LEDYARD - About all that eluded the Ledyard football team on this Friday night were the helmet stickers that coach Mike Serricchio awards for a game played free of pre-play penalties.
Alas, the Colonels had one false start.
Coach should let it slide. That penalty came late in the fourth quarter as the Colonels were putting the finishing touches on an emphatic 37-14 victory over Branford in a Connecticut High School Football Alliance showdown between the ECC and SCC at Bill Mignault Field.
Ledyard came away at 4-1 and knocked Branford to 4-2 with textbook single-wing football. Led by a four-touchdown night from junior running back Titus Streckfuss, Ledyard scored on its first five possessions and probably would have scored on its sixth if not merely running out the clock.
The Colonels had possession of the ball for all but four minutes of the second half, gobbling up the first 10:34 of it with a 16-play drive that extended a 27-14 halftime lead to the 37-14 final.
Branford had the early upper hand, taking leads of 7-0 and 14-6 behind senior quarterback Chris McKittrick's 6-yard TD pass to Aiden Dupre and then his own 2-yard run. But the Hornets, along with being unable to stop Ledyard, were undone by two fumbles in their own end in the final five minutes of the first half right after the Colonels had pulled even at 14-all.
Ledyard cashed in on both, driving 30 yards to take a 21-14 lead and then pouncing on a loose ball at the 45 on the ensuing kickoff. The Colonels scored off the latter as time expired in the half, with Streckfuss chalking up a third straight touchdown from three yards out.
Momentum had swung mightily. If there was any doubt, Ledyard put it to rest with that 16-play odyssey that consumed all but 1:24 of the third quarter.
The Colonels inexorably moved the chains, with Jackson Favry, Jackson Grimm, Giovanni Velez, Dorian Greene and Streckfuss taking turns running behind blocking back Chris Robertson and the unbalanced line of Brayden Gugliotta, Kadin McCarthy, Jack Williams, Jack Gallagher, Christian Smith and center James Lacadie.
All told, Ledyard amassed approximately 350 yards of offense.
It was the first meeting between the two squads since 2011. Both came into Friday night with just one loss, both to undefeated Lyman Hall - Ledyard 27-14 on opening night, Branford the following week, 38-34.
Since then, both got in the winning groove to rise to No. 5 in their respective playoff classes. Class SS Ledyard averaged 52 points in routing Platt Tech, Montville-St. Bernard and Killingly. Class M Branford downed Class LL Shelton 28-21 before blanking Barlow and Wilbur Cross-Career.
A 4-1 start for Ledyard matches its 4-1 start of 2024. Ledyard has reached the Class SS playoffs for two years running. Branford, also at 4-2 after six games last year, is looking for its first berth since 2021.
This story will be updated.
Player of the Game
Titus Streckfuss: The junior running back scored four of Ledyard's five touchdowns and ran home three 2-point conversions.
Quotable
"I might never say his name in my life because it will haunt my dreams" - Branford coach John Limone on Ledyard's Titus Streckfuss.
Ledyard 37, Branford 14
BRANFORD 7 7 0 0 - 14
LEDYARD 6 23 8 0 - 37
B-Aiden Dupre 6 pass from Chris McKittrick (Aidan Tracy kick)
L-Titus Streckfuss 1 run (run failed)
B-McKittrick 2 run (Tracy kick)
L-Streckfuss 3 run (Streckfuss run)
L-Streckfuss 3 run (Jackson Favry run)
L-Streckfuss 3 run (Streckfuss run)
L-Jackson Grimm 8 run (Streckfuss run)
Records: Branford 4-2; Ledyard 4-1.
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This article originally published at Ledyard rides single-wing, converted fumbles past Branford in CT High School Alliance matchup.