Sports
Xavier Wrecks Staples 42-7 to Win 2nd Straight State Title [Photos]
The Falcons completed their second consecutive unbeaten season with a thrashing of No. 2 Staples of Westport Saturday night. Submit your own images and comments, and check out our Storify feed!
The team they wanted to play. That's what Xavier head coach Sean Marinan had called No. 2-seeded Staples of Westport.
No contest.
The top-seeded Falcons dominated both sides of the ball and scored in each quarter as they defeated the Wreckers 42-7 for the CIAC Class LL title Saturday night at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
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Xavier has rattled off 26 straight wins and won back-to-back Class LL titles since Staples beat them 31-28 in the 2009 semifinals.
The Falcons' potent offense scored 131 points in its three postseason games, while the state's stingiest defense allowed Glastonbury, Norwalk and Staples a paltry 27 total points.
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Xavier, the first team in the Southern Connecticut Conference to score more than 500 points in a season, lit the scoreboard six times, opening the scoring on a 19-yard run by senior Mike Mastroiani with 4:40 left in the first quarter. The 5-foot-9 senior finished the game with 239 yards on 29 carries.
A little over three minutes later, Jovan Santos-Knox carried a 58-yard pass from Tim Boyle across the goal line. Ricky Verre's second of six conversion kicks made it a 14-0 game.
The Wreckers' lone touchdown came with 9:23 left in the second quarter as sophomore quarterback Jack Massie connected with junior Nick Kelly on a 28-yard pass, cutting the Xavier lead in half, 14-7.
The Falcons scoring juggernaut rolled up 505 yards of total offense and tacked on four unanswered touchdowns while the defense hunkered down and limited Staples to 175 yards of total offense (31 rushing, 144 passing).
A 37-yard pass from senior Pat D'Amato to Mastroiani answered Staples' touchdown, with the two-play, 38-yard drive set up by Ryan Murphy's 48-yard punt return.
Junior DeAngelo Berry's first carry of the game on third and three resulted in a 48-yard touchdown 1:43 into the third quarter. Matt Craig bulled into the endzone from nine yards out, while D'Amato called his own number on a three-yard run to finish the scoring.
“There was a lot of pressure on our players at the start of the year because they were expected to win,” Marinan said after the game. “I'm so proud of what they did.”
Original Story:
Xavier crushed Staples of Westport 42-7 in the CIAC Class LL Championship Game at Rentschler Field in East Hartford Saturday night.
Already holding a 21-7 lead, the Falcons took the opening drive of the second half in for a score, then, after a Staples punt, got seven more on its second drive of the half.
A fourth-quarter touchdown finished the scoring. At the end of three quarters, according to sportswriter Ned Griffen on Twitter, Xavier had more penalty yardage (60) than Staples had rushing yardage (36).
Did you go? Did you take pics or video? Post them here! Also check out or Storify module above that will curate what people are saying on Twitter about the Falcons' second straight undefeated season and Class LL crown.
Do you have a take on the most dominant team in Connecticut high school football? Tell us in the comments below.
