Butkiewicz, Danko lead Southington to victory

By ANDREW LOVELL
Staff Writer

SOUTHINGTON — Connor Butkiewicz passed for 160 yards — including a 94-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Florian — and Dylan Danko ran for 196 yards and three touchdowns as the Southington football team defeated Middletown 35-7 Friday night at Fontana Field.

The win was the third in a row for the Blue Knights, who now sit at 4-2 overall.

Wide receiver Mike Rhodd started the game off with a bang for Southington, collecting the opening kickoff and returning it 74 yards for a touchdown.

Rhodd fielded the pooch kick after a few bounces, broke a tackle and raced down the right sideline for the score just 12 seconds into the game.

The Blue Knights wouldn’t strike again until early in the second quarter.

With the Blue Dragons threatening inside the red zone, Southington’s Matt Cullins came up with the first of the Blue Knights’ three interceptions in the game.

Cullins picked the ball off at his own nine-yard line and was tackled immediately. After a pass from Butkiewicz to Florian lost three yards, the two connected again on the next play for one of the longest plays in Southington history.

Butkiewicz hit Florian on a five-yard curl route over the middle. The senior wideout did the rest, following his blockers and using his speed to race the length of the field.

Middletown would answer on its next drive, piecing together an 11-play, 62-yard scoring drive that was punctuated by a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jason Woods to Devon Carrillo.

Southington entered halftime with a 20-7 lead, but would again strike early in the second half.

Southington’s Rob Krawczyk recovered a fumble by Carrillo on the half’s opening kickoff, setting up Southington with great field position at the Middletown 36-yard line.

Danko only needed one play to reach paydirt, as the senior darted through the massive holes opened by his offensive line for the 36-yard score.

On Middletown’s next possession, the Blue Knights’ defense again came up with turnover, this time on an interception by Nick Gothberg.

Danko and backfield mate Zach Wholley methodically moved the ball down the field on the ground, ultimately picking up another touchdown on a four-yard run by Danko.

Danko would add his first career field goal — a 27-yarder — in the fourth quarter to cap off a superb all-around effort.

The offensive line of seniors Dave Bielewicz, Brandon Boudreau, Ryan Pickney, Greg Cop and Shane Duncan had arguably its finest game of the season.