Southington running back Ben Beaulieu led a dominant offensive performance as the Blue Knights secured a 38-14 victory over Maloney on Friday night.
The win allowed the team to surge back to the number one spot in the CIAC Class LL playoff rankings, according to Yahoo Sports.
Beaulieu finished the game with three touchdowns, helping his team overcome an early deficit to maintain an 8-1 record.
The Spartans initially took a 14-7 lead behind two long touchdown passes from quarterback Eli Showerda, as reported by CT Insider.
Southington responded with 31 unanswered points to secure the win.
Key plays included a 45-yard touchdown reception by Beaulieu and a 37-yard scoring run by senior Nick Andrews.
The Blue Knights’ defensive unit also proved vital, particularly after an interception by Andrew Vecchio set up a late first-half field goal.
Southington coach Rob Levesque credited the team’s commitment to improvement following a difficult loss to New Britain the previous week.
Regarding the team’s preparation, “They wanted to fix us and we had to fix us,” the coach stated.
Levesque further emphasized the collective effort required to secure the victory, noting that “we had kids step up tonight and that’s a program win.”
Maloney fell to a 6-3 record and currently sits at number 10 in the Class L rankings.
Despite the loss, the Spartans remained competitive throughout the first half, keeping the game close until Southington’s fourth-quarter surge.
The Blue Knights benefited from a shuffle in the standings, as Staples lost to Fairfield Ludlowe, allowing Southington to take the top position.
Beaulieu also contributed defensively, breaking up a pass in the end zone to help preserve the lead.
The victory marks a significant recovery for Southington as they prepare for the remainder of the postseason race.