Warde Defeats Ludlowe, 21-16, to Take 10-6 Overall Lead in Thanksgiving Day Series

Warde defeated Ludlowe, 21-16, to even the modern-day version of the Thanksgiving Day series, 3-3, and take a 10-6 lead in the overall history of the series, which began in 1975. The following article was written by Pat Pickens of the Fairfield Citizen-News.

FAIRFIELD -- After two straight defeats to its arch-rival, Fairfield Ludlowe, the Fairfield Warde football team made sure that the third time would be the charm.

Senior Craig Lowery scored a touchdown, and set up both of the other Mustangs' scores en route to team MVP honors as Warde ended its season at .500 with 21-16 win over the Falcons Thanksgiving morning in front of 2,000 at Tetreau/Davis Field.

"We knew what we had to do," Warde coach Duncan Della Volpe said. "

Warde's Alex Delaney, pictured above, and David Wolff each ran for touchdowns as the Mustangs claimed the Gallagher-Banyas Trophy for the first time since 2007.

Ludlowe's Ryan Moore caught a touchdown and was named Ludlowe's team MVP as the Falcons closed out their year 1-9.

"We're still a very young program," Ludlowe coach Matt McCloskey said. "We've just got to get into the weight room, and run our stuff and we'll be fine."

Senior running back Nate Ryan also ran for 125 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown run on the first play of the Falcons' second drive to put Ludlowe ahead, 7-0.

"We thought we were going to compete and just outdo them," Della Volpe said. "When he scored and they went ahead, it turned into, `We can't let this happen to us again.' "

Off of the Falcons' touchdown, however, Lowery set the Mustangs up with good field position, returning the ball to the Warde 44-yard line. After a 15-yard gain on first down, Warde quarterback Chris Foley hit Lowery for a 40-yard pass play that set the Mustangs up at the Ludlowe 1-yard line.

"We didn't want to lose to Ludlowe," Lowery, pictured above, said. "I didn't want to lose to them my senior year as a captain."

Two plays later, Wolff bulled in from a yard out to tie the score at 7.

The Mustangs quickly took the lead when, after a three and out, Foley found Lowery for a 35-yard touchdown strike which put Warde ahead for good. The Falcons' defensive backs bit on a fake screen pass, and Lowery snuck behind the defense and Foley delivered a perfect pass to put Warde up 14-7.

"He threw an excellent ball," Lowery said. "All I had to do is hold on tight and score."
"He runs (the play) really well," Della Volpe said of Lowery.

Lowery also set up Warde's final score in the third quarter with a 40-yard punt return which put the Mustangs at the Falcons' 3-yard line. Delaney powered in on the next play to put Warde up 21-10.

"We beat them up on special teams," Della Volpe said. "We've got some pretty good kids in our return game."

"Our kick game was not very good today," McCloskey said.

Ludlowe cut the Mustangs' lead when quarterback Tom Hammons, pictured above, hit Moore for a 26 yard touchdown pass with 5:15 left, which made the game 21-16. Ludlowe then recovered an onside kick, but could not convert a first down.

"We had opportunities," McCloskey said. "We just didn't get it done."

Warde took over, and salted the final three minutes away, to clinch its second straight 5-5 season. The Mustangs had been 7-14 in the previous two seasons.

"We didn't want to be the same old Fairfield Warde," Lowery said. "We didn't want a losing season."

Photos courtesy Connecticut Post.