Granby Bears Football Wins in Close Contest Against Suffield/Windsor Locks/East Granby

A scene reminiscent of the last meeting between the Granby Bears and the Suffield/Windsor Locks/East Granby Raiders football teams in early October 2011 ended Saturday’s contest at Granby's Ahrens Park as well.

A successful goal-line stand by the Bears fended off four scoring attempts by the visiting Raiders to seal a 12-6 win for the home team in the game’s closing minutes.

Two short-distance rushing touchdowns from Granby quarterback Curt Field, a junior, accounted for the Bears’ total scoring. Although both a Bears extra point attempt and a try at 2-point conversion both failed to add to that tally, Field’s 12 points were enough to help his team reach a 1-1 record on the season.

Trystan Cauley, a junior, was an indispensable player for the Raiders. He was the featured running back, pass catcher, kickoff and punt returner, as well as a safetyman on defense. Cauley’s overall prowess was especially evident on running plays, heading towards the edges of the field and powering the ball through holes made by his offensive line with equal skill.

Cauley ran in an early third-quarter touchdown to even the score to 6-6. That touchdown was followed by an unsuccessful extra point attempt by the Raiders, keeping the game tied.

The Bears’ run and shoot offense –often featuring four receivers, a running back and quarterback Curt Field in the shotgun position seven yards behind the center – was stifled many times by an attacking Raiders’ defense. Similarly, Granby’s 4-4 “multiple” defense was effective against the Raiders’ singleback formation  – which employed a variety of ends, receivers and wing backs along with the single running back (often Cauley) behind the quarterback – on a majority of Raider offensive plays.

The Bears’ offense clicked one more time however, with a long, fourth-down pass to senior Caleb McMullin in the third quarter setting up a draw run to the one-yard line and Field’s second rushing touchdown of the game.

Granby’s successful goal-line stand led to some Bears running plays to bring the clock down to zero and a win for the home team.

Raiders coach Martin Powers gave high marks to his featured back, Trystan Cauley, and Brady Schoener, an effective defensive tackle for the Raiders who stifled many running plays and applied pressure to Granby’s backfield. He also praised his entire defense, which often forced Granby into punting situations.

“The defense did great, the secondary especially,” Powers said.

The win gave Granby coach Rich Gadoury his first victory as a varsity football head coach, which brought a cheer from Granby fans in attendance as it was announced.

“I feel phenomenal,” Gadoury said. “I’m wicked excited for these boys. The captains [Field, Ben Marlor, Stephen Blake and Thomas Ullman] were the biggest tribute to the team.”

Gadoury also noted the performance of McMullin, whose fourth-down pass reception was instrumental in setting up the Bears’ winning score.

Mike Pagano, a Granby football supporter and statistician for the team, will provide statistical highlights throughout the season on The Granbys Patch. Find his first “by the numbers” statistics highlight rundown here.

Additionally, full game stats for Granby are available here on MaxPreps.

Granby (1-1) plays next at home, taking on undefeated Ellington/Somers (3-0) at 2 p.m. at Ahrens Park on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Suffield/Windsor Locks/East Granby (1-2) travels to Enfield High School (2-1) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 for its next game.