Sports
Speed Kills In Whalers' 33-14 Win Over Ledyard (With Videos)
Second Quarter 26-Point Blitz Keeps New London Undefeated
Coach Jim Buonocore and the Ledyard High football team had the right idea from the outset Friday in its game versus New London.
Keep the ball away from the Whalers at all costs.
On its opening drive, Ledyard converted two 4th-and-1 situations on quarterback John Rainey sneaks over center Evan Stockmon. The drive wasn't pretty -- 3, 4, 5 yards a pop -- and it didn't result in any points, but the Colonels kept the ball for the game's first nine minutes.
Find out what's happening in Ledyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The second quarter showed how important it was to keep the ball away from New London. The Whalers converted on numerous 3rd-and-long plays for 26 unanswered points en route to a 33-14 victory over the Colonels in a battle of 2-0 teams.
"New London's team speed is out of this world," Buonocore said. "You take three big plays away on third down and we're in this football game. We shut them out in the first and third quarter. They had the second-quarter barrage and they scored on a Hail Mary pass late. They have athletes who make great catches and great runs."
Find out what's happening in Ledyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Once New London (3-0) made a few defensive stops, it was show time, played in fast-forward, in the second quarter. Running back Kyle McKinnon's 31-yard run around right end, breaking three tackles, put New London up, 6-0. After Jevon Elmore's interception, New London made it 12-0 one play later on Rob Key's 71-yard TD pass to Khaleed Fields. Five plays later, Fields intercepted a pass, leading to McKinnon's 12-yard TD run, agains busting through tackles around the right side, for an 18-0 lead.
In the last minute of the half, McKinnon's 1-yard run (3rd TD) and Elmore's conversion catch made it, 26-0.
"It may have been a case of more speed, but we executed our game plan in the second quarter," New London coach Jeff Larson said. "Whether a guy is faster or slower, it's part of the game."
New London's scoreboard lost power during halftime, prompting some to quip that it was NL's answer to score management: Don't show the score of a blowout. But the Colonels were determined not to let this game get out of hand or any where near the Cochran Rule (50-points).
Ledyard's third quarter kickoff was not fielded cleanly by New London and was recovered by the Colonels at the Whaler 18. Three plays later, fullback Matt Daggett barreled in for an 8-yard TD run. Andrew Lee's kick made it 26-7.
New London still was in control, looking to stretch the lead when McKinnon (18 carries, 174 yards) broke free for a 70 yard run before being taken down at the 9 by Ledyard safety Slade Baxley. Ledyard's defense, paced by Daggett and Dallas Smith at linebacker and Colin Grim at nose guard, held the Whalers out of the endzone.
With eight minutes left, Rainey found Manwaring one-on-one with a linebacker and connected for a 31-yard score to make it, 26-14. It was easily Ledyard's biggest offensive play as the Whalers contained Manwaring to under 60 yards after the Colonel back romped for 551 in his first two games.
Before you could say Ledyard dominated three quarters and still lost by two scores, New London scored on 4th-and-10 when Key (270 passing yards) lofted seemingly an overthrown pass in the endzone. Elmore outran three Ledyard defensive backs and hauled in a 38-yard score for the final scoring.
Without that score, NL coach Jeff Larson could have labeled the second half a complete bust. He still was not overly thrilled with the three-score victory.
"We put up 26 points in the second quarter and our coaching staff had a great game plan, but we've got to clean it up execution-wise," coach Larson said. "Special teams, formations lining up, we've got to get better. We were very lax in the second half. There are mountains and mountains of stuff we have to clean up that will kill us down the line."
But for 12 minutes of the second quarter, New London's speed killed to sustain the whole game. Everyone knows McKinnon, Elmore and Fields are threats to score anytime, but Key, a first-year starter, is establishing himself as the ECC's most productive quarterback.
"I'm gaining more confidence and experience with each game," Key said. "I've got to thank my line and my receivers."
Ledyard also comes out of the game with its pride intact based on its tough second-half showing, knowing it won't face a more talented team all season in its quest to win the ECC Medium and qualify for the Class M playoffs.
"The kids hung in there and we played better in the second half," Buonocore said. "I'm proud of the way our kids fought. We did some good things, but not enough against a team with those types of athletes."
