It was a tough way to end the season with a 7-6 loss to Branford in Tuesday’s Class M quarterfinals in Avon.
AVON, Nov. 30, 2021 – No one forgot the bruising game that occurred just 25 days earlier when visiting Branford beat the Falcons by 14 points.
The two teams played another bruising battle Tuesday night in the Class M quarterfinals. Earlier this month, there were big plays that made a difference in the Hornets’ victory.
This time, it was little plays that decided the game – a stop on a two-point conversion, a successful extra point, a quarterback sack and one 33-yard burst for a touchdown by energetic junior Nathan Chieffo that lifted Branford to a 7-6 win over Avon.
The Hornets (9-2) will advance to Sunday’s semifinals where they will challenge No. 1 ranked Killingly (10-0) while the Falcons will collect their gear later this week.
Quarterback Tabor Engle led all rushers with 112 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. But the Hornet defense did an outstanding job of shutting down the rest of the Falcons.
“The defense stepped up tremendously,” Branford coach John Limone said. “(Avon) is a tremendously tough team and they run a tough offense (to stop).”
“When you try to stop us, it comes down to being physical and their linebackers did a great job of filling in and getting to our plays,” Avon offensive coordinator Brendan Smith said. “Tip your hat to Branford. They’re a hell of a team and they have our number.”
Earlier this month, Branford took control in their 21-7 victory thanks to a 90-yard kickoff return from Chieffo and Falcon turnovers that helped give the Hornets a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
There a lot of hard-hitting running between the tackles in Tuesday’s Class M quarterfinal in Avon. Branford prevailed, 7-6.
On this night, Avon took good care of the ball. On their second drive of the game, Engle completed a 49-yard pass to Tyler Brokenshire, the longest pass play of the season for the Falcons that put the ball on the Branford 13-yard line.
Three plays later, Engle scored from the seven-yard line with a 6-0 lead with 1:29 remaining. Kicker Toby Klafter, 15-of-19 this season, wasn’t available because he is home ill. But that didn’t faze the Falcons that had scored on their last nine two-point conversions and tried it again with a run by Engle.
But the Hornets made a play, stopping Engle one yard shy of the goal line.
“That’s a matter of will down there,” Limone said. “It’s three yards (to score on a two-point conversion). It wasn’t me. It is something the players did.”
Midway through the second quarter, the Branford defense stopped Engle just inches shy of a first down on the Falcon 46-yard line. That set up Chieffo, who got the ball on four consecutive plays, scoring ona 33-yard run up the middle with 6:46 left in the second quarter. Kicker Joseph Robinson converted on the extra point for a 7-6 lead.
“That was thanks to the line,” Chieffo said. “It was a wide-open hole and I made the cut.” And he broke through the line and sprinted away from defenders and into the end zone.
“He has been tremendous all season for us as a spark plug,” Limone said.
On its first possession of the second half, the Falcons were pinned back to their own five-yard line after a Hornet punt. But Avon ran an 18-play drive that marched 52 yards and ate up nearly a full quarter (11:53). But the tough result for the Falcons was no points to show for it.
Avon converted four times on third down to keep the drive alive and had first down and 10 on the Branford 32-yard line before Engle was sacked by Branford’s William Pera for a huge eight-yard loss. After a three-yard gain by Engle to the 37-yard line, the Falcons were penalized five yards for delay of game and a third down pass fell incomplete, killing the drive.
“We knew they were a good team,” Chieffo said. “We knew the only way to win was to play hard and that is what we did.”
Avon’s Tabor Engle (9) runs behind his blockers in Tuesday night’s Class M quarterfinal loss to Branford.
Branford got the ball back with 7:02 remaining in the game and tried to run out the clock. But on third down from their own 22, Hornet QB Zach Turbert was sacked by Avon’s Christian Wilson to force a punt.
The Falcons took over on the Avon 47-yard line with 3:30 remaining and drove to the Branford 36 little under two minutes remaining. But five-yard illegal motion penalty pushed the Falcons backwards and two plays later, it was Engle with an incomplete pass on fourth down with 41 seconds remaining and the game was over.
“The defense played great tonight,” Smith said. “They were outstanding. They stepped up big time. They got stops when we needed it. I wish we could have paid them back.”
Avon head coach Jeff Redman wasn’t able to attend his first CIAC playoff game because he was home ill. Smith ran the offense while Matthew Redman, his son and the team’s defensive coordinator, ran the defense.
NOTES: It was Branford’s first CIAC playoff win since 2005 when they won the Class MM championship. … The Falcons are still looking for their first playoff win. Avon is 0-4 in four appearances. Their most recent performance prior to Tuesday night was in 2012. … The Avon defense gave up seven points and 136 total yards — 112 on the ground and 24 through the air. … Chieffo led the Hornets with 68 yards rushing and a touchdown on 14 carries and pulled in a team-leading two receptions for 24 yards. … It was the first time that Avon played a team twice in a single season.
Branford 7, Avon 6
At Avon
Branford (9-2) 0 7 0 0 -7
Avon (7-3) 6 0 0 0 – 6
First quarter
A: Tabor Engle 7 run (run failed), 1:29
Second quarter
B: Nathan Chieffo 33 run (Joseph Robinson kick), 6:46
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Avon – Tabor Engle 30-112, Cameron Dawiczyk 10-25, Cameron Casey 3-1, Connor Lavoie 1-2; Branford – Zach Turbert 1-minus 4, Cameron Paleski 10-43, Nathan Chieffo 14-68, Cole Snider 2-3, Cooper Barnes 1-3, John Frawley 1-minus 3
PASSING: Avon – Tabor Engle 1-5-0, 49; Branford – Zach Turbert 2-3-0, 24
RECEIVING: Avon – Tyler Brokenshire 1-49; Branford – Nathan Chieffo 2-24
RETURNS: Avon – Gabriel Maldonado 1-0 (KO), Tanner Cote 1-11 (KO), Branford — Akiel Lamotey 1-4 (KO), Dylan Dupre 1-25 (punt); SACKS: William Pera (B) 1-8, Christian Wilson (A) 1-4
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