Printer Friendly Version - T-Birds Cruise to Victory in Battle of Route 17

Junior captain quarterback Mason Provencher had a huge game when North Branford claimed a 46-6 victory over Coginchaug/East Hampton/Hale-Ray in the Battle for Route 17. Pictured providing coverage for Provencher are No. 56, senior Dom Langello, and No. 50, sophomore Aidan Chittenden. File photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Sound

The North Branford football squad put on a show when it faced Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton (C/H-R/EH) in the Battle of Route 17 last week. Junior captain quarterback Mason Provencher threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more scores to lead the T-Birds to a 46-6 rout against the Blue Devils at Coginchaug High School on the night before Thanksgiving.

North Branford finished at 3-6 overall and went 3-3 in the Pequot Conferenced Sassacus Division with its win over the Coginchaug co-op on Nov. 24. This marks the first time that the Thunderbirds have defeated the Blue Devils since the 2016 season.

North Branford was up 8-0 after the first quarter and held a 24-8 lead at halftime when it faced C/H-R/EH. The T-Birds outscored the Blue Devils by a 22-0 margin in the second half to come away with a commanding victory.

Provencher went 9-for-12 passing with 138 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing nine times for 120 yards and a pair of TDs for North Branford. Freshman Tommy Hansen carried the ball 14 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns to aid the T-Birds’ ground game.

Junior Ian Kamienski caught four passes for 96 yards and two scores for the Thunderbirds. Fellow junior Jack Meehan had four receptions for 34 yards in the win.

North Branford started off strong by reaching the end zone on its first possession of the night, finishing off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run from Provencher. Kamienski ran in the 2-point conversion, and North Branford had an 8-0 lead after the first quarter.

The T-Birds drove for another score on their second possession of the game. Hansen scored the touchdown on a 1-yard run, after which Provencher threw the 2-point conversion pass to Meehan for a 16-0 advantage in the early minutes of the second quarter.

C/H-R/EH responded by scoring its only touchdown of the contest on a 2-yard pass on its next drive. However, the Blue Devils (5-5, 4-3) missed the extra point and trailed 16-6 midway through the second period.

In the final minute of the first half, Provencher connected with Kamienski on a 44-yard touchdown pass that upped the T-Birds’ lead to 22-6. Hansen ran in the 2-point try to give North Branford a 24-6 lead at intermission.

North Branford kept piling on the points by scoring a pair of touchdowns during the third quarter. First, Provencher ran home a 2-yard score to put North Branford up 30-6. The junior QB followed by tossing the 2-point conversion to Meehan, making it 32-6. On the T-Birds’ next series, Provencher threw a 35-yard TD pass Kamienski to put North Branford up 38-6 through three.

Hansen scored the final touchdown of the game on a 5-yard rush in the fourth quarter. Provencher ran in the 2-point conversion to finish off a 46-6 victory for Head Coach Mark Basil’s team.

Junior Jace Kamienski snagged two interceptions to lead the T-Birds’ defense in their lopsided win versus the Blue Devils. Junior Dom Langello recorded a sack with 13 tackles, while fellow junior Tyler Serenson had 13 tackles in the win. Hansen made nine tackles for North Branford.