Schools
T-Birds’ Football Takes on Hyde Tonight in Thanksgiving Eve Showdown
North Branford is looking to carry the momentum from its undefeated season, including two recent wins over Nonnewaug and Lewis Mills, into its regular-season finale against Hyde.
The North Branford football team is 9-0 with only one game standing in the way of a perfect 2012 regular season. But the T-Birds aren’t the only ones looking to defend their perfect season. The Hyde Howling Wolves also stand at 9-0 and the teams will face off tonight at North Branford at 6 p.m. Last year, North Branford topped Hyde 34-13.
Both teams have exhibited explosive offense with high-scoring games and stingy defenses, limiting their opponents’ chances at getting on the scoreboard. Here’s how the teams have stacked up against opponents in 2012.
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Opponent
Hyde
North Branford
Haddam-Killingworth
W 33-15
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W 51-6
Morgan
W 41-10
W 46-7
Coginchaug
W 7-0
W 41-0
Cromwell
W 21-10
W 42-7
Valley Regional/Old Lyme
W 28-13
W 41-16
Lewis Mills
W 48-0
W 49-0
Old Saybrook/Westbrook
W 45-8
W 70-39
East Hampton/Vinal Tech
W 56-6
W 45-0
Nonnewaug
W 48-0
W 56-7
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On Nov. 10, North Branford beat Nonnewaug 56-7, charging out to a 44-0 lead. In the first quarter, Brandan Basil threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Chris Caron before Basil hit Alex McGuigan for a 38-yard score.
The T-Birds then scored three TDs in the second quarter as Basil and Joe Delucia connected on a 50-yard score, Dale Hausman punched in a score from the one-yard line and Basil then tossed a six-yard TD pass to Caron.
Holding a 32-0 lead heading into the second half, Gary Falanga had a 70-yard kickoff return before Delucia’s 31-yard TD reception from Basil made it 44-0.
Nonnewaug got on the board in the final quarter with a two-yard run, which led to two more North Branford scores, including an 80-yard kickoff return by Caron and a 42-yard run by Hausman.
Basil was 14-for-22 passing for 252 yards and five touchdowns. Hausman was the T-Birds’ top receiver with 151 yards, while Delucia had 43 rushing yards to go with 81 receiving yards. McGuigan had 62 receiving yards and Caron had 56.
Defensively, Josh Melaccio led North Branford with eight tackles, John Burke had six, Rocco Morgan had five and McGuigan, Cory Seymour and Dylan Baldino each had four.
On Nov. 17, the T-Birds shut out Lewis Mills 49-0, starting strong with five scores in the first quarter alone. Hausman opened up the scoring with a one-yard run before he then punched in another score from nine yards out.
Delucia then scored on a seven-yard interception before he received a seven-yard pass from Basil. Hausman closed out the first-quarter scoring with a six-yard reception from Basil for a 32-0 lead entering the second.
In the second quarter, Basil and Caron connected for a 16-yard score. In the third quarter, Basil and Caron connected again, this time for one yard before a Lewis Mills’ safety put North Branford up 46-0. Delucia’s 20-yard field goal in the fourth quarter closed out the scoring.
Basil was 10-for-21 passing for 147 yards and four touchdowns to go with five rushes for 75 yards. Hausman had 13 rushes for 130 yards. Caron had four receptions for 75 yards. Gary Falanga had 34 receiving yards and Delucia had 32.
Falanga led the defense with five tackles with Burke, Melaccio and Christian Sgro each adding four.
Will you be at tonight's game? Blogger Janice Despotakis shares how you can make a no-sew purple-and-white T-Bird pride scarf.
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