Thanksgiving Day Cakewalk as Warde Routs Ludlowe, 52-13, to Take Series Lead

The following was written by Connecticut Post sportswriter Pat Pickens. Photos, including the Warde Mustang and band below, courtesy of the Connecticut Post.

The Fairfield Warde football team was hellbent on taking all its pent-up frustration out on arch-rival Fairfield Ludlowe on Thanksgiving.

Devon Lofton and the Mustangs did just that. The senior running back earned MVP honors, running for 248 yards and three touchdowns and catching another score as Warde dominated Ludlowe 52-13 on Thursday at Taft Field.

"It's a rivalry," said Lofton, who is pictured above after one of his carries. "It feels great to come out on top."

Former Ludlowe student and current Warde receiver Maxx Garrett added two second half scores for Warde and Chris Foley threw four touchdowns, including another to Kevin Sullivan. Lofton had bookend, 79-yard touchdown runs in the first and fourth quarter, too.

"I came to play today," added Lofton, pictured below after making an interception of a Ludlowe pass. "It was my last game."

Warde had high-hopes of a playoff season in coach Duncan DellaVolpe's third year, but struggled at the end of games, finishing 5-5 for the third straight season. The Mustangs did take solace in earning the Gallagher-Banyas Trophy -- the prize for the annual town rivalry game -- for the second consecutive year.

"We've been in every game to the end and we definitely had some frustration," DellaVolpe said. "We don't have much in our trophy case, so it's important that (the Gallagher-Banyas Trophy) stays in there."

Ludlowe's Stephen Scholz was named the Falcons' MVP after rushing for 39 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Matt White ran for Ludlowe's other score as the Falcons finished 0-10.

"They're great kids," Ludlowe head coach Matt McCloskey said. "The scoreboard doesn't show it, but I'm proud of them."

After holding the Falcons to a missed field goal on its opening drive, it took Warde just two plays to get on the scoreboard. Lofton took the Mustangs' second offensive play 79 yards to paydirt, and the Mustangs converted one of their three successful two-point conversions to go ahead 8-0.

"His speed is fantastic," DellaVolpe said of Lofton. "To have him in a game like this, is very big."

Lofton's receiving touchdown -- a 15-yard catch from Foley-- put the Mustangs up 16-0 early in the quarter. "I saw a lot of open space," Lofton said. "And I just ran to it."

But the Falcons responded on their ensuing drive, as White scampered 41 yards on third-and-one to cut the Mustangs' advantage to 16-6. "I was happy with the first half of the game," McCloskey said. "We had a couple of young mistakes, though."

However, Warde recovered the ensuing onside kick and Lofton went 55 yards in three plays to boost Warde's lead to 23-6. Lofton then intercepted White in the end zone at the half's end. "He's a good football player," McCloskey said of Lofton. "They're a good football team."

The Mustangs came out at the start of the second, and Foley hit Garrett from 13 yards out on fourth-and-five to give Warde a 31-6 lead. After a fumble, Garrett scored on a 45-yard pass from Foley, and the rout was on.

"It was great to demolish Ludlowe," Lofton said.