North Branford dominates H-K to earn first win of 2019

NORTH BRANFORD — The North Branford football team finished with a disappointing 2018 season with a 2-8 record and kicked off 2019 with a disappointing 27-21 loss to SMSA/University/Classical.

On Saturday, the team was focused on turning its fortunes around starting with its Pequot matchup against rival Haddam-Killingworth. And the Thunderbirds did, with coach Mike Basil and receiver-defensive back Nate Raymond crediting mental toughness for a one-sided victory.

Raymond had two interceptions and a pair of touchdown receptions from Brandon Fratta, including a 74-yard touchdown, to lead North Branford to a 19-0 win over Haddam-Killingworth at Colafati Field. Raymond ended up with four receptions for 114 yards.

The loss for Haddam-Killingworth stung a little more with standout running back Dalton Modehn leaving the game with 10:55 to go in the second quarter. At the end of a Modehn 60-yard run that put the ball on the North Branford 17, he was tackled by three Thunderbirds. Haddam-Killingworth coach Mike Baklik confirmed that is when he suffered the injury.

“We think it’s a broken collarbone,” Baklik said. Modehn was taken to a local hospital but it was unclear what hospital he went to after he got hurt.

For Raymond, it was a special day on the gridiron.

“This was definitely one of my best games as a football player,” Raymond said. “I am very pumped up. We got together and said forgot all the losses we’ve had. There was nothing else on our minds except to win. We told ourselves this is not going to be another losing season. This win was a warmup for the rest of our games.”

Fratta ended up completing 11-of-17 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns and Tyler DiNapoli had 88 yards rushig on 17 carries. For the Cougars, Modehn had 112 yards on 11 carries and Alex Riccitelli completed 13-of-23 passes for 148 yards.

In a scoreless first half, Raymond set the tone for the rest of the game. With a third and goal from the North Branford 5 yard line, Riccitelli threw a pass into the end zone. The ball went into the hands of Raymond for his first interception with 7:23 to go in the first quarter. The Cougars had another deep drive going in the half when Modehn’s 60-yard run gave the Cougars a first down on the Thunderbirds’ 17 yard line. But the Cougars couldn’t move the ball.

In the second half, the offense kicked in for the Thunderbirds (1-1). Fratta connected with Raymond for a 24-yard touchdown pass with 8:14 to go in the third quarter for a 6-0 lead. In the fourth quarter, North Branford’s Cameron Afanador scored untouched on an 18-yard run for a 12-0 lead.

“The key for us today was our mental toughness on both sides of the ball,” Basil said.

The Cougars (0-2) got on the board with 5:35 to go in the game when Riccitelli connected with Matteo Piacenti for a 14-yard touchdown pass to trim the Thunderbiirds lead to 12-6.

On the Cougars’ next possession, North Branford’s Efstathios Gianniotis recovered a fumble on the North Branford 26. Three plays later, Fratta and Raymond connected on a 74-yard touchdown pass with 3:30 to go. Napoli’s kick produced the 19-6 final.

“We had a lot of opportunities,” Baklik said. “Without Modehn in the game we explored different options. We had some new guys starting today and had guys step up who played well for us.”

NORTH BRANFORD 19, HADDAM-KILLINGWORTH 0

NB–Nate Raymond 24 pass from Brandon Fratta (pass failed).
NB — Cameron Afanador 18 run (kick failed)
HK–Matteo Piacenti 14 pass from Alex Riccitelli (pass failed).
NB–Nate Raymond 74 pass from Brandon Fratta (Tyler DiNapoli kick).