SOUTHBURY — Pomperaug High outmuscled Masuk in the trenches Friday night, rushing for over
300 yards in a soggy, surprisingly easy 35-12 South-West Conference victory.

It was the third consecutive win for Pomperaug (3-1 overall, 2-0 SWC Colonial) after a season-opening
non-league loss to Amity.

Masuk (2-2 overall, 1-1 SWC Colonial) has now lost twice in the past three weeks, a shocking
development for a highly regarded team that was expected to win the SWC and contend for a state title.

"Shocked would be an understatement,’’ Masuk coach John Murphy said. "We just haven’t performed
up to our capabilities. There’s no excuses.”

Fullback Ken Fraser gained 126 yards on 15 carries for Pomperaug and scored on
runs of 27 and 36 yards.

Backfield mates Tom Tidgwell (21-95) and Pat Kantor (16-88) also contributed, thanks to the
yeoman dirty work of center Matt Sharkey, guards Phillip Platt and William Rickert, and tackles
Tim Napoli and Cliff Hawthorne.

Rickert, a junior, was an emergency replacement for Joe DeRienzo, who suffered a groin injury early
in the game. Having never played guard before, Rickert needed to be told his blocking assignment
before each play.

"We knew we were bigger and stronger than those guys and that we could pound the ball at them,
which is exactly what we did,” Tidgwell said.

Said Murphy: "They played well offensively. They ran the ball right at us.
They just stuffed it down our throats.”

Tidgwell’s 1-yard touchdown and the first of five extra points by Tim Keegan gave Pomperaug a
7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Masuk got within 7-6 on Keenan Delaney’s 5-yard run after the visitors recovered a
fumble at the Pomperaug 14.

On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore starting linebacker Michael Kielt (No. 51 in your program
because that was his brother Matt’s number last year) burst through a seam, faked out the kicker
near midfield and finished off an 80-yard return for a touchdown. It put Pomperaug ahead for good.

Fraser’s 27-yard touchdown in the second period staked Pomperaug to a 21-6 halftime lead.

Masuk starting quarterback Anthony Wargo, who has a broken toe, took over in the second half
and provided a lift. He finished 10-of-22 for 212 yards, but he also threw a pair of interceptions.

His backup, Corey Walsh, was 7-of-18 for 72 yards in the first half, with one interception.

Masuk got within 21-12 when Wargo found Joe Longley some 10 yards behind the secondary for
a 70-yard scoring pass with just over a minute to play in the third period.

Early in the fourth period, Masuk was driving again but Wargo’s pass was picked off by
Tidgwell inside the Pomperaug 5.

With just over four minutes remaining in the game, Kielt clinched the win. Blitzing on fourth down and
goal from the Pomperaug 2, he sacked Wargo to end Masuk’s comeback hopes.

Keegan put the icing on the win in the closing seconds with a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown.

And to think that only a week ago Pomperaug was fortunate to edge Joel Barlow 6-0.

"This week the intensity was up 100 times more,” Tidgwell said. "This is our team at our best.
We definitely jelled today.”

Masuk (2-2, 1-1)  6 0 6  0 — 12

Pomperaug (3-1, 2-0) 14 7 0 14 — 35

First quarter

P — Tom Tidgwell 1 run (Tim Keegan kick), 6:13

M — Keenan Delaney 5 run (kick failed), 2:37

P — Michael Kielt 80 kickoff return (Keegan kick), 2:24

Second quarter

P — Ken Fraser 27 run (Keegan kick), 6:21

Third quarter

M — Joe Longley 70 pass Anthony Wargo (run failed), 1:07

Fourth quarter

P — Fraser 36 run (Keegan kick), 1:59

P — Keegan 94 interception return (Keegan kick), 0:06