw for 243 yards and five touchdowns as the Lions struck down Branford last Friday 35-14. Gaetano scored on passes of 22 and 19 yards and Smith scored on passes of 5 and 58 yards for Foran, which is 5-0 for the first time since 2015.

Zuri Craig and Chris Jones, New London: Jones ran 16 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns as the Whalers rallied for a 14-12 win over Weaver last Saturday. Craig intercepted a pass at the New London 8-yard line with 2.9 seconds remaining to ice the game.

Tyler DeSousa, David Dojlidko, Ryan Heinz and Jeff Wojowicz, Shelton: Dojlidko ran eight times for 145 yards and two touchdowns and DeSousa added six carries for 106 yards and two scores as the Gaels downed Norwich Free Academy last Friday 49-28. Ryan Heinz had 14 tackles and Jeff Wojowicz added 13 tackles, including a sack.

Alex Fiala and Caleb Smith, Staples: Smith completed 13 of 22 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns and scooted for 113 yards and two scores on 13 carries as the WRECKERS doubled up Danbury last Friday 42-21. Fiala added 19 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Charlie Gruetnzer, Jayvionne Hill, Aiden McGrath and Noah Miller, Abbott Tech/Immaculate: Miller had four catches for 93 yards and a touchdown and ran for a 10-yard score as THE UNITED blanked Prince Tech last Saturday 43-0. Gruetnzer scored on a 24-yard fumble return, Hill scored on an 81-yard interception return and McGrath threw two touchdown passes for ATI (4-1).

Hamden: Shawn Mills ran four times for 74 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 35-yard touchdown pass for the Green Dragons in last Friday's 54-26 win over Amity. JJ Gibson ran three times for 48 yards and a touchdown and completed 4 of 6 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown for Hamden and Tyshaun Davender needed just six carries to rack up 104 yards and two touchdowns.

Nate Hynes, Waterford: Threw for 101 yards and a touchdown and ran for 82 yards and scored in last Friday's loss to Ledyard.

Dylan MAGAZU, Caleb Smith and Mark Sokk, Newtown: Magazu ran nine times for 142 yards and four touchdowns as the Nighthawks ran down New Milford last Friday 48-12. Smith had 16 carries for 196 yards and two touchdowns and Sokk added 18 tackles (what?) for Newtown (4-1).

Ronin McNamara and Aiden Patterson, East Lyme: Patterson ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning 10-yard run, as the Vikings got past Griswold/Wheeler in overtime last Friday 27-20. McNamara threw two touchdowns, one of which went to Patterson for 35 yards.

Noah Miller, Abbott Tech/Immaculate: Miller had five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown and ran three times for 32 yards and a score as THE UNITED thumped Prince Tech last Saturday 43-0.

Joey Montalvo, East Catholic: The freshman scored three touchdowns in last Friday's 38-22 win over Lewis Mills. The Eagles (4-1) lead Tier 4 in the Central Connecticut Conference.

New Canaan: Its defense allowed just 59 yards in last Saturday's 45-0 shutout of Norwalk. Yep, 59 yards. Jack Buttine had a sack and Walker Blair added an interception for the Rams. Hunter Telesco also ran seven times for 62 yards and two touchdowns.

Notre Dame (Fairfield variant): Got a few dudes to list here, starting with Antwan Davis, who needed all of seven carries to rush for 147 yards and two touchdowns in last Friday's 41-0 shutout of Bethel. Who else, who else. Bryson RAZOR completed 8 of 14 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were caught by Joey Dejesus (three catches, 114 yards) for the Lancers while Raijon Pettway ran seven times for 87 yards and a touchdown, caught a 51-yard pass and had eight tackles. ALSO, Damon (not Dr. Julius) Hibbert added four catches for 122 yards with five tackles and an interception, Ariel Hanley had eight tackles (including two sacks) and Tristan Jones had nine tackles. We're pretty sure that covers it.

Cole Peterson, Scott Romano, Danny Shaban and Dylan Taylor, Barlow: Shaban had a team-high eight carries for 62 yards and three touchdowns and completed both of his passes for 50 yards and a score as the Falcons raced past Brookfield last Friday 49-8. Taylor ran five times for 77 yards and two touchdowns and had two interceptions, Romano ran three times for 96 yards and a score and Peterson had nine tackles.

Jacob Staton, Notre Dame (West Haven variant): Staton ran for 120 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 47-yard interception return as the Green Knights stepped on Hand last Friday 34-7. The Green Knights will be a headache should they qualify for the Class M playoffs (they still have to play at Cheshire (Friday), Prep (Nov. 4) and Hamden (Thanksgrabbing Day) in addition to hosting Shelton (Nov. 11).

North Haven: YOUR favorite importer of GOD'S FATHER'S OFFENSE had TWELVE players run for touchdowns in last Friday's 55-0 triumph over Harding. The Nighthawks ran 31 times for 354 yards and seven touchdowns, led by Jeffrey Karavas (seven carries, 72 yards, three touchdowns). Karavas also had an interception, Jayden Roby had seven tackles and an interception and Eric Vetrano was 6-for-6 on extra point attempts.

Cole Tepedino, Pomperaug: Ran for two touchdowns and added an interception as the Panthers blanked Stratford last Friday 20-0 to snap a 14-game losing streak. Pomperaug's last win was over Notre Dame-Fairfield, 47-33, on Thanksgrabbing Day 2019 (Nov. 28).

Thames River: Ryan Outlow ran five times for 136 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half of last Friday's 61-0 rout of Montville. Jack Philistin competed 3 of 5 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, Javion Velez scored on a 56-yard interception return and a 50-yard touchdown pass and Matt Pero caught a 71-yard touchdown pass and added an interception for the Crusaders (4-0). Seth Cunningham also ran five times for 110 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown to open the second half, and Gavin Jamenson kicked seven extra points.

West Haven: Eight different Blue Devils scored in last Friday's 59-6 rout of Wilbur Cross. Jeremiah Francis ran for a 72-yard touchdown, Avian Evans scored on an 85-yard interception return and Nick Conlan threw a 62-yard touchdown to Teriq Mallory, among others, for the Westies.

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Thanks for reading. More soon.

Adios....