Mistakes Cost New Britain a Wishbone Bowl Upset
By Ken Lipshez | Sports Correspondent at November 30, 2023 | 8:30 am | Print
The Berlin football players, coaches and fans should have taken a moment at their bountiful Thursday repast to offer thanks to New Britain for broadening the path to victory.
The opportunistic Redcoats, headed to the playoffs for the fourth straight season and seventh time in the last eight years, accepted the gifts with open hearts and wide smiles.
Berlin running backs Justin Gombotz and Scott McLeod combined for three touchdowns and over 300 yards rushing, but New Britain’s munificence loomed large in its 32-28 defeat on Thanksgiving Eve before the largest crowd of the season at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
New Britain endured four turnovers leading to 17 Berlin points. Several of the 12 penalties that resulted in 77 negative yards came at crucial times.
“All year, same thing. They caught us on mistakes. …,” New Britain coach Tebucky Jones said. “As I stated all year to the guys, ‘Do your job and trust the guy next to you. Don’t do your job AND try to do his job.’ Every time they had a big play something happened.
“They made a ton of mistakes but the big thing is they didn’t give up.”
The early momentum swung New Britain’s way when Bryan Gray recovered a Berlin fumble at midfield on the game’s first possession. But Gray returned the favor after snaring a short pass on third-and-long.
The first costly mistake came on the next possession as Berlin, faced with a fourth-and-8 near midfield, prepared to punt. New Britain was flagged for the first of three penalties for having too many men on the field. The Redcoats eschewed the punt on fourth-and-3, and Gombotz took it to the house from 42 yards out.
On the kickoff that followed, Berlin kicker Pat Lomaglio, a central figure in the win, popped it short. A potential New Britain receiver misjudged the first bounce and Berlin recovered on the New Britain 19. Four plays later, quarterback Mitch Williams scored and the Redcoats had a 14-0 lead.
Gianni Marmol and Gray pinned McLeod with a five-yard loss on the next set, setting the tone for New Britain’s productive second quarter.
A pass from Malique Jones to Fitz Ingram on third-and-18 covered 20 yards. Senior back Lamar Bowsky and Malique Jones ran for successive first downs. Malique connected with Ingram for a 43-yard touchdown to cap a 15-play, 99-yard drive. Gray gathered in a Jones pass for the two-point conversion.
Fair-catch interference on the kickoff helped propel Berlin to a touchdown just a minute later, but Bowsky pounded away at the Berlin front to carry New Britain to another score. Bowsky scored from the 4 and New Britain trailed by eight at halftime.
Bowsky enjoyed the most productive quarter of his career (11 carries, 63 yards).
“Since Hall [in Week 4] this is the first time he’s healthy,” Tebucky said. “He hasn’t been healthy the whole year (high ankle sprain). He got healthy at the right time. He came in and left on a good note.”
The second half opened with New Britain again unable to field Lomaglio’s kickoff. Dan McLeod recovered for the Redcoats and Lomaglio tacked on a 26-yard field goal for a 25-14 lead.
The Berlin passing game initiated a drive late in the quarter with two third-down conversions. Gombotz bolted 40 yards for the touchdown but Juan Usuga issued a prompt answer with a 72-yard kickoff return that cut the lead to 32-20 with a quarter to go.
“They were 3-6 but they played like a 9-0 team,” Gombotz said of the ’Canes. “We definitely had to battle for this one.”
Inspired defensive play by junior linebackers Nick Boddie and Dylan Krivickas, and sophomore defensive end Alex Swaby offered promise for next year.
With six minutes left and the deficit still 12, Malique Jones took matters into his own hands.
Three passes to Ingram generated two first downs and opened the door to the Berlin red zone. Jones’ 17-yard run brought it to the 3 and he scored from one yard out two plays later. Daequone Clark went high to grab the conversion pass.
Berlin had the ball and the four-point lead with 3:09 left. An offside penalty on third-and-5 hurt. On the next series, Williams hit tight end Tyler Bouchard for a first down that ended New Britain’s upset bid.
Tebucky’s postgame thoughts centered on how a determined effort nearly erased the rash of errors, an item he hopes the underclassmen recognized.
“They fought, they didn’t stop, they kept going,” he said. “That’s good for the kids next year and the following year to see them not quitting.”
The game, which for years Berlin nixed, produced excitement on both sides. The Redcoats have now won the last three after losing the inaugural game in 2009.
“We wanted to play when I was in high school,” he said. “They’re right there, the next town over, and they always have a good team. It finally hit.”
A 3-7 record was not what Tebucky Jones had in mind coming in but he sees it as another block in the foundation as the program strives to return to the top.
“It isn’t where I wanted it,” he said. “As the season went on, the kids fought and it showed this last game. Mistakes are huge. They’ve got to get more focused and more football knowledge – common sense. I think a lot of that’s lacking.”
Wishbone Bowl
Berlin 32, New Britain 28
New Britain (3-7) 0 14 6 8 – 28
Berlin (9-1) 14 8 10 0 – 32
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
B – Justin Gombotz 42 run (Pat Lomaglio kick), 7:19
B – Mitch Williams 2 run (Lomaglio kick), 6:30
Second Quarter
NB – Fitz Ingram 43 pass from Malique Jones (Brian Gray pass from Jones), 9:30
B – Scott McLeod 25 run (Wojtus Zak run), 8:27
NB – Lamar Bowsky 4 run (pass failed), 3:25
Third Quarter
B – Lomaglio 26 FG, 8:47
B – Gombotz 40 run (Lomaglio kick), :09.8
NB – Juan Usuga 72 kickoff return (pass failed), :00
Fourth Quarter
NB – Jones 1 run (Daequone Clark pass from Jones), 3:09
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – New Britain: Bowsky 21-90, Jones 12-57. Berin: McLeod 19-156, Gombotz 16-151, Williams 3-(-5), Kevin Main 3-3.
PASSING – New Britain: Jones 11-20-1, 177 yds. Berlin: Williams 4-10-2, 35 yds.
RECEIVING – New Britain: Ingram 5-92, Gray 3-29, Clark 2-146, Kyle Anderson 1-10. Berlin: Tyler Bouchard 2-18, McLeod 1-10, Tyler Undercuffler 1-7.
