Schools
Ledyard Stops Waterford To Win ECC Medium, 15-7
Colonels show the time-tested adage that "defense wins championships"
Just one week after compiling fantasy football numbers in a 65-21 win over Montville, Ledyard showed the time-tested adage that "defense wins championships" still has a shelf life.
In a game of evenly matched 5-1 teams, Ledyard provided the biggest play - Dallas Smith's endzone sack for a safety - to trim Waterford, 15-7, and clinch the ECC Medium Division championship Friday at Mignault Field.
"We've played outstanding defense all season," LHS coach Jim Buonocore said. "Usually when you come into championship games like this, defense is the key point. I anticipated a low-scoring game."
Find out what's happening in Ledyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Colonels running back Alex Manwaring earned all of his 200 yards on nearly 40 carries against an equally tough Waterford defense, scoring both LHS touchdowns on runs of 34 and 12 yards.
But the story Friday was field position and Ledyard's defense. Smith, a senior outside linebacker, was the player of the game, sacking Waterford quarterback Brian Gencarelli for a safety late in the second quarter for a 9-7 LHS lead, registering two tackles for losses and recovering a fumble midway through the fourth quarter that led to the Colonels' final score.
Find out what's happening in Ledyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Ledyard finishes the ECC Medium with a 4-0 record and gained redemption of sort by avenging last year's upset loss to Waterford, which ultimately kept them out of postseason play. It was a sweet win, but the Colonels (6-1) are far from finished, standing No. 3 in Class M playoff rankings.
"I think this team is special," Ledyard coach Jim Buonocore said. "We've worked hard from day one and (the ECC Medium) was the first goal we set out for ourselves. But I think we can make a run at something down the stretch. I think there is more out there for us."
Waterford (5-2 overall, 2-2 ECC Medium) is still alive in the Class M playoff picture at No. 7, though its remaining schedule includes tough games with Norwich Free Academy and Windsor.
The Lancers led 7-0 early on Gencarelli's 31-yard TD pass to David Zaldivar. The defense, led by linemen Ron Baude, David Willox, Zach Cash and linebackers Matt Tulba and Kobey Coburn, held Manwaring, a 1,500-plus yard rusher already, in check with 200 yards on 35 carries and held LHS to under 20 passing yards.
But Waterford's offense made critical mistakes, fumbling inside the 10, allowing the safety and squandering its own safety - punter Slade Baxley was downed in the endzone after falling on a bad snap - on a penalty for having 12 men on the field.
"We continued to shoot ourselves in the foot time and time again and you don't win games like this by doing that," Waterford coach Mike Ellis said.
