By Michael Letendre
The Bristol Central football team has a legitimate chance to finish the season at .500 after a tough 1-5 start.
But in order to get into that important position, a struggling squad from Newington stands in the way.
The Nor’easters are having a season they would probably rather forget, dropping seven straight games after opening Week 1 with a victory.
On the flip side, Central is putting everything together on both sides of the ball – just in time for the approaching Thanksgiving Day clash against Bristol Eastern.
The Rams are looking for their third straight triumph and here’s what to look for as the Bristol Central football program plays its final road game of the season on Friday night in Newington:
Bristol Central (3-5) at Newington (1-7), CCC Tier II Tilt
Time: 6:30 p.m. (from Alumni Field in Newington)
The Series: It’s Central’s 31st all-time showdown against the Nor’easters as the squads were once regular opponents in the old CCC South football alignment along with the likes of New Britain, Platt, Maloney and Southington.
The Edge: The Rams hold the advantage in this series, carrying the lead 17-12-1 over Newington.
Last Game against Newington: Back on Nov. 8, 2019, Central fell to Newington over a tough 21-16 decision from the football turf at BCHS. UConn’s Victor Rosa smashed the then Indians for 163 yards on 18 carries. Tre Jones rushed for 69 yards while Rosa hit 3-of-11 passes for 33 yards and threw a TD reception to Shawn Rodriguez.
Last Week: Central foiled Middletown 14-13 on a special Thursday night affair while Newington was squashed by Berlin, 38-16.
What to expect: Bristol Central is heading in the right direction and that huge win against Middletown last Thursday proved that very fact…Give credit to Jack Jones (team leading 88 tackles) and the Rams’ defensive crew — allowing just two second-half scores over the last couple weeks for just 12 total points. That kind of effort wins games…When the Rams needed stops, that unit has been excellent — giving the offense additional reps to attack the opponent of the week…Aiden Lamarre (42 tackles) and Tyler Ryan (36) are second and third, respectively, in tackles for Central while Luis Padilla is second in tackles for losses with 10…When the Rams’ win, the squad only yields 13.0 points-per-game and that tally will get the job done almost every time…Offensively, what can be said about the impact Donavan Rodriguez has made since making his 2023 debut at Manchester? He leads the team in rushing touchdowns with four and in Central’s direct snap schemes, if he finds a couple seams and holes, he’s off to the races and clearly not afraid of contact. Since he made his debut, the Rams are 2-1 and Rodriguez is a big reason for that success…Jack Hartley (133 carries, 416 yards, three TDs) has seen his role change a bit since the start of the campaign but he’s ultra important blocking while seemingly in the right place offensively whether it’s a 100-yard rushing effort or a 23-yard reception to keep the chains moving…Don’t sleep on Tristian Toussaint, Jayden Glasper and Anthony Paulino as the trio can make gains for the program on the ground…Amazingly, six different players have a least one pass attempt this season with Hartley making 15 passes for 98 yards. Every once in a while, a slick little pass or slant opens the field up which is always helpful when running the ball…And Lamarre deserves a ton of credit as his PAT kicking was truly the difference maker in the one-point victory over the Blue Dragons. Those extra points could decide the fate of a big game like, I don’t know, the one on Thanksgiving?…But Central isn’t there yet as Newington is the opponent of the week…And if the Rams aren’t prepared, Newington could pull off a major upset…The Nor’easters have a decent chucker in the form of Enzo Corvino (45-for-93 passing, 598 yards, six TD’s, one interception). He nets about 13.3 yards-per-pass and will test Central’s secondary. He’s also second on the squad in rushing with 226 yards on 73 carries (3.1 yards-per-carry) to go along with two touchdowns…Evan Pigott has 64 rushes for 286 yards and five TDs. When available, he can move the ball with zest…Aikari Rosemond has nine receptions for 132 yards, Sammy Cortez (12-155) and Leequon Benford (9-116) have combined for five TD receptions this season…This game is here for the taking and Central can roll into the holiday break in, perhaps, the last ever Thanksgiving Day game in Bristol scholastic history (more on that topic in the pages of TBE over the next couple weeks) with a 4-5 ledger and a chance to draw even to end the season…But it starts with a huge ‘W’ in Newington on Friday evening.
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