WIndsor looking out for No. 1 in Class L semifinals

Kyle Maher, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·3 min read

Dec. 4—The Windsor High football team is one win away from its first state championship game appearance since 2016.

But the fifth-seeded Warriors must topple one of the state's juggernauts to punch their ticket to the title game.

Windsor will square off with top-seeded St. Joseph in a Class L semifinal Sunday in Trumbull. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

"The majority of the kids playing right now don't have postseason experience," Windsor coach Rob Fleeting said. "I think a year off from football has hurt everybody. But we adjusted. Today, we're a better team than we were when we first started off."

The Warriors (10-1) defeated No. 4 Cheney Tech 62-0 in a quarterfinal Tuesday.

St. Joseph (10-1) edged No. 8 Hand 21-20 in overtime on a Logan Spoelstra extra point after the Cadets blocked the Tigers' game-winning field goal attempt at the end of regulation and the extra point try earlier in the extra session.

It was St. Joseph's 10th consecutive playoff win dating back to the 2017 postseason.

St. Joseph has reached the state championship game 18 times and won 15 titles.

The Cadets have won a state title in each of the last three seasons. They won Class S in 2017, Class M in 2018, and Class L in 2019.

The 2020 postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Windsor has reached the state championship game four times and won its first title in 2014.

St. Joseph visited Windsor on Sept. 24 and handed the Warriors their lone loss of season 45-22.

"Teams evolve so much from week one, early in the season, sometimes they progress, sometimes they digress," Fleeting said. "I think they're doing more things now than they were when we first saw them."

The St. Joseph defense, which has allowed 13.2 points per game this season, will face a Warriors offense led by quarterback Elijah Cromartie and skill position players Shawn Bell, Raymond Rodriguez, JJ Walcott, and Achillius White.

Cromartie has completed 54.1 percent of his passes for 2,251 yards and 19 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. The junior has added 179 yards and nine scores on the ground.

"It's all about communication and speaking the same language with Elijah," Fleeting said. "Being on the same page. We're able to make adjustments quicker because we're used to be around one another."

Bell has carried the ball 144 times for 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 24 passes for 317 yards and one score.

Rodriguez has 19 catches for 342 yards and two touchdowns. Walcott has 19 catches for 267 yards and one touchdown and White has 14 catches for 454 and four scores.

Defensive end Prince Samuels leads the Warriors in tackles (70), tackles for loss (21), and sacks (14).

The Windsor defense, which has allowed 17.3 points per game this season, will face a St. Joseph offense led by quarterback Matt Morrissey and skill position players Maxwell Warren, Riley Jordan, Brandon Hutchison, and Anthony Greco.

Morrissey has completed 57.7 percent of his passes for 2,035 yards and 22 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. The senior has added 307 yards and five scores on the ground.

Jordan has rushed for 843 yards and 10 touchdowns. Warren has caught 49 passes for 855 yards and 11 scores.

Hutchison has 44 receptions for 490 yards and seven touchdowns. Greco has 32 catches for 291 yards and one score.

Tyler daSilva leads the Cadets in tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (8.0).

"They're a good team, they're well coached," Fleeting said. "They go hard every play. They execute well. It's going to be a tough game for us."

For daily updates on high school sports in JI's coverage area, follow Kyle Maher on Twitter: @KyleBMaher, Facebook: Kyle Maher, and Instagram: @KyleBMaher.