Nick Weissauer attempts to run through Law’s defense during the Milford City championship game at Law (Photo Russ McCreven / For the Register)
(Photo Russ McCreven / For the Register)
MILFORD >> Led by its special teams, Foran defeated Jonathan Law 50-7 to win the Milford city championship for the sixth year in a row Thanksgiving morning at Jonathan Law High School.
The Lions blocked three Law punts and turned all three into touchdowns, including their first two scores of the day and three of their first four.
“The blocked punts were critical,” said Foran coach Jeff Bevino. “At that point we had made some mistakes and weren’t moving the ball. We took advantage of the blocks.”
The first block came late in the first quarter when Nick Griswold blocked Timmy Maher’s punt at the 20-yard line. It was covered at the 6-yard line, and two plays later Nick Weissauer scored from the 3-yard line. With Sam Olsson’s point, Foran led 7-0.
“We haven’t had issues on special teams all season,” said Law coach Mark Robinson. “What are you going to do?”
With under six minutes left in the half, it happened again. This time Maher’s punt was blocked and covered at the 17-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Jake Kasuba hit Weissauer for a 17-yard touchdown and with Olsson’s kick, Foran led 14-0 with 5:32 left in the half.
Foran (8-3) scored its third touchdown in a more conventional way, marching 69 yards in 10 plays with Kasuba throwing to Sean Deegan for a 15-yard strike with 2:05 left in the half. The Lions went for two and Wiessauer hit Zach White for the conversion and Foran led 22-0 at the break.
“The kids played with emotion, determination and conviction,” said Bevino. “I’m so happy with how we ended the season playing defense. I thought our defense today was magnificent.”
Foran held Law to exactly 100 yards on the day, 94 on the ground on 46 carries and just six yards in the air. The Lions didn’t light up the stat sheet themselves, getting just 241 yards, but the Lawmen insisted in giving the Lions the ball deep in their own territory and in the third quarter, did it again.
Law fumbled on its first play from scrimmage and while Foran didn’t turn that mistake into points, it got another chance when it blocked punt No. 3 midway through the quarter, taking over on the Law 30-yard line.
Connor Cadrin ran 25 yards on first down and two plays later, Stephen Longley scored on a 1-yard run. With Longley’s two-point conversion, Foran was home free at 30-0.
The winners added three more touchdowns on a 7-yard run by Longley, a 1-yard plunge by Olsson and a 20-yard run by Zach White to build a 50-0 lead, before Law’s Joe Ziebell (17 carries, 54 yards) scored on a 5-yard run with 3:55, saving the CIAC an investigation of a violation of the 50-point scoring margin rule.
“Foran is a good team,” said Robinson. “How good? 50-7 good today. They have a lot of weapons and they used them well. They were the better team today.”
Foran finished in 10th place in the CIAC Class M playoff ratings, two spots out of a tournament berth. Law finished 4-7.
