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10/30/2017 12:00 AMThe Valley Regional-Old Lyme football team went on the road and scored a pivotal 34-28 overtime victory against previously undefeated Cromwell-Portland in a Pequot League Sassacus Division matchup on Oct. 27. It was a wild game that featured several lead changes and ultimately had to be settled in OT, where the Warriors won it when senior Mike Cullina threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to junior Jason O’Brien.
The win improved Valley’s overall record to 6-1 and puts them at 5-1 in the division, tied for first place with Cromwell-Portland. The Warriors are also ranked eighth in the Class M State Playoff rankings, in which the top eight squads qualify.
Valley Head Coach Tim King felt thrilled that his team secured such an important win amidst a jam-packed playoff picture.
“This really gave us a boost. Going into the game, we were 15th [in the Class S rankings]...There was probably no hope to get in at 8-2,” said King. “This was a huge boost for us.”
Cromwell-Portland started the scoring in the second quarter with a 4-yard run for a touchdown. The Panthers tried for a 2-point conversion, but didn’t get it, keeping the score 6-0. Valley responded when Cullina connected on a short touchdown pass to Jaelen Arnum and, with an extra point by Brian Funk, the Warriors went up 7-6. Valley got the ball back again before the end of the half and scored on a 9-yard pass from Cullina to junior Nick Braga. That score, plus the PAT, made it 14-6 with 20 seconds left before halftime.
As the clock ticked down, the Panthers fumbled Valley’s kickoff, and the Warriors recovered deep in their territory with a couple of seconds left. Valley attempted a field goal, but the Panthers blocked it, and ran it back for a touchdown. Once again, the Warriors’ stopped the 2-point attempt, and the half ended with a 14-12 score in Valley’s favor.
In the third quarter, the Panthers scored on 6-yard rushing touchdown and added the 2-point conversion to take a 20-14 lead with 6:35 remaining. Valley answered just three plays later with a 56-yard TD bomb from Cullina to Ernest Jean-Pierre, and the Warriors led 21-20 after another Funk extra point. Later in the frame, the Warriors got the ball back, marched down the field, and scored on an 8-yard run from Cole Ensinger. Funk kicked another extra point through, and the Warriors were up 28-20 with 1:14 left in the frame.
In the fourth quarter, the Panthers scored on a 38-yard touchdown pass and then tied the game at 28-28 when their quarterback ran in the 2-point try.
Valley won the overtime coin toss and elected give to the Panthers the ball, trusting its defense to make a stand. Cromwell wound up attempting a 4th-and-goal reverse play, which Jud O’Brien stopped at the 1-yard line to give the Warriors possession.
On Valley’s first drive of the extra session, Cullina scrambled in the backfield on 3rd-and-10, nearly getting sacked, but he shrugged off the tackle. Following his uncanny dodge, Cullina heaved up a jump ball into the end zone, where O’Brien leaped up to snag it among three defenders and then came down with it for a touchdown to give the Warriors the 34-28 win and the Panthers their first loss.
King and his coaching staff ranked this victory as one of the best that he’s ever seen his program produce.
“It’s gotta be a top-five, top-10 win for us,” said King. “One of the top wins that we’ve had.”
Culina went 10-for-18 for 215 yards with four TD passes. Cullina got the ball to an array of receivers, and he also picked off a pass on defense. Coach King said that his QB has grown by leaps and bounds this year.
“Cullina had a good week at practice. He’s come a long way,” King said. “He’s gotta take what the defense gives us. We’ve preached it all preseason, in the passing league, the scrimmages. It’s been that type of progress.”
Braga led the rushing game with 93 yards on 17 carries to go with his touchdown catch. In the receiving core, senior Ernest Jean-Pierre hauled in four receptions for 144 yards and a TD.
As for the defense, Jake Kruszewski led the Warriors with 10 tackles, and Justin Robida was close behind with eight. Josh Donahue had seven tackles, and Blaire Allen and Roan Sullivan each had six. Allen also combined with Jon Balocca for a sack for a loss of 12 yards.
Coach King felt the Warriors came together in all facets of the game their big win.
“Nick Braga did a great job running the ball. He had some big runs early in the game and a big catch coming out of the backfield,” said King. “Justin Robida stepped up in the second half. He had a couple of really big plays for us. Jud O’Brien had a couple of big plays along the way. He had a pass breakup early in the game. It was really a team win.”
It’s still going to be a tough road for the Warriors to make the playoffs, and so Coach King will try to keep his players focused on what they can control. Some things may have to break just right, but first and foremost, Valley will have to take care of its own business in its last three regular season games to return to the postseason and get another shot at a state title.
“We have to win out, and we have to hope a couple of teams get knocked off,” said King. “There’s a lot of pressure on us. We’re on the very edge. We’ve got to do our part. It’s a long road. We still have three tough opponents ahead of us.”
From the Sidelines
The Valley Regional-Old Lyme football team has posted wins against Ellington (33-7), Morgan (44-7), Coginchaug/Hale-Ray (41-13), Nonnewaug (48-0), North Branford (23-0), and Cromwell-Portland (34-28 in OT) this season.
The Warriors will face Rockville (0-7) in a Pequot League non-division matchup at home at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3. This will be Valley’s final home game of the regular season, and it also marks the team’s Senior Night.
After playing Rockville, the Warriors will play at Lewis Mills at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. Then on Friday, Nov. 17, Valley-Old Lyme plays at Haddam-Killingworth in the battle for the Principal’s Cup at 6:30 p.m.