Cheshire defense shuts out Fairfield Prep in 20-0 win
The Rams forced five turnovers to secure their fifth win of the season, improving their record to 5-2.
By Bianca Herrera ·
Cheshire High School football improved to a 5-2 record after blanking Fairfield Prep 20-0 on Friday night at Alumni Field. The Rams used a defensive performance that limited the Jesuits to 56 total yards of offense to secure the victory. This win follows two consecutive losses that had previously dropped Cheshire to 3-2.
The game turned on the turnover battle, which Cheshire won by a 5-0 margin. The Rams recorded three interceptions and recovered two fumbles. Evan Gonzalez, a senior, returned a 22-yard interception for a touchdown in the second quarter. His play shifted the momentum and extended the Cheshire lead to 10-0 with 6:03 remaining until halftime.
The defense established its dominance early in the first quarter. Ollie Donroe sacked Fairfield Prep quarterback Drew Kane and forced a fumble. Alex Muller recovered the ball at midfield with 6:03 left in the opening quarter. Cheshire then drove to the 3-yard line, and Tim Reinhard kicked a 20-yard field goal to give the Rams a 3-0 lead with 3:32 left in the period.
Cheshire built on that lead late in the second half of the first half. Will Wable intercepted a pass from Kane on the following drive. Noel Martinez ran for an 8-yard touchdown on the subsequent possession, and Reinhard’s extra point put Cheshire up 17-0 with 37 seconds left before the break. The Rams took the field in the third quarter with that 17-0 advantage.
The Cheshire offense converted a 19-play, 64-yard drive in the third quarter. The drive consumed 9:18 of the clock and ended with a 29-yard field goal by Reinhard. That kick made the score 20-0 with 25 seconds left on the third-quarter clock. Ryan Plouffe intercepted a pass from Brayden Presiano early in the fourth quarter. Aiden Tracy later recovered a fumble on a muffed punt to seal the shutout.
Fairfield Prep dropped to a 3-4 record with the loss. The Jesuits are scheduled to host West Haven at 6 p.m. next Friday. Cheshire will travel to Sheehan at 6:30 p.m. for their next matchup.
