Masuk coach Joe Lato speaks after the Panthers’ 43-7 win over Fitch in the CIAC Class L football quarterfinals. #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/95B3CJ8QMk
— Peter Huoppi (@phuoppi) November 29, 2017
GROTON — Six days after a stunning loss to rival Newtown, Masuk, the ninth-ranked team in the GameTimeCT/Register poll, bused nearly 80 miles to Dorr Field for the start of the Class L playoffs against Fitch.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, the Panthers’ high-octane offense came along for the ride.
The fifth-seeded Panthers bounced back from their first blemish of the season by pounding fourth-seeded Fitch 43-7 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“We felt like it was one of the few times this year where our D-line was kind of on the same size level as the offensive line they were going against,” Masuk coach Joe Lato said. “It was a good matchup. I thought our kids really did a good job of coming off the ball and playing really, really fast. We were establishing the line of scrimmage.”
It was a stark contrast from the 14-7 loss to Newtown, in which the Panthers produced a season-low 274 yards and ultimately cost themselves home-field advantage for the quarterfinals. They set the tone for the night early on, jumping ahead 15-0 in the first quarter behind touchdown runs of 6 and 4 yards from Michael Zuk.
“They were able to do whatever they wanted to do on offense,” said Fitch coach Mike Ellis, whose team was making its first playoff appearance since 2006.
82-yard TD pass from Masuk’s Matt Hersch to Nick Lorusso vs. Fitch #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/JIWVvDBODz
— Peter Huoppi (@phuoppi) November 29, 2017
The Panthers, now 10-1, advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2012, where they will face four-time defending champion New Canaan, the eighth seed, on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Benedict Field. It was the Rams who knocked out Masuk in the quarterfinals a year ago, 31-28. Fitch ends its season at 10-1.
“We knew that to win states, we’d have to go through New Canaan at some point,” Masuk quarterback Matt Hersch said.
Even without wide receiver Ryan Shaw, who was out with an undisclosed injury, the Panthers moved the ball effectively. Hersch (13-19, 251 yards) threw touchdown passes of 82 yards to Nick Lorusso and 38 yards to Jack Roberge in the second quarter, staking the Panthers to a 29-0 halftime lead. Roberge added 75 of his 126 rushing yards in the second half.
It also didn’t hurt matters that the Panthers managed to contain Fitch’s triple-option offense, which came into the night averaging 35.7 points per game. They sacked Tyler Nelli twice and intercepted him four times. One of the picks was returned 18 yards by linebacker Jack Duignan for a touchdown.
“Defensively, they were able to take us out of what we wanted to do,” Ellis said. “They played a very nice ball game. They were well-prepared for the ball game. Our kids had trouble at the beginning making adjustments and responding to that.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jack Roberge, Masuk, RB: The junior gained 126 yards on 22 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns. He also recorded one of the Panthers’ four interceptions.
SHAW SIDELINED
Masuk coach Joe Lato did not offer a timetable on wide receiver Ryan Shaw’s return to the field. Shaw, a senior, led the Panthers with 45 catches for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season. “It’s just a killer. We’re all playing for each other, and he was in our hearts tonight,” Masuk quarterback Matt Hersch said of Shaw, who was on the sidelines in street clothes.
QUOTABLE
“After the Newtown game, we said we were going to be sad that night but we would put it behind us. The next day we came to work. I think [tonight] we just clicked.” — Hersch.
–clips via TheDay.com
Masuk 43, Fitch 7
MASUK 15 14 7 7 — 43
FITCH 0 0 7 0 — 7
M — Michael Zuk 6 run (Jack Roberge run)
M — Zuk 4 run (Nolan McCarter kick)
M — Nick Lorusso 82 pass Matt Hersch (McCarter kick)
M — Roberge 38 pass Hersch (McCarter kick)
F — Zach Lettelier punt block in end zone (Tyler Nelli kick)
M — Jack Duignan 18 interception return (McCarter kick)
M — Roberge 18 run (McCarter kick)
Records: Masuk 10-1; Fitch 10-1
Nice run Masuk….too bad it ends Sunday when you play a real team :(
Are you dreaming? Oh, I am sorry, this is going to be your nightmare!
Masuk did a good job last year against NC..hard to tell what may happen here but I think NC will have a tougher time then Middletown. Not sure if NC took Masuk seriously last year…I am sure they will not be doing that this year. and its on Masuk home field…should be close but I think NC is on a roll and will move forward…Lou has a way of finding a way to getting it done… hope this great weather holds for a great game…
Play calling is easy when you play teams that are less talented. Let’s see if the OC and HC can get it together after their play calling in a close game against Newtown.