By RYAN PIPKE
Assistant Sports Editor

SIMSBURY — Size does matter in football. The Simsbury Trojans used their extra muscle, and numbers, to hold off the Berlin Redcoats 28-14 in a CCC interdivisional matchup of unbeatens at Simsbury High School.

Simsbury, a Class L school, clearly was able to win the battle at the line of scrimmage against the Class M Redcoats, particularly as the game wore on. The Trojans were able to have players rested, as fewer players go both ways for the larger school.

“They’re good,” Berlin coach John Capodice said. “They’re big, strong. They’re a Division I school and they play like a Division I school.”

Leading 13-7 at the half, it didn’t take long for the Trojans to take a stranglehold on the game after the break. Two plays were all they needed.

On first down Kevin Kucinskas took a pitch for 35 yards and on the next play Connelly Cummings went 31 yards for his second touchdown of the game. Quarterback Kyle Decker ran in the two-point conversion for a 21-7 lead.

“We executed our game plan,” Simsbury coach Jeff Osbourne said.

“We came in with ball control, and we ran what we wanted to run.”

It was easy for the Trojans to stick with their plan with the space they got up front.

“The difference was the line of scrimmage,” Capodice said. “They dominated us at the line of scrimmage. We knew what was coming. There’s no surprises here. There’s only three things they could do with the ball. The difference is they’re big, physical and strong up front and they pushed us around.”

Berlin could get little going on its first drive of the half, punting the ball back to Simsbury, which took over at the opposing 46-yard line.

The Trojans punted back to Berlin, but the Redcoats’ promising drive stalled due to a holding penalty.

On Simsbury’s next drive the game was put out of reach. Decker capped a 45-yard drive with a one-yard sneak up the middle and a 28-7 lead.

Berlin added a 17-yard touchdown by Max DeLorenzo but by the time the Redcoats seemed to figure out how to stop the Trojans, the final minutes were ticking away.

Berlin looked like the stronger team in the opening minutes, but momentum shifted Simsbury’s way. Berlin scored on its opening drive, using 13 plays to move 68 yards. But it was not the typical attack that the Redcoats usually employ.

Quarterback Dan Hackett dropped back to pass on the first two plays, completing a 15-yard pass to DeLorenzo on second down. Then the team went to the wildcat formation with DeLorenzo taking direct snaps and tackle A.J. Marsiglia lead blocking for him to gain 10 yards on three plays.

The rest of the drive was a mix between DeLorenzo and Taylor Tavarozzi running the ball and Hackett passing to Brian Malloy. Hackett capped the drive with a three-yard keeper up the middle for a 7-0 Berlin lead.

“They were just running the same stuff out of a different set and we knew that’s what Berlin does,” Osbourne said.

“They’re going to try something to get you and we just adjusted, shifted our linebackers. It was a good game.”

The Redcoats seemed to be taking control when they forced a fumble on Simsbury’s first drive, with Marsiglia recovering after Decker could not complete the handoff to a another runner. Berlin marched promptly down to the Simsbury 13-yard line, but the drive stalled there coming up two yards short of first down.

“We had fourth-and-three and unfortunately we didn’t make it down there,” Capodice said. “That was  a big play in the game. If we had stuck it in there it might have made a difference.”

With the ball back in its possession, Simsbury exerted its will, marching 95 yards on a 16-play drive. Berlin struggled to figure out Decker’s tricky handoffs to Cummings, as the two split the carries fairly evenly. Cummings rushed in from five yards out to tie the game with 5:54 left in the first half.

“I’m proud of our kids for coming back off of that,” Osbourne said. “We played our game and we did what we do.”

Things then turned very sour for the Redcoats as DeLorenzo fumbled on the first play from scrimmage, giving Simsbury the ball back at the 17-yard line. The Trojans would easily score on a six-play drive with Decker finding the end zone from three yards out. The extra point was blocked but Simsbury led 13-7.

The Redcoats would be forced to punt back to Simsbury, but he Trojans could not capitalize, also punting before the end of the half.

“You don’t have a choice,” Capodice said of playing the larger school. “The schedule’s given to you and you play the game’s that you’re dictated.”

Simsbury improved to 5-0 on the season, while Berlin fell to 4-1.

“It’s a big win. Every week’s a big week in the CCC,” Osbourne said.

“As you guys know, Berlin’s going to be a good team down the road.”