Lyman Hall football snagged an absolute thriller, outlasting Branford 38-34 at Fitzgerald Field, and you can bet quarterback Ryan Casey is the reason they’re celebrating a 2-0 start for the first time since 2004. This dude was absolutely cooking Friday night.
Casey Drops a Five-Touchdown Masterclass
Man, Casey was flat-out unstoppable. He completed all seven of his passes in the first half, and by the final whistle, he was 13-of-16 for a ridiculous 359 yards and four touchdowns through the air. And get this: the game-winner? That was a 24-yard touchdown run by Casey with just 2:37 left on the clock! He even converted a big third-and-long with a 41-yard reception to Logan Michaels right before that clutch run.
Casey himself kept it humble, saying, “We had a big play on third-and-long to convert… The touchdown was really cool. I had the block in front of me, just had to do it with my legs.” Coach CJ Monroe called it an “instant classic,” saying, “Came down to the final minutes, back and forth and fortunately for us, we made just a couple more plays.” No kidding!
Branford Fights Tooth and Nail in a Shootout
Seriously, this game was a rollercoaster. Branford, fresh off a fourth-quarter comeback against North Haven last week, showed their grit again. Their opening drive was a monster, going 91 yards on 16 plays, capped by Chase Konesky’s 1-yard touchdown run. Konesky and Luke Gagliardi stepped up big after starter Rhamell Fairclough went out with an undisclosed injury on that first drive. Konesky scored again on another 1-yard run right before halftime, tying the game at 14.
Branford quarterback Chris McKittrick went toe-to-toe with Casey in the second half. Tyler Snider made a leaping 25-yard touchdown grab in the third, and Wyatt Cavallaro put Branford ahead 27-22 with a 16-yard touchdown catch to start the fourth. But Lyman Hall answered right back, with Brandon LaPlante snagging a 30-yard touchdown from Casey, followed by a 2-point conversion to put them up 30-27.
Brent Michaud was another monster for Lyman Hall, pulling in three touchdown receptions, including a 92-yard bomb from Casey early in the third. Michaud was straight up gushing about his QB, saying, “He’s such a great quarterback, he’s a great player. He’s the reason we won this game. There is no other person who had as big of an impact as him.” Even though both teams are in the SCC, this was an Alliance game, and Lyman Hall is even set to schedule another one later this season. Branford coach John Limone recognized his team’s effort saying, “If you’re going to lose, lose because you didn’t execute, not because you didn’t play with great effort.”
The Hornets drove deep into Lyman Hall territory as time ran out, but the Trojans’ defense made the plays they absolutely had to, stopping Branford and sealing the 38-34 win. This 2-0 start is huge, and with Ryan Casey playing like this, the entire SCC better be taking notice. What’s next for this squad? Can they keep this momentum rolling into their next Alliance game? I’m hyped to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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