Sports
A Night To Rally And Remember For Fitch Football
Upset of New London Best Falcon Win In Over A Decade
At midterm report card time for Eastern Connecticut Conference football, undefeated New London and NFA made high honors, and once-beaten Waterford, Ledyard and Stonington solidly made honor roll.
The team sitting alone on probation? Fitch.
This season was projected as a renaissance for the ECC's powerhouse program in the late '90s. Veteran quarterback, bruising feature back, brought plenty of size and speed for veteran coach Mike Emery. Pieces were in place to win at least eight games for the first-time since the last of four straight state title games in 2001.
Find out what's happening in Grotonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Self-inflicted wounds, though, stalled any plans for a storybook season. Disciplinary issues caused Emery to suspend players and make lineup changes. Offensive woes triggered an uncompetitive 30-6 loss to .500 Danbury and surprising letdowns in the last minutes to Waterford and Stonington.
Before any playoff standings were published, Fitch's 1-3 start dashed postseason hopes in a stacked Class L field. A season of promise looked wasted before the MLB playoffs.
Find out what's happening in Grotonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"We've had a lot of issues we've had to overcome," Emery said. "When you have those types of issues, either one of two things happen. Either you go straight down or it makes you even better."
Emery turned back the clock to glory days, reverting the offense back to Double Wing T and re-installing two-year starter Derek Baldoz, a player sitting games out for disciplinary reasons, at quarterback. Retro Fitch sparked a 34-0 win over East Lyme, setting the stage for a special night Friday against undefeated New London.
It's been a good 10 years since Fitch, once owner of a 50-game local winning streak, ruled ECC football. The Falcons have posted decent winning teams and reached one CIAC playoff in 2005. But while East Lyme, New London and Ledyard have won state titles in the new millennium, Fitch hadn't beaten New London, hadn't won eight games or lost fewer than two in a year since 2001.
Fitch's 14-0 win sent shockwaves throughout the ECC and state. Beating the Whalers was stunning in itself. To shut out a team averaging 44 points, featuring dazzling speed and a back (Kyle McKinnon) on target for NL records ranks as one of the most remarkable achievements in recent ECC football.
Emery and his staff employed six pass defenders most of the game. The secondary of Baldoz, Johnathan Conley, Dashawn Frederick, Jemal Annabalini-Winston and James Wright, and outside linebackers Lexus Gordon and Liddell Reece contained the electric duo of Jevon Elmore and Khaleed Fields. Inside linebackers Mike Siniero and Pat Kirkwood got in the act, knocking down passes.
With the team selling out against the pass, 280-pound tackle Cody Wheeler led the gang effort to keep McKinnon (21 for 154) in check. It was a remarkable defensive effort for a team that torched a good Ledyard team for 26 points in one quarter and Class LL Greenwich for 51 points in its only loss.
"To our credit, the kids rose above the early-season adversity," Emery said. "Our defense has been strong all season. We rushed three most of the game and concentrated on coverage. Certainly to shut out a team that has rolled up yards and points like New London, it makes this a very significant win."
New London was not missing any players, but obviously was frustrated that Fitch proved just as athletic, matching its speed and playing more physical at the line of scrimmage. Baldoz was not spectacular at quarterback, but he did not make any mistakes, while counterpart Rob Key, who has passed for nearly 1,000 yards in a great season to date, fumbled twice in key spots.
One of his fumbles inside the 10 spurred a Fitch championship-like, fourth quarter, 92-yard drive. Baldoz found tight ends Christian Charron and Mike Siniero for 25-yard passes, and drew NL offsides twice with hard counts leading to his own 1-yard qb sneak with four minutes left and a 7-0 lead.
Ian Boyd's ensuing squib kickoff bounced off a NL lineman and was recovered by Boyd. Three players later, Saffwan Davis roared in from 41 yards out to seal the win.
"New London has a lot of weapons, but we've got weapons too," Baldoz said. "Speed on both sides, strength on both sides, a perfect matchup. We're a completely different team now than earlier. This team shows we can compete with the best."
The now inconceivable losses to Waterford and Stonington, fine teams but not as talented, may keep Fitch out of state playoffs, but there is still much on the table. The Falcons (4-3 overall, 2-0 division) can win the ECC Large outright if it beats NFA. In a division with New London and Ledyard, that would be a jewel of an accomplishment.
"The ECC Large is always our first goal here," Emery said. "It's always something we shoot for."
And on one late October night, Fitch football turned back time and turned the order of ECC football on its ear, holding New London, still in line to make postseason, scoreless. For one night, Fitch ruled ECC football again, evoking memories of dominant pasts.
But truthfully, it also stirred present thoughts of what might have been. As one long-time Fitch follower said, mimicking the famous line in the classic film "On the Waterfront" ... "I could've been a contender."
