By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – Let’s cut to the chase this Sunday: Bristol Central football star Victor Rosa does not have an equal – when it comes to gridiron ability – in Connecticut.

Offensively, defensive, leadership, intelligence – his tangible and intangible abilities can’t be matched in 2021.

There’s a reason while this tremendous student athlete is heading to UCONN in the fall to play a little collegiate football for the Huskies.

And when he helped the Bristol Central to a convincing 38-8 victory over Bristol Eastern on Thanksgiving, the state’s leading rusher added to his nearly unheard of totals in the Mum City.

“He’s the best player in the state,” said Central coach Jeff Papazian after the Thanksgiving Day classic. “I don’t want to hear about it from anybody about anyone else. That kid is the best player in the state.”

It’s a statement that really can’t be argued, denied, debated or challenged.

Rosa blew up for 282 yards against the Lancers on Thanksgiving and is on the cusp of 2,600 yards with the single season Central record in sight.

Overall, Rosa has 2,598 yards already in the bank and is just 407 yards away from tying the school record of 3,005 – established by Tim Washington back in 2000.

Don’t forget in a single game this year, over Central’s amazing 68-50 victory against pesky Tolland, Rosa scooped up a career-high 406 yards third all-time in program history.

It will be even tougher to operate against surging Maloney but, just like in life, records are meant to be broken.

And to get to second place in terms of single season rushing, another record held by Washington is certainly in reach.

Washington ran for 2,711 yards as a senior and Rosa is just 113 yards away from moving into that slot.

Rosa is poised to break and establish even school records as the postseason has arrived for the Rams’ program.

The senior has scooped up 39 rushing touchdowns during regular season play, surpassing Washington’s second place single season ledger of 37 established in 2001.

Three more TDs, which could get tallied in Central’s Class L quarterfinal bout against Maloney on Tuesday, would tie Washington’s all-time record of 42 complied back in 2000.

The amazing part of all this is the Rosa’s name will forever be intertwined with Washington in Central football lore.

That’s a tremendous honor all in itself and, don’t forget, Washington never played in the states (though qualifying for the postseason was nearly impossible during his times playing at Central).

Rosa is rewriting the record books as the Rams qualified for the states for the first time since 1987.

Rosa and Central battle Maloney (Falcon Field in Meriden, 6:30 p.m.) as the locals are looking for their first ever postseason win.

A victory over the Spartans and another game in the semifinal round might see Rosa break even more local records.

And the state’s leading rusher is looking for more than just beating Maloney and establishing another Central record or two along the way.

The heart and soul of the Central football team is looking to put another banner up at BCHS of the state title variety.

And Rosa has the ability to accomplish just that.

“There’s nobody more valuable to their team than he is to us,” said Papazian of Rosa. “That’s it.”

And that’s it.