Xavier's Ground Game too Much for Cheshire

Xavier's offensive line and ball carriers appeared to be running downhill for most of its game with Cheshire Friday night at Palmer Field in Middletown.

The No. 1 Falcons used a punishing ground game propelled by their powerful line play to grind out a 42-20 Southern Connecticut Conference football victory over the Rams, No. 6 in the state sports writers poll.

Running back Mike Mastrioanni led the way with 189 yards rushing on 30 carries in a ground game that rolled up 387 yards. Quarterback Pat D'Amato completed 8 of 10 passes for 101 yards to give Xavier 488 yards of total offense.

There were bright spots for the Rams (2-1). Quarterback Michael Ecke (13-for 33, 116 yards) figured in all three touchdowns for Cheshire, running for two and throwing one. 

After falling behind 20-0 early in the second quarter, Cheshire rallied to score on a 10-play, 65-yard drive. Ecke scrambled to keep a fourth-and-11 play alive and found Kevin Dietrich in the right corner of the end zone for a 25-yard TD pass to cut it to 20-7 with 4:59 left in the half.

Cheshire forced Xavier to punt from its 23 on the next series and drove to midfield but ran out of time as the half ended. It was a promising ending but Xavier proved too much in the second half.

"We just weren't consistent. (Xaiver) did some great things in the first half," Cheshire head coach Mark Ecke said. "We need to find a way to get first downs, especially when they're driving the ball on us. We have to give the defense more of a break and we weren't doing that."

Cheshire had a chance to stop Xavier on its first drive of the second half on a third-and-14 from the Falcons' 27, but D'Amato (116 yards, 21 carries) completed a 17-yard pass to Ryan Jaccobucci for a first down at the 44.

Mastrioanni then broke off a 42-yard run up the middle to bring the ball to the Rams' 3-yard line. Mastrioanni punched it in from the 3 three plays later for a 28-7 lead, following a two-point conversion pass from D'Amato to Max Tylki.

The drive ate up nearly seven minutes of the quarter.

"It was going forever," Mark Ecke said. "A six-minute touchdown drive is not the way you want to start the second half."

The Rams closed to 28-14 when Michael Ecke scored on his first rushing touchdown from 14 yards with 4:16 left in the third quarter, capping an eight-play, 52-yard drive.

But Xavier (3-0) came back with 9:11 left in the game on D'Amato's only TD pass, a 21-yard wide receiver screen to Jacobucci, a play the Falcons used on several occasions with success, to make it 35-14.

Michael Ecke scored from 5 yards with 5:02 left on a drive that started when Cheshire's Nick Palladino recovered Mastrioanni's fumble at the Xavier 36. Then the Falcons put it out of reach on Mastrioanni's second TD run, this one from the 5 with 1:47 to go.

"It was tough coming from behind, leaving the run game earlier than you want to," Michael Ecke said. "It's an uphill battle."

Cheshire must prepare for another tough opponent, Daniel Hand, Thursday at Falcon Field in Meriden at 7 p.m. The Tigers are tied at sixth in the Top 10 with the Rams. But Coach Ecke would love to get another shot at Xavier.

"That would be ideal. I'd love to," Mark Ecke said. That would be a great opportunity. We can't brood on this. We've got to look at the things we did wrong. Look at the mistakes were making.  Fix them and get better because we've got Hand next week."