A Dramatic Finish to Stamford's First Win

10/27/07 by Emery Filmer, Stamford Advocate

Week 7: Black Knights 22, Ludlowe 16

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FAIRFIELD - The proverbial monkey perched atop the back of Stamford High School quarterback T.J. Mills was beginning to feel like King Kong.

The weight of the Black Knights' 0-6 start had been taking its toll for some time on Mills. And then came last night. In a game everyone in black and orange was anticipating to be the team's first victory, Mills struggled mightily, tossing a pair of first-half interceptions that directly led to 13 Fairfield Ludlowe High points.

Adding to Mills' mental state was the fact that his grandmother had passed away 24 hours before kickoff last night.

The senior could have been an emotional wreck when the Knights got the ball back with 1:39 left on the clock on their own 27, trailing by two. But Mills managed to compose himself by thinking of a line from his favorite movie.

"Coach (Kevin Jones) told me to remember what the guy said in Con Air: 'You're going to save the (bleeping) day,' " Mills said.

And that, with a little help from his talented receivers Josh Maignan and Chris Evans, is exactly what Mills did.

Mills led the Knights on a 73-yard, 10-play drive that culminated in a 4-yard touchdown pass to Maignan with 15 seconds remaining to give Stamford a 22-16 victory at Ludlowe.

"With his grandmother dying, I asked T.J. if he wanted to play and he said he did," Jones said. "He struggled at times but he led us down the field to victory. He showed a lot of heart."

Before the dramatic drive, the game was reminiscent of Stamford's first six mistake-filled games. But those other mistakes came as the Knights (1-6) were losing to six strong teams. Last night the opponent was the now 1-6 Ludlowe Falcons.

"I told them we were going to lose by 70 points to motivate them," Jones said. "I felt the kids were over-confident, not focused at all."

The Knights' mistakes included four turnovers, nine penalties and what loomed as a possible coaching blunder until the late rally.

The game started well enough for the Knights. Marcus Dixon (51 yards on 12 carries) returned the opening kickoff 82 yards, and two plays later he scored from five yards out.

But Ludlowe (1-6), led by tailback Phil Tsopanides (84 yards on 18 attempts), took the lead thanks to two big mistakes by Mills. First, after a 70-yard touchdown pass to Maignan was negated due to a holding penalty, Mills threw an interception on a screen pass that set up the Falcons on the SHS 8. Henri Fatigate scored three plays later from the 3.

Then, on Stamford's next possession, a Mills' pass was picked off by Tsopanides, who returned it 66 yards for a touchdown and a 13-6 Ludlowe lead.

Stamford, however, regained the lead when Mills led a seven-play, 61-yard drive in the final two minutes of the first half. He hit the leaping Evans from four yards out with one second remaining and Mills and Evans hooked up on the conversion giving Stamford a 14-13 lead.

"They have great athletes," Ludlowe coach Mike Forget said. "On those jump ball plays, they have a big height advantage."

In the fourth quarter Ludlowe took a 16-14 lead following a curious decision by Jones. Jones turned down a blocking-below-the-knee penalty that would have given the Falcons a repeat third down play, at the Stamford 22. Instead, the Falcons had fourth down at the SHS 7. Sean Anderson, who was short on a 35-yard field-goal attempt earlier, easily made a 24-yarder to put Ludlowe ahead.

"I didn't want to give them another down," Jones said. "Plus, with the wet conditions I figured it was difficult to hold onto the snaps."

Fortunately, Mills got the coach off the hook with his late heroics that happened only after a critical stop by the defense, which was led by Khairi Fortt, Carrington Beckford, Sunny Fleurimond and Andrew Burlin.

Ludlowe had a fourth-and-1 at its own 43 with less than two minutes remaining. But the Falcons, who rushed for 152 yards on 39 attempts, played it safe and punted.

"You can't second guess that; we have to kick it away," Forget said.

True, but that was exactly what the Knights wanted him to do.

"The kids are real comfortable in the (spread) two-minute offense," Jones said. "It's just, find the available receiver, and T.J. did that."

Just as he did in the final minutes of the first half, Mills led the team downfield in the final 1:39. Mills hit tight end Anthony Julbes on a 30-yard gain, then found Evans for an 11-yard pickup and a first down at the Ludlowe 32.

Then, after the Knights were aided by a pass interference call, Mills connected with Evans on a 13-yard gain on third-and-10 with 31 seconds remaining for a first down at the 4.

On the next play Mills dropped back, then coolly threw that cumbersome monkey on his back to the turf once and for all, and in doing so saved the day, lofting the game-winner to Maignan in the left corner.