South Windsor runs past Simsbury; Granby/Canton dominates in victory

South Windsor QB Jake Pflederer (4)  ran for 180 yards and 3 TDs in the Bobcats’ win over Simsbury on Friday night.

SIMSBURY, Nov. 15, 2024 – South Windsor found the holes on Friday night. Quarterback Jake Pflederer ran for a game-high 180 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries to lead the Bobcats to a 32-24 win over Simsbury in Central Connecticut Conference Tier II contest at Holden Field.

South Windsor (3-6) had a pair of long scoring drives in the second half as they snapped a five-game losing streak.

Trailing by two, South Windsor went 91 yards on 13 plays in 9:34 on their first drive of the second half to take a 16-10 lead. All 13 plays were running plays as the Bobcats kept the ball on the ground.

“The way I was able to run so well was the holes opened up. Great blocking,” Pflederer said. “Every time I carried the ball I saw a great hole wide open. It was simple. Just keep doing it over and over.”

Pflederer carried the nine times in that 13 play drive. A 16-yard run up the middle from Pflederer put the ball on the Simsbury 30-yard line.

One play later, Pflederer ran 15 yards to his right to move the ball to the Simsbury 5-yard line. Two plays later, he scored from the five-yard line with 2:26 left in the third quarter to give the Cats a 14-10 lead. A two-point conversion run from Eric Burke extended the lead to 16-10.

Simsbury looked like they would respond quickly. After a short kickoff was recovered by Simsbury as their own 49-yard line, QB Patrick Matyczyk completed three consecutive passes. A 20-yard catch and reception by Harry Tindall moved the ball to the South Windsor 13-yard line.

But on the next play, Matyczyk lost the snap from center and South Windsor recovered the ball on their own 14-yard line.

The Bobcats marched 86 yards on nine plays to take a 24-10 lead on a four-yard touchdown run from Ethan Burke with 9:12 remaining in the game. Again, it was nine plays all on the ground. Pflederer had a nice 25-yard run up the middle to get the ball near midfield. Burke followed immediately with a 34-yard run to the Simsbury 28-yard line.

Four plays later, the Bobcats were in the end zone.

“The offensive line did a great job up front and it’s easier for the backs to run when they’re getting such a good push (from the offensive line),” South Windsor head coach David Hodges said. “Tonight was a barn burner. The boys needed it (a win). The coaches needed it. They never stopped working.”

Simsbury (2-7) responded immediately, driving 69 yards on five-play drive aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty on South Windsor. A 30-yard touchdown pass from Matyczyk to Andrew Kerwin cut the lead to seven, 24-17, with 6:47 remaining in the game.

But Simsbury couldn’t get a stop on defense and South Windsor extended their lead to 32-17 on a 10-yard run from Pflederer with 3:30 remaining in the game.

Simsbury cut the lead to eight. 32-24, on a seven-yard touchdown run from Matyczyk with 36 seconds remaining. South Windsor recovered the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock for the victory.

Matyczyk threw the ball well, completing 19-of-22 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns. He completed his first seven passes in the game and 18-of-his first 19 passes for 221 yards. Kerwin caught four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.

South Windsor 32, Simsbury 24
At Simsbury
South Windsor (3-6)        0  8  8  16  — 32
Simsbury (2-7)                    3  7  0  14  — 24
First quarter
Sim: Marshall Potter 28 FG, 31.8
Second quarter
SW: Jake Pflederer 3 run (Ethan Burke run), 9:24
Sims: Stephen Wharton 38 pass from Patrick Matyczyk (Nolan Pendergast kick), 2:57
Third quarter
SW: Pflederer 4 run (Burke run), 9:34
Fourth quarter
SW: Burke 4 run (Pflederer run), 9:12
Sims: Andrew Kerwin 30 pass from Matyczyk (Potter kick), 6:47
SW: Pflederer 10 run (Pflederer run), 3:30
Sims: Matczyk 10 run (Potter kick), 0:36
Individual statistics
RUSHING: South Windsor — Jake Pflederer 25-180, Ethan Burke 14-87, Jalil Montgomery 6-32, Shawn Baidoo 1-47; Simsbury — Patrick Matyczyk 9-26, Cole Roberts 11-63, Harry Tindall 3-4
PASSING: South Windsor — Wyatt Prather 1-4-1, 7; Simsbury — Patrick Matyczyk 19-22-0, 228
RECEIVING: South Windsor — Burke 1-7; Simsbury — Cole Roberts 5-30, Stephen Warton 4-83, Andrew Kerwin 4-60, Shane Butler 3-31, Harry Tindall 2-12

Rocky Hill slips past Avon in OT
AVON, Nov. 15, 2024 – Avon’s Carter Davies caught three touchdown passes in a 26-20 overtime loss to Rocky Hill on Friday night on the turf field in Avon.

Avon (0-9) trailed 12-0 at the break and 20-6 in the third quarter but rallied with a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Ethan Lavore to Davies to tie the game at 20-20 in the fourth quarter,

Avon made a big goal line stand in the waning minutes of regulation, stopping Rocky Hill on four consecutive plays to force overtime.

In overtime, Rocky Hill scored on their first possession while the Falcons did not.

Granby/Canton 49, Morgan co-op 7
CLINTON, Nov. 15, 2024 – Carter Chambers ran for 89 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries as Granby/Canton walloped Morgan co-op, 49-17 on Thursday. Hayes Horst ran for 94 yards while Ryan Cunikowski had two interceptions with 75 yards and a touchdown in return yardage. The Bears (6-2) ran back two interceptions for touchdowns.  Kendall Thomas scored two touchdowns with one being a 25-yard interception return for a TD.

Granby/Canton 49, Morgan co-op 7
At Clinton
Granby/Canton (6-2)       14  21  7  7  — 49
Morgan co-op (1-8)             0    7  0  0  — 7
First quarter
G: Kendall Thomas 25 interception return (Hayes Horst kick)
G: Carter Chambers 2 run. (Horst kick)
Second quarter
M: Larabee 8 run. Kick good 14-7
G: Chambers 23 run (Horst kick)
G: Chambers 15 run (Horst kick)
G: Ryan Cunikowski 65 interception (Horst kick)
Third quarter
G: Horst 2 run (Horst kick)
Fourth quarter
G: Thomas 4 run (Horst kick)