Cromwell/Portland Falls Short In CIAC Football Title Game

EAST HARTFORD, CT — After a wild back-and-forth first half, Bloomfield High School pulled away to secure its 10th state title Saturday, defeating Cromwell/Portland, 42 -20.

On a gray day at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, the Warhawks, led by head coach Ty Outlaw, earned the CIAC Class S championship.

It was the day's first of three games on CIAC Championship Saturday at the University of Connecticut's football home.

After an even game, the Warhawks took control in the second half and capitalized on Cromwell/Portland losing their starting quarterback after a vicious hit by a Bloomfield defender at the end of the first half.

With the score tied at 20-20 early in the second half, Bloomfield rolled up 22 points afterward en route to the championship.

Perennial power Bloomfield, a 2nd seed, ended a four-game title game losing streak in CIAC title tilts after winning their last state championship in 2018.

Meanwhile, 4th-seeded Cromwell/Portland, a co-op team combining Cromwell and Portland high schools, was looking to add to its lone state title in 2021.

The Warhawks enjoyed a solid regular season, going 8-1 before winning their two CIAC playoff games while the Panthers went 8-2 before easily winning their playoff games.

Cromwell/Portland opened the scoring on its first possession of the game with a 20-yard pass from junior quarterback Jess Elfreich to senior receiver Emeka Yearwood.

A completed two-point conversion put the Panthers up 8-0.

But a short kickoff from a personal foul penalty from Cromwell/Portland gave Bloomfield good field position.

The Panthers drove downfield and scored on an 11-yard pass play from junior quarterback Darrien Foster to senior running back Davion Kerr and the subsequent two-point play evened the score at 8-8.

After trading punts, the first quarter ended all even, 8-8.

Early in the second quarter, Bloomfield junior defensive back Jayden Johnson intercepted Elfreich at midfield, bringing it to the 29-yard line.

That led to a 29-yard pass play from Foster to Kerr, for their second touchdown of the game. A missed two-point conversion had Bloomfield up 14-8.

The Panthers took the kickoff to midfield, giving them good field position, which was squandered when Johnson intercepted his second pass of the game deep into Bloomfield territory.

After a methodical drive, though, Bloomfield's Kerr fumbled on the 3-yard line, with the ball tumbling into the endzone and recovered by the Panthers for a touchback.

Cromwell/Portland's drive appeared to stall and a punt was in order while still in their own territory.

But in a gutsy call by Panther coach Randell Bennett, Cromwell/Portland went for it on 4th and 5, with Elfreich completing a 50-yeard bomb to junior receiver Jack Nolan.

On the next play, Elfreich hit Nolan for a 15-yard touchdown against the shellshocked Warhawks, with a missed 2-point conversion leading to a 14-14 tie.

But Bloomfield wasn't just going to run the clock out.

They returned the kick to the Panther 33-yard-line and drove to the 3-yard-line on a long pass from Foster to Kerr.

With the clock stopped at 1 second in the half, Bloomfield missed a pass in the end zone, but a pass interference penalty on the Panthers gave Bloomfield one more chance to score.

Bloomfield's Kerr ran the ball in from the 1 after appearing to fumble, but the officials ruled he broke the goal line prior, giving Bloomfield a 20-14 lead over Cromwell/Portland.

A missed 2-point conversion ended a thrilling first half with that score.

The second half started with sophomore quarterback Michael Sitaro replacing an injured Elfreich for Cromwell/Portland.

They weren't slowed, however, as the Panthers' Yearwood ran the ball 61 yards to the 3-yard-yard on the first play of the half.

Then Cromwell/Portland scored when Ositadinma Yearwood ran it in for a touchdown, tying the score 20-20 right out of the gates in the second half.

A missed conversion kept the score 20-20.

But on their next drive, Bloomfield responded, taking the lead when Kerr ran it in, giving Bloomfield a 28-20 lead after a successful 2-point try.

In the quarter, a 38-yard pass to Bloomfield's Kerr took the ball to the Panther 3.

But Two costly penalties, though, cost Bloomfield dearly and they were backed up to the 16 after starting on the 3 and they failed to score.

On fourth down, Bloomfield scored a touchdown when junior Zachai Kimber fell on a fumble in the end zone after a Bloomfield receiver caught a pass, but fumbled en route to a score.

A failed conversion had Bloomfield up 34-20 and the Warhawks never looked back.

Bloomfield then went up 42-20 when Kerr ran in the ball from the 2-yard-line and a 2-point conversion was scored, essentially ending the game's competitiveness.

Resorting to a strict running attack, Bloomfield then ran out the clock for the rest of the game and then began to celebrate.

For a complete box score and game statistics, click on this link.