For many teams, a two-game winning streak doesn't seem like much. But for a Fairfield Prep program that won a combined six games in the previous three seasons, it's a step in the right direction.
The Jesuits completed a weather-delayed 35-18 victory over Wilbur Cross on Saturday, giving them consecutive wins for the first time since 2007.
Fairfield Prep (2-1) will look to make it three in a row on Thursday at home against Jonathan Law, although coach Tom Shea still isn't sure which team will show up week to week.
"I do know," he said, " that if last night's team shows up, we have a chance to win some games."
Before the contest was suspended, the Jesuits were dominant in the first half, gaining nearly 300 yards of total offense and scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions to build a 28-12 lead at the intermission.
There was a weird feeling when the contest resumed on Saturday at 4 p.m. in front of a sparse crowd at Alumni Field. After Prep played so well on Friday, the resumption of the game almost seemed anticlimactic, especially after former coach Rich Magdon was honored by the school during a ceremony at halftime.
The rain and lightning actually began almost immediately after the ceremony concluded.
Fairfield Prep's only points Saturday came when Nicolas Crowle returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Still, the Jesuits held the Governors off the board until Romaine White plowed in from three yards out on the game's final play.
"We were all sore coming back, but we got pumped up in the locker room and were ready to go," said Joe McBride, who rushed for 97 yards in the first half and finished with 111.
Prior to the resumption of the game, 25 Fairfield Prep players had to take their SAT tests on Saturday morning.
"I think all in all, our kids handled it pretty well," Shea said. "Obviously, we didn't have the fire and passion we had last night, but we made the plays when we needed to."
Coming off a sluggish 21-14 win at Griswold last week, the Jesuits certainly put everything together in the first half Friday, as the line opened huge holes for McBride and quarterback Tom Brewster, who completed 5-of-9 passes for 100 yards and rushed for 76 yards on seven carries.
"We had better practices than our Griswold week, so we're happy about that," McBride said. "We put up 28 really quick points and finished the job today."
Prep did give up two long passes of 60 and 62 yards to Kyle Holmes, the second of which went for a touchdown, but Wilbur Cross' defense had no answers for the Jesuits' spread offense.
McBride opened the scoring on a 9-yard TD run with 7:14 left in the first quarter, beginning a stretch in which the teams erupted for three touchdowns in a span of 80 seconds.
After DeMarco Ware's 5-yard TD run, the Jesuits answered on McBride's 37-yard scamper around left end with still 5:54 left in the first period.
After the Governors reached Fairfield Prep's 38, the Jesuits forced a punt and strung together a 92-yard, 11-play drive that Charles Keady capped with a spectacular one-handed grab in the end zone for a 22-yard TD catch.
Wilbur Cross closed with 21-12 on Holmes' 62-yard TD reception, but Prep responded again with a 10-play, 62-yard march and grabbed a 28-12 lead on Brewster's 9-yard TD burst.
"I think being at home helped," Shea said. "The kids were pumped being at home (the Jesuits' first two games were on the road). I saw some passion I haven't seen in awhile. I've maintained that they are talented kids. I've been waiting for it. We played a pretty good half of football."
Following Prep's impressive display of football, the school honored Magdon, who retired in 2007, with a plaque that will stand in “Coaches Corner” at Alumni Field alongside the one for legendary coach Earl Lavery.
"I consider him a mentor dear friend and I am so happy for him," Shea said. "I told him we're going to try to get one ( a win) for you and make the night even more special, because he loves the program."
