Young Granby team believes, earns 3rd win over Tigerhawks

HARTFORD, Oct. 27 – It took the Granby High football team 20 games in its first two varsity seasons to earn two wins. This year, the Bears have already earned three wins in just six games. First-year coach Rich Gadoury hopes to capture victories.

“We believe in each other,” Gadoury said. “Whatever we do, we do it together. We need each other in this game. We don’t have too many guys. We rely on each other and do what it takes to win.”

The Bears took a moment to celebrate earlier this month after grabbing a 20-point lead and holding off a late rally from the Hartford co-op team from Sports Medicine Science Academy and University High School at Dillon Stadium, 20-12.

“We executed very well in the first half,” Gadoury said. “We started getting some hiccups in the second half but that is because we don’t have numbers and some of our players started getting tired and worn down.” Granby allowed just one first down on SMSA’s first three drives of the contest.

But in the end, the Bears made the plays necessary to come away with the victory.

“We’re still getting there,” Gadoury said. “We’re one execution away from being a very good football team in this league. The heart on this team is phenomenal.”

Granby played Gilbert/Northwestern last weekend and plays its final home game of the season this Saturday (Nov. 10) against Stafford/East Windsor at Ahern’s Field. The Bears’ final two games of the season are on the road against Coventry/Windham Tech and at Canton on Thanksgiving morning.

Offensively, the strength of this team begins with Curtis Field, a 6-foot-4 junior quarterback. In the first six games of the season, Field has completed 83 of 156 passes for 921 yards and six TDs. He had a career-high in completions (21), yards (238) and TDs (2) in the win over the Tigerhawks. He completed 20 of 38 passes for 205 yards and a TD in a win over Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby in September.

“We’re throwing the ball well,” Gadoury said. “We’re still dropping some balls we should catch.”

A long reception sparked Granby’s first score against SMSA/University. A short screen pass from Fields to Caleb McCullin turned into a 57-yard gain down the left sideline to the Tigerhawk 10-yard line. Four plays later, Fields scored from the one-yard line for a 7-0 Granby lead.

McCullin had a busy evening. He caught eight passes for a season-high 101 yards while running for 25 yards on six carries. For the year, he has pulled down 21 receptions for 253 yards and a touchdown. Ian Downey caught five receptions for 28 yards against SMSA. He has a team-leading 23 receptions for 247 yards and 2 TDs after six games.

While the Bears are doing well throwing the ball, their running game has been inconsistent. Ben Blake led Granby with 62 yards on 14 carries against SMSA. He has run for a team-leading 299 yards on 72 carries in six games. The Bears have fumbled the ball away eight times.

Granby’s running game did the job against SMSA/University. Early in the second period, McCullin recovered a SMSA fumble at midfield and Granby marched downfield thanks to nice runs from freshman Dominic Pagano (15 yards), McCullin and Stephen Blake. The Bears took a 14-0 lead on a 14-yard TD pass from Fields to Pagano.

Granby extended its lead to 20-0 on a nice 12 play, 72 yard drive that ended with Kenneth Mouning pulling a 14-yard TD pass from Fields with 22 seconds left in the half. Granby converted three times on third down to keep the scoring drive alive.

Defensively, the Bears have been solid. “Our defense is good,” Gadoury said. “We have a very good defense, a very physical defense. We can go out there with any given team.” Thomas Ullman made 13 tackles against SMSA, which fumbled the ball away twice.

SMSA/University began to move the ball in the second half. Granby stopped the Tigerhawks’ first drive but SMSA scored on a one-yard run at end of the third quarter to cut the lead to 20-6. On its next drive, the Tigerhawks momentum was deflated when they fumbled the ball away on its first play.

SMSA cut the lead to eight scoring on a long touchdown run with 3:35 remaining but never crossed into Granby territory again.

Granby (3-3)7  13  0   0  — 20

RETURNS: Johnson 3-85 (kickoffs);  Pagano 1-21 (KO),  McMullin 1-5 (KO); FUM RECOVERY: McMullin 1, Pagano 1; SACKS: McMullin 1-10, Jacob Largay (G) 1-4, Austin Rafoss (G) 0.5-2, Blake (G) 0.5-2