2005 Class LL Football Playoffs

Scoring summaries and game stories courtesy of The Hartford Courant, Bristol Press, Connecticut Post, Danbury News-Times, Manchester Journal Inquirer, Middletown Press, New Britain Herald, New London Day, New Haven Register, Norwich Bulletin, Stamford Advocate, Torrington Register-Citizen, Waterbury Republican-American.

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Final Class LL Playoff Point Rankings | Class LL Regular Season Results
Class LL Rosters: Southington | Trumbull* | West Haven | Xavier*

FINALS

First Quarter
X-Spievey 41 run (Faulkner kick)
X-Moses 35 run (kick failed)
X-Spievey 48 run (pass failed)
S-Kelleher 16 run (Florian kick)
Second Quarter
X-Campbell 20 run (Faulkner kick)
S-Florian 8 pass from Kelleher (run failed)
X-Campbell 15 run (Faulkner kick)
X-Spievey 3 run (Kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
S-Florian 31 pass from Kelleher (Florian run)
S-Florian 31 pass from Kelleher (Florian run)
X-Dwyer 27 run (run failed)

WEST HAVEN - Southington's Air Raid attack was its usual potent self Saturday night, but Xavier's infantry proved far too powerful.

The Falcons steamrolled to a 39-14 halftime lead in the Class LL title game at Strong Stadium and turned back the Blue Knights' belated comeback to come away with a 45-30 victory. Xavier claimed its first CIAC football championship and, at 12-0, assured itself the top ranking in the final state polls.

Tailback Amari Spievey carried the ball on four of Xavier's first five plays, capping the initial march with a 40-yard burst up the middle, breaking a tackle as he crossed the line of scrimmage and scampering into the end zone.

The next time The Falcons had the ball they again struck quickly. Quarterback Corey Moses faked a pitchout and then swept the left end for 35 yards.

Spievey boosted the margin to 19-0 with 5:44 left in the first quarter, breaking three tackles on the way to a 48-yard touchdown run.He finished the first half with three touchdowns and 156 rushing.

Southington mounted a fourth-quarter comeback with two 31-yard touchdown passes from quarterback Matt Kellher to receiver Nick Florian followed by a pair of two-point conversion runs by Floridan.

But Xavier closed the scoring with 1:37 remaining on a 16-yard touchdown run by Shea Dwyer.

SEMIFINALS

Second Quarter
S-Florian 23 pass from Kelleher (Florian run) 5:26
WH-Holloman 6 pass from Martone (pass failed) 0:08
Third Quarter
S-Florian 34 pass from Kelleher (Florian run) 6:14
S-Borawski 82 pass from Kelleher (Coles run) 3:16
WH-Alford 1 run (run failed) 0:13
Fourth Quarter
WH-Alford 25 run (kick failed) 6:36
S-Florian 48 pass from Kelleher (run failed) 4:53
WH-Mike 11 pass from Martone (kick failed) 1:48

SOUTHINGTON - Senior quarterback Matt Kelleher threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns to lead top-seeded Southington to a 30-24 victory over fourth-seeded West Haven in a Class LL semifinal game at Fontana Field. Three aerial strikes to junior receiver Nick Florian for 23, 34 and 49 yards, combined with an 82-yard big hit to senior P.J. Borawski, enabled Southington (11-0) to hold off a West Haven attack powered by junior James Alford's 183 rushing yards.

After Southington extended an 8-6 halftime lead to 24-6 in the third quarter, West Haven (9-2) charged back on TD runs of 1 and 25 yards by Alford. In the final minutes, West Haven answered Kelleher's fourth touchdown pass with an 11-yard scoring strike from Mike Martone to Chris Mike.

Ultimately, with both teams scoring four touchdowns, the game was decided on point-after attempts. Southington converted on three of four 2-point runs. West Haven converted just one of four, missing two kicks and one pass attempt.

Southington overcame three turnovers, including two at the goal line. Kelleher completed 10 of 21 passes. Junior running back Gary Coles rushed for 137 yards on 21 carries.

Martone was 9 of 24 for 82 yards. Sophomore Gerald Holloman completed a 42-yard option pass to Mike to set up one of Alford's touchdowns.

T-Jay Youngblood 44 run (John McBride kick)
X-Amari Spievey 10 run (Stephen Faulkner kick)
X-Spievey 1 run (kick failed)
X-Coree Moses 1 run (Faulkner kick)
Records: Trumbull 10-2, Xavier 11-0.

MIDDLETOWN -- Amari Spievey came off the bench in the second quarter and rushed two touchdowns and Xavier's defense forced three turnovers in the fourth quarter to advance to their first state championship game since 1983 with a 20-7 victory over third-seeded Trumbull in front of 3,000 at Palmer Field Friday night.

Xavier spent the entire second half in Trumbull territory, but needed a key 42-yard completion by Coree Moses to Mike Campbell to set up Spievey's second touchdown run and a 13-7 Xavier lead.

Dan Aresco recovered a Trumbull fumble and Alondre Rush intercepted a pass, but Trumbull's defense held both times.

With just five minutes remaining, Moses intercepted another pass and Xavier finally cashed in on a 1-yard run by Rush with 1:38 remaining. Trumbull scored on its first possession of the game, a 44-yard run by Jay Youngblood, but was held scoreless the rest of the way.

Moses completed just 3-of11 passes for 69 yards. He was sacked three times, two by Trumbull's Chris Wowk. Youngblood rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries for Trumbull.