By Owen Lentner
Editor's Note: Buzz Reporter Owen Lentner traveled with the Branford High School football team to its away game at Harding High School last Friday and reported on the Hornets' first win of the season.
During the hour and a half ride to Bridgeport’s Harding High School, there wasn’t a word spoken on the bus. The team was focused and ready to bring home their first win.
Harding High School, just shy of a mile from the Stratford border, is home to The Presidents. Built in 1924, the school was named after the US President, Warren G. Harding, briefly after his death a year prior. The school was rebuilt in 2018, including a new turf football field, track and other fields. Harding is currently 0-5; their team was 4-6 last season, and 1-10 in the fall of 2022.
The game, on Friday, October 11, was a rather exciting buildup to the upcoming four day weekend . Harding put up a good game with substantial yardage and an interception, keeping the Hornet offense on alert. While the Hornets would go on to win 27 – 12, the Presidents scored first with a touchdown at 7:46 of the first quarter. They missed the extra point and led 6-0.
After that, the Hornet’s defense was able to tighten up after the beginning of the game, which allowed the offense time to work on their strategy and keep their focus on getting some points on the board.
With eight seconds left in the first quarter, Branford scored a touchdown, which was clutch and showed they know how to work under pressure. They also got the extra point putting them ahead 7-6. The special teams offense for Branford was perfect. The Hornets also scored a touchdown in the second quarter building their lead to 13-6.
Bridgeport scored a touchdown at 9 minutes and 17 seconds into the fourth quarter, bringing the team just about equal to Branford at 12-13.
Then the real nail biting occurred, and as the cold and darkness of the night may have made some want it to be over, Branford retaliated and at 4:04 in Q4, they scored a touchdown and extra point – now pulling ahead with a score of 20-12. The touchdowns ended here for Bridgeport, thanks to a gritty Branford defense, and the Hornets getting one more TD and extra point with 37 seconds left on the clock, winning with a score of 27-12.
It was a dog fight through most of the game, but the Hornet’s fitness and mental strength pulled through, allowing them to dominate their Bridgeport opponent when push came to shove.
After the game I had the opportunity to speak with the head coach for the team, Coach Limone. Graduating in the class of 2002, he also played football for Branford. After high school, he played college ball at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY for two years. When asked about the team’s biggest strength, Limone said “I think our biggest strength is that we have a lot of kids that really love the sport and they want to be good and, they have a really, really strong desire to be a good football team.”
He then added that the team had a great work ethic.
But he also acknowledged areas of improvement for the team.
“The things that we have to work on are the same things that most young teams have to work on,” he said. “Paying attention to details, being process oriented in our thinking, doing the little things well, and not necessarily worrying about outcomes. But worrying about the thing that it takes to get the outcome that you want.”
The ride home was a time for celebrating, looking back at areas needed for improvement, and most importantly a playbook for getting their first ‘W’ of the season. As Coach Limone stated, this is a group of athletes that understand when it is time to grind.
The next game is scheduled for this Friday, October 18th at 7pm. The Hornets will be on their home turf against Sheehan High School.
