Quarterback Shawn Brady connected with Travis Poole for the winning touchdown with 35 seconds left.
The Western Mass Warriors' Vitaly Dzhenzherrukha takes down Connecticut's Akeem Wright in the first half of Saturday's game at AIC in Springfield. By JOHN FORD
SPRINGFIELD – Travis Poole pulled in a 10-yard Shawn Brady pass with 35 seconds left to lead the Western Mass. Warriors to a 35-28 win over the Connecticut Bearcats in a NEFL AAA Division first round playoff game Saturday at Ronald J. Abdow Field.
The Warriors built a 27-0 lead late in the first half and appeared to be cruising, but Connecticut used a furious second-half surge to take a 28-27 lead with 3:11 remaining.
Quarterback Richard Snowden scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 22-yard run.
With 2 minutes remaining, the Warriors were pinned on their own 25-yard line when Connecticut was called for a roughing the passer penalty on third down. From there Brady was 4 of 4 passing for 54 yards, all to Poole, to set up the winning score.
“I think I had a heart attack,” said Williams. “They (the Bearcats) always play us very tough.”
The Warriors host a semifinal game against a yet-to-be-decided opponent Saturday at Central High School. The winner advances to the AAA Super Bowl Oct. 27.
The theme of the game was “Tough enough to wear pink” as the Warriors, in collaboration with the Springfield Stone Soul Festival Inc., recognized the day as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Woman’s Health.
Under the leadership of coach and owner Junior Williams, the Warriors’ team initiative for 2012 was “Warriors Giveback.” The team sponsored special nights all through their perfect 10-0 season, including biker awareness, youth education and domestic violence awareness. Springfield Stone Soul Festival Inc. collaborated with the team to add even more of a sense of community to Saturday’s event by sponsoring family oriented tailgating activities.
Williams’ players have followed his lead both on and off the field. The roster of 54 is made up mostly of Springfield-area players from a hodgepodge of backgrounds. “The Warriors are not only made up of dedicated athletes on the field, but community educators, U.S. military veterans, city firefighters, state correctional officers and educational scholars off the field,” said Renee Mari Stewart, who doubles as the team’s business manager and community relations director.