Fitch loses heartbreaker to Berlin in battle of unbeatens
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Sep. 24—GROTON — It wasn't lost on Fitch High School coach Mike Ellis that perhaps some previous teams he's coached here might have cowered at the sight of the same 23-7 deficit.
Instead, his Falcons of 2022 rallied to tie the game in the third quarter and then down six in the closing seconds, watched a holding penalty negate their game-tying touchdown.
Painful. And yet encouraging in many ways, this 29-23 loss to Berlin at Dorr Field.
"I go back to the (preseason) scrimmage we had against St. Joe's," Ellis said. "We were getting drilled at halftime. But the kids picked each other up and we went out and played a good second half. I think tonight again showed there's no quit in them."
Fitch's Adonis Fine, in the midst of a career night, scored what most observers thought was the game-tying touchdown with 50 seconds left. Except for those who saw the penalty flag fly. Quarterback Ben Perry's next pass attempt was tipped and intercepted, leaving the Falcons with their first loss.
"We got lucky to get out of here with a win," Berlin coach Joe Aresimowicz said. "The Fitch coaching staff made some great adjustments in this game. I wouldn't want to have to see these guys every year."
Credit too, to the Redcoats (3-0) who scored at will in their first three possessions, but didn't score again until a bad snap on a punt set them up inside the five.
"Our mistakes killed us," Ellis said.
Josh Clement scored three of the four touchdowns for Berlin.
Fine began the scoring for Fitch with a 7-yard touchdown run. With the Falcons down 23-7, he threw a 27-yard option pass for a touchdown to Kevin Saintvil-Ravix and then caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Perry in the third quarter.
At 23-23, Dylan Beebe and Fine picked off Berlin quarterback Lorenzo Miele, but the Fitch offense was unable to capitalize. Saintvil-Ravix blocked a field goal with 4:20 left to give Fitch the ball and one last chance.
The Falcons (2-1) open play in Div. I of the Eastern Connecticut Conference next week against Norwich Free Academy.
"We did some good things," Ellis said. "We have to learn from the things did we wrong and move on. But I'm proud of their fight."
