Defense sparks Masuk in win over Bunnell
MONROE — The Masuk football team scored 136 points in its first three games, but midway through the third quarter Friday night in a pouring rain against Bunnell, the Panthers were still scoreless.
A Bunnell miscue on a snap opened the door with Masuk’s Elijah Belizor jumping on a wet, bouncing ball in the end zone to give the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish.
In a game with little in the way of offense, Masuk scored twice on defense to come out on top 24-6 over Bunnell in a key early-season SWC matchup at Benedict Field.
“The defense was incredible tonight. They stepped up after giving up the six on the first drive and they really held it,” Masuk interim coach Brian Halapin said. “The offense was trying to find it. The weather didn’t help and we are trying to break in a freshman quarterback (Aaron Champagne). Hopefully it is dry the next time we try to do that. We tried everything tonight and we are finding ourselves.”
Halapin remains at the helm with head coach Steve Christy and assistant Eric Giordano on administrative leave since the preseason due to an internal investigation.
Masuk is playing with plain white helmets, saying they will not put the logos on the helmets until Christy returns.
Masuk (3-1) was without starting quarterback Robert Klein, who was injured last week against Bloomfield. Halapin said Klein will be in a cast at least into November and possibly until Thanksgiving.
Klein did play wide receiver with a club on his right hand and caught a screen pass in the game.
Without Klein at quarterback, Masuk ran a spread offense with Aaron Champagne at quarterback, a wildcat with Jason Champagne taking snaps and a double wing, but could not move the ball well in the rain.
The win was a key one in the CIAC Class MM playoff race wre more than three losses most likely eliminates a team from the playoffs.
Last season, Bunnell lost 31-28 to Masuk and ended up missing the Class MM playoffs by a game.
Bunnell coach Ty Jenkins felt his team was in control up until the bad snap which led to the first Masuk touchdown.
“100 percent we let this one get away. For 90 percent of his game we were in full control and we had some mistakes in a bad weather game dictate how this game ended up,” said Jenkins whose Bulldogs dropped to 2-2. “Anyone who watched this game knows it wasn’t a 24-6 game. That wasn’t the story of the game.”
Bunnell scored on the opening drive with Luke Ryan catching an 8-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Pierce to make it 6-0 in the first quarter.
That would remain the score until Bunnell’s bad snap with 5:55 left in the third.
The snap eluded the quarterback at the 14-yard line, bounced around and slipped away from players as they tried to jump on the wet ball with Belizor finally coming up with it.
The extra point by Jackson Zylick made it 7-6.
The next time Masuk had the ball, Zylick would kick a 35-yard field goal.
The Masuk defense would score again when Luke Longo ran back a pick-six 11 yards for a touchdown.
The Panthers added a late rushing touchdown by Gavin Walker.
Another big test awaits as Masuk hosts 3-1 Barlow next Friday at 7 p.m. while Bunnell will play at home against Bethel.
Fairfield Prep quarterback Tyler Smith passes as he is pressured by Evan Russo of Cheshire in Fairfield on Friday.