Hurricanes’ one-two punch is too much for Simsbury

SIMSBURY, Oct. 23, 2009 – New Britain High quarterback Rafal Garcarz softened up the undefeated Simsbury High football team Friday night in a light rain. And then teammate Kaiuway Boima broke them down.

Garcarz carved up the Trojans, completing 19 of 26 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown. But it was Boima who scored two touchdowns and rushed for 75 of his game-high 122 yards in the fourth quarter as the emotional Hurricanes snapped a two-game losing streak by handing Simsbury its first loss of the season, 40-25.

The game was much closer than the final score. The Hurricanes (3-3) scored a pair of touchdowns in the final three minutes of the game, including its final touchdown after Simsbury (5-1) coughed up the ball on its own 35-yard line with 2:35 remaining.

Simsbury held a 25-20 lead after three quarters but New Britain’s Chris Linares intercepted QB Kyle Decker and returned the ball 24 yards to the Simsbury 46-yard line on the second play of the fourth quarter.

Boima was the workhorse, carrying the ball on six of seven plays for 31 yards, including a one-yard leap into the end zone for a touchdown with 8:03 remaining. Facing third down and one from Simsbury 23, Garcarz hit Kian Downes on a quick pass for a 15-yard gain to keep the drive alive.

The two-point conversion pass failed but New Britain extended its lead to 26-25 lead with 8:03 left.

Simsbury gained just two yards on its next possession and punted with New Britain taking over on its own 42 yard line. The Hurricane drove to the Simsbury 28 and faced third down and nine but Garcarz found Tebucky Jones, Jr., on a slant and he cut back across the field, broke a few tackles and scored with 2:47 left. Garcarz’s successful conversion run extended the lead to 34-25.

Simsbury fumbled on its next and Boima, who ran for 75 yards and 2 TDs in the fourth quarter, scored three plays later with 1:33 remaining.

Garcarz foiled Simsbury for the first three quarters, converting on numerous third down conversions to keep New Britain’s hands on the ball. In New Britain’s first drive of the game, he converted on three consecutive third down possessions with a 12-yard pass, a 27-yard scamper and a 13-yard scramble.

On a fourth down and six early in the second quarter, he fired a 16-yard pass between two Simsbury defenders to Kian Downes for a touchdown.

“He managed the game the best he has done all year,” a jubilant New Britain coach Paul Morrell said. “He played within the system.”

Garcarz made 12 of his 19 completions in the first half, including a run where he completed on six of seven attempts. He enabled New Britain to run 38 offensive plays in the first half compared to 19 for Simsbury.

New Britain scored on its opening drive, eating up 6:11 by marching 65 yards on 15 plays. Boiway had a 1-yard TD run but the extra point was blocked. Simsbury responded with a 59-yard march on 12 running plays capped off by Decker’s 1-yard run up the middle.

New Britain 40, Simsbury 25
At Simsbury
New Britain (3-3)    6   8   0  20 – 40
Simsbury (5-1)         0 13  12   0 – 25
First quarter
NB: Kaiuway Boima 1 run (kick blocked), 5:43
Second quarter
S: Kyle Decker 1 run (James Poggio kick), 11:56
NB: Kian Downes 16 pass from Rafal Garcarz (Tebucky Jones, Jr. pass from Garcarz), 10:03
S: Decker 39 run (kick blocked), 8:44
NB: Garcarz 5 run (kick fails), 0:32
Third quarter
S: Connely Cummings 5 run (kick wide), 8:42
S: Cummings 4 run (pass fails), 6:50
Fourth quarter
NB: Boima 1 run (pass fails), 8:03
NB: Jones 28 pass from Garcarz (Garcarz run), 2:47
NB: Boima 19 run (no attempt), 1:33
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Simsbury – Colby Vanderbeck 8-46, Kevin Kucinskas 7-29, Kyle Decker 9-57, Josh Helmkamp 1-6, Connely Cummings 10-64; New Britain – Kaiuway Boima 24-122, Rafal Garcarz 7-44
PASSING: Simsbury – Decker 1-3-1, 33; Kucinskas 1-2-0, 22; New Britain – Garcarz 19-26-0, 244
RECEIVING: Simsbury – James Poggio 2-55; New Britain – Tarik Hightowner, Jr. 5-69, Chris Linares 5-46, Tebucky Jones, Jr. 5-72, Kian Downes 4-56