Berlin’s Jack Hamel (17) returns a fourth quarter interception as New Britain’s Ronnie Watson (2) closes in on him. That turnover set up a game-winning field goal by Berlin.
NEW BRITAIN, Nov. 20 – They were the talk of the town and the state’s high school football community all week.
The Berlin High football team went from a team on the verge of clinching a spot in the CIAC’s Class M tournament with seven wins in nine games to a team with no victories, their head coach John Capodice suspended, their program stripped of their seven wins and four players ruled ineligible.
Due to the use of ineligible players and recruitment, the CIAC ruled earlier in the week that Berlin would lose all seven wins, be fined $4,000 and that all four athletes be barred from ever playing athletics at Berlin. The school suspended Capodice a day later.
But the Redcoats still had one last game to play – against New Britain, where the original complaint against Berlin originated. For 48 minutes, it was a refuge for the Redcoat players who went back to doing what they love to do – play football.
Berlin built a 14-point lead only to see New Britain rally to tie the game with 8:54 remaining. But the Redcoat defense made big plays all evening. They batted down seven passes and sacked Hurricane quarterback Dajion Hill five times.
With 2:15 remaining in the game, Berlin junior Jack Hamel intercepted an underthrown pass by Hill and returned the ball 15 yards to the New Britain 20-yard line. Six plays later, 14-year-old freshman Giancarlo Tufano stood near the 23-yard line with four seconds left on the clock, ready to make a game-winning field goal attempt.
New Britain called timeout to try and shake Tufano’s confidence. Interim head coach Rob Levesque talked to Tufano during the timeout. “I told him he was born to do this and he smiled, laughed and was loose,” Levesque said. “We told him he did the same kick four times earlier.”
Tufano converted with no time left on the clock to give Berlin an emotional 31-28 victory over New Britain at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium. There will be a win in the record books this season for Berlin.
“This is one of our biggest wins in our school’s history after everything that happened this week,” said Levesque, normally the team’s defensive coordinator. “All we told the kids to do is come out and do what you do. The kids held their heads high and came out performed well against a good team in a rivalry game.”
Berlin freshman Giancarlo Tufano kicks a 23-yard game-winning field goal to beat New Britain, 31-28.
When Berlin (1-9) was stripped of their seven wins earlier in the week, Avon and Rocky Hill each lost bonus points in the CIAC football playoff rankings for each Berlin victory. With this win, the two teams each picked up another 10 points, which will help their chances of reaching the state playoffs.
The Berlin kids were absolutely thrilled with the victory.
“We really, really wanted to win this game,” said Hamel. “It was so important to the seniors and the underclassmen. After everything we went through with all of the forfeits, this game was our state championship game.”
Added Levesque, “They wanted to end it (the season) on their terms and they did.”
New Britain’s Kyshawn Gunn (1) celebrates his first touchdown of the game in the first quarter of Friday’s game in New Britain.
New Britain (5-5) tied the game at 28-28 with 8:54 remaining on a one-yard run by Kyshawn Gunn and a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Dajion Hill to receiver Alex Silva. Hill had two key completions on the drive – a 21-yard completion to Silva to the Berlin 43-yard line and a 12-yard pass to Charles Gaskin to the Berlin 11. Kaylin Samuels had a key 18-yard run in the drive.
Berlin drove to the New Britain 24-yard line on its next drive but a holding penalty stalled the drive and the Redcoats turned the ball over on downs on the Hurricane 35-yard line.
But on third down and 24 from the Hurricane 21, Hamel intercepted Hill’s pass and drove to the New Britain 20. A five-yard run from Owen Taylor on third down moved the ball to the New Britain nine with 51 seconds remaining.
It was the third field goal of the season for Tufano, who was 26-of-28 with extra points this season.
Berlin QB Jack Lynch was 9-of-14 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Cop caught five passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. Hill was 15-of-26 for 176 yards and two touchdowns but he threw the late interception.
Berlin scored first on a third down and 13 play for their own 31-yard line. Lynch found Silva behind the secondary for a 69-yard touchdown reception and a 7-0 lead. A 28-yard run by Kaylin Samuels and a 13-yard dash by Gunn highlighted New Britain’s drive that tied the game at 7-7.
Berlin moved ahead when Lynch completed a 22-yard pass to Mitchel Maslowski on a fourth down and 11 play from the New Britain 22-yard line.
After Berlin fumbled the ball away on its first offensive play of the second half, New Britain scored quickly on a 19-yard TD pass from Hill to Silva. But Berlin responded quickly when Taylor broke through the defensive line and sped away for a 69-yard touchdown run and a 21-14 lead.
Berlin’s Mitchel Maslowski (6) and Owen Taylor (26) close in to make a tackle on New Britain’s Kyshawn Gunn.
Berlin 31, New Britain 28
At New Britain
Berlin (1-9) 7 7 14 3 – 31
New Britain (5-5) 7 0 14 7 – 28
First quarter
B: Ryan Cop 69 pass from Jack Lynch (Giancarlo Tufano kick), 6:15
NB: Kyshawn Gunn 4 run (Victor Bonilla-Porras kick), 3:58
Second quarter
B: Mitchel Maslowski 22 pass from Lynch (Tufano kick), 11:09
Third quarter
NB: Alex Silva 19 pass from Dajion Hill (Bonilla-Porras kick), 11:39
B: Owen Taylor 69 run (Tufano kick), 11:21
B: Lynch 1 run (Tufano kick), 3:43
NB: Silva 42 pass from Hill (kick fails), 1:23
Fourth quarter
NB: Gunn 1 run (Silva pass from Hill), 8:54
B: Tufano 23 FG, 0:00
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Not available at this time
PASSING: New Britain — Dajion HIll 15-26-1, 176; Berlin: Jack Lynch 9-14-0, 169
RECEIVING: New Britain — Ronnie Watson 2-26, Romeo Lozada 5-42, Charles Gaskin 5-46, Alex Silva 3-84; Berlin — Ryan Cop 5-135, Mitchel Maslowski 1-22, Cody Laccasse 1-6, Zach Pajor 1-5, Owen Taylor 1-1
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