12 difference makers playing in the CIAC state finals
With 12 teams set to take the field on Saturday in six state championship games, we take a look at players with the most potential to be difference makers for each team:
CLASS LL
NO. 2 GREENWICH’S DOM DELUCA
Year: Senior
Position: LB/TE
Stats: The senior is a matchup nightmare for opponents. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he wreaks havoc on defense, making over 30 tackles and five sacks this season. On offense he has 21 catches for 340 yards and three touchdowns.
What he can do to help his team win: He's bigger than any defensive back that will cover him and he is faster than any linebacker that lines up against him on offense. He can get into the opponent's backfield to disrupt the running game and get into the quarterback's face to make him uncomfortable.
NO. 5 FAIRFIELD PREP’S MALACHI MERCER-ROBINSON
Year: Senior
Position: RB
Stats: The thunder to Wally Wuchiski's lightning runs like a bowling ball through defenses. He has rushed for 793 yards and has fought for each one of them to go along with his nine touchdowns.
What he can do to help his team win: It's simple: touch the ball. In games where Mercer-Robinson has 10 or more touches the Jesuits are 9-0. In games were he has less than 10 touches the Jesuits are 0-3. In his last three games he has 54 touches, including a season high 26 carries against Staples in the state quarterfinals.
CLASS L NO. 3 MALONEY’S DONTE KELLY
Year: Junior
Position: DB/WR
Stats: The junior has a part in all three phases of the game. He has over 40 catches and 600 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on offense. He is a lockdown defensive back with four interceptions and has two punt returns for touchdowns.
What he can do to help his team win:
He can flip the field for the Spartans. Whether it's causing a turnover on defense or making a big return on special teams, Kelly is an electric playmaker who needs to be watched every time the ball is in his hands.
NO. 4 NEW CANAAN’S TY GROFF Year:
Position:
Stats:
Senior
QB/K
Groff started just his sixth career game at quarterback for New Canaan in the CIAC semifinals. He was expected to start the season at QB, but an injury to his nonthrowing hand kept him on the sideline when the Rams were on offense for most of the first half the season. He has thrown for 531 yards and just two touchdowns, but threw a career-high 21 times in the semifinals. The senior does most of his damage with his foot where he is 12-for-14 on FGs — perfect in his last eight attempts — and is 45-for-46 on extra points. He has field goals of 48 yards (twice), 47 and 45.
What he can do to help his team win: Kick field goals. The Rams' offense hasn't been the strongest part of the team's game this season, but if they get into Groff 's range, the team can at least guarantee three points on the board. If the game comes down to it, there is no better kicker in the state primed to make that kick.
CLASS MM NO. 3 KILLINGLY’S BEN JAX
Year: Senior
Position: WR/DB
Stats: A wide receiver for Killingly, are you joking? Nope. Jax makes the most of his opportunities. He has 39 catches this season with 18 of those catches resulting in touchdowns. He has 1,196 receiving yards, which is good for an average of 30.7 yards a catch. Defensively, he has two interceptions to go with 59 tackles.
What he can do to help his team win: Stretch the field and make the big play. Everyone knows Killingly likes to run the ball and the team is very successful at it. And while they lull their defenders to sleep with the run game, they can hit you with a long pass to Jax before the defense realizes it.
NO. 5 NORTH HAVEN’S ADAM PANDOLFI
Year: Junior
Position: RB/DB
Stats: The junior has rushed for 820 yards and seven touchdowns on just 91 carries this season, which is good for second on the team in each category.
What he can do to help his team win: While Jeff Karavas has been the main back for the Nighthawks, Pandolfi has stepped up when his name has been called, rushing for nine yards a carry. He has rushed for 189 yards in the postseason and if his name is called against Killingly, he is primed to rise to the occasion.
CLASS M NO. 1 BERLIN’S KYLE MELVILLE
Year: Sophomore
Position: RB/DB
Stats: The sophomore has rushed for a team-leading 563 yards and five touchdowns this season and caught a team-best 29 passes for 410 yards and three more scores.
What he can do to help his team win: Ride the hot hand. While no Berlin player has more than 100 carries this season, Melville has run the ball 36 times in the last three games and has rushed for 294 yards and two touchdowns in those games.
NO. 2 NOTRE DAME-WEST HAVEN’S MATTHEW PIECHOTA
Year: Senior
Position: QB
Stats: The senior quarterback has thrown for 1,753 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, while adding over 500 yards on the ground and seven more touchdowns.
What he can do to help his team win: Piechota is getting hot at the right time. He hasn't had the big numbers senior year that many expected, but he has excelled at running the Green Knights' offense and his play has improved in the last three games. He has thrown for five touchdowns in that span.
CLASS SS
NO. 5 JOEL BARLOW’S MASON LEAVITT
Year: Senior
Position: DB/RB
Stats: The senior leads the team with 103 tackles, including 12 tackles for a loss. He has two sacks and grabbed two interceptions — including one in the state semifinals.
What he can do to help his team win: Lead the Falcons' defense to a big-time performance. There are playmakers all over the field in the Class SS championship game and a key defensive stop could make the difference for winning the state title. Leavitt having a big day would go a long way in helping Joel Barlow win the title.
NO. 6 VALLEY REGIONAL/ OLD LYME’S JACOB RAND
Year: Senior
Position: RB/LB
Stats: Rand has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season and 13 touchdowns. And on defense he has made over 50 tackles and a handful of sacks. He has made 90% of his extra point kicks.
What he can do to help his team win: Clutch plays. The two-way senior has come through in the clutch twice during the state playoffs. He had a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown to ice the quarterfinal win over Foran and he had a one-yard run in the fourth quarter to put the co-op up two scores in the semifinals.
CLASS S NO. 1 ANSONIA’S MACHI INGRAM
Year: Junior
Position: WR/RB/DB
Stats: The junior playmaker has done a little bit of everything for the Chargers, whether it is catching big passes, breaking big runs when spelling David Cassetti or coming up with big game-changing plays on defense. Simply, Ingram does it all for his team.
What he can do to help his team win: When Cassetti exits the game, it doesn't make it easier on the opposing defense, because Ingram is just as dangerous with the ball in his hands. He has been playing through injuries during the second half of the season, but he has pushed through and come through with big plays. He had a long run in the quarterfinals to set up the Chargers first touchdown and opened up the scoring in the semifinals with a 77-yard touchdown run.
NO. 2 BLOOMFIELD’S DARRIEN FOSTER
Year: Junior
Position: QB
Stats: Foster has taken his game to the next level this season, throwing for 29 touchdowns to go along with 2,544 yards, improving on 1,602 yards and 22 touchdowns last year.
What he can do to help his team win: Use experience to his advantage. Foster started in the Class S final a year ago and didn't have the game he wanted. He was picked off twice, threw for just 109 yards and ran in the lone touchdown in a 21-6 loss. Foster was on the field watching Cromwell/ Portland celebrate a year ago and you know he has been thinking about rewriting history if he got the chance. He has that chance now. In the postseason he has thrown for 649 yards and nine touchdowns.