Southington’s Mathews Never Gave Up On College Soccer Dream

PHOTOS COURTESY GIANNA MATHEWS

Once, as a sophomore on Southington High School girls soccer varsity squad, Gianna Mathews got time on the field against rival Maloney. During a crucial moment she was beaten by an attacker to the outside. But Mathews didn’t sulk on the pitch; she did what she does best and fought back, chasing down the ball and getting back possession for her team via a slide tackle.

That play showed Southington’s coaching staff everything they needed to see. Mathews has started every game since then, going on to have a successful career with the Blue Knights.

“The effort on the field. Going after every single ball,” Mathews says of her biggest strengths. “I remember a play, I got beat by a girl. She was dribbling down the field. I hustled all the way back to get the ball from her. Just because you get beat first, my effort and willingness to get the ball back really showed them I’m always giving my 110 percent, no matter how many minutes I’m on the field.”

Mathews’ soccer career will continue at the college level. She has committed to play at Curry College after her graduation from Southington. Her commitment was the culmination of Mathews’ perseverance and desire to continue her soccer-playing journey – a journey that began when she was three years old.

At the time, Mathews was still trying to see which sport stuck. Gymnastics wasn’t really her thing. She liked basketball and would go on to play through her junior year. However, there was nothing like soccer. Mathews loved being outdoors and having so much space on the field to play on.

Things began to get serious during fourth grade. Mathews joined Sporting CT, her first club team. At that moment, she realized that her love for soccer went beyond just how much fun she was having.

“That’s how I really began to realize, ‘Wow, I am interested in this sport.’ Not only is it fun, I want to competitively play it,” Mathews said. “I want to win games, I want to succeed in the sport. It wasn’t just something that I did for fun anymore. This could be something more for me.”

In sixth grade she would join her next club team, FSA. Then in eighth grade Mathews would join Vale, the club team she stuck with throughout high school. At the same time, she was playing on John F. Kennedy Middle School’s team. Her soccer career was beginning to blossom, and Mathews didn’t want it to end anytime soon.

“It was very hard to get onto the middle school team. When I made that team, I knew I was good enough to play with people,” Mathews said. “When I got towards the end of middle school, I realized that I did want to do this in college. It was something I didn’t want to just end in high school.”

On the pitch, Mathews found her home at center attacking midfielder. As much as she loves scoring goals, she revels in getting her teammates opportunities. Furthermore, Mathews understands just how important her and her fellow midfielder’s roles are in controlling the game.

“I truly love that position,” Mathews said. “Scoring goals is amazing, I do love scoring. But at the same time, I love passing the ball to my teammates so that they get the opportunity to excel. It’s not just me on the field. The center midfield are the key players. If they’re slow, the game is going to go slow. If they’re on their toes, the game is going to go faster. Those people are so essential. If you know how to play it, and play it well, your whole team will succeed.”

Mathews had found her sport. Soccer wasn’t just a fad. Now it was time for her to take her talents to the high school level.

Blue Knights Debut

Mathews earned her varsity letter as a freshman, although she didn’t see much playing time. What she did do was spend plenty of time practicing with her new Blue Knights teammates. She remembers looking up to players such as Jessica Carr, Sofia Scalise and Sage Carmody. Mathews says those players helped her get acclimated to what high school soccer had to offer.

“Practicing with the varsity team made me such a better player. I was able to learn from all these great players. It really helped me.”

Once sophomore season began, Mathews remembers hearing that she wasn’t expected to make a major impact. That all changed once she got her opportunity on the field. After earning the starting nod, Mathews went on to play a crucial role in the Blue Knights’ run to the second-round of the Class LL State Tournament.

There she was playing alongside teammates she looked up to like Riley Prozzo and Julia Rusiecki. In the first half, Southington found themselves trailing against Greenwich. After a free kick from Prozzo, Mathews was able to find the deflection and tap the ball in for a goal. While Southington lost 3-1, it was a moment that Mathews said helped define her Blue Knights tenure.

“I knew I was good enough to play with Riley Prozzo, Julia Rusiecki,” Mathews said. “Being on the field with them made me a better player.”

As she continued to take advantage of opportunities with Southington, Mathews has never stopped playing for Vale, even in her senior season. The center attacking midfielder wouldn’t have it any other way: it may be a lot of soccer, but Mathews never wants to take her foot off the gas.

“Right when soccer season for the high school ends, Vale picks up a couple weeks later. I love that,” Mathews said. “That week off I don’t know what to do with myself. I just love being on the field, I enjoy going to practice. I enjoy every aspect of it and I can’t wait for it to start up again.”

Desire to further her soccer career then forced her to make a crucial decision come junior year.

Mathews Goes All-In On Soccer

Mathews was still playing for the Southington girls basketball team her junior season. That year, the Blue Knights won the Central Connecticut Conference Championship and made a run all the way to the Class LL State Championship Finals. Mathews took part in all of that while still trying to showcase herself as a soccer player.

Showcases for interested colleges happen during the winter. Junior season is when Mathews knew coaches would be watching. She continued to attend showcases and games while the basketball season was going on.

In one particular instance, Mathews had to drive to Massachusetts for a soccer match, then drive all the way back to Connecticut to take part in that evening’s CCC basketball game. Given how long the Blue Knights’ season went, there were times Mathews would have to miss practice due to a showcase.

She loved basketball, but Mathews’ true passion remained soccer. After her junior season, Mathews left the basketball team to focus solely on soccer.

“That commitment that I had to soccer just showed how much I really cared for the sport,” Mathews said. “I was willing to do whatever it takes to try and succeed.”

On the pitch, Mathews got a new head coach in Megan Kavanaugh. The former JV coach had seen how the midfielder performed in games. After a year of coaching her, Kavanaugh made a decision that would significantly impact Mathews’ senior season.

Mathews Leads Southington As Senior

Kavanaugh named Mathews the Blue Knights’ first captain around June. She would later be joined by fellow seniors Emily Bafuma, Emily Boucher and Abbie Patavino. But in the summer, Mathews was the Blue Knights’ leader, the person they relied on.

It was a role that Mathews took seriously. Southington had barely snuck into the Class LL State Tournament in her junior season. Now, the Blue Knights were set to lose 10 seniors and field a team featuring many first-time varsity players. Still, Mathews wanted Southington to make an impact. All members of the team had to have faith in one another for Southington to compete as one.

“Being a captain to me specifically meant welcoming people to the team with kindness, open arms. Not putting anyone down,” Mathews said. “If someone makes a mistake, you’re not going to get mad at them. You’re going to lift them up. At the end of the day, that’s what your team is for. You need to be able to trust your team. Having that sympathy and compassion as a captain showed the other girls that they can play how they want to without fear of someone yelling at them for making a simple mistake.”

In addition to sharing the title of captain, Mathews and Bafuma are teammates at the club level at Vale. They’ve grown close as friends through their shared love of soccer. Bafuma couldn’t think of a better person to end her time with the Blue Knights with.

“She is always a consistently hardworking and reliable teammate,” Bafuma said. “And she always has a positive attitude no matter the situation.”

During Mathews’ senior season, Southington girls soccer qualified for the Class LL State Tournament with their 9-5-2 record. While the Blue Knights were eliminated in the first round, they showed growth from Mathews’ junior year and managed to make their mark.

Outside of their success on the field, Mathews saw the Blue Knights become much closer as a team. Initially players are funneled into the program from two separate schools, JFK and Joseph A. Depaolo Middle School. But after playing alongside them for four years, Mathews has seen all of her Southington teammates develop a true connection.

“I’ve gotten a lot closer with a lot of people in my grade,” Mathews said. “In the beginning I didn’t know many people. Now, I’ve gotten so close, especially with Emily Bafuma. As a team we’ve gotten much closer, it’s not as divided as it used to be.”

Mathews’ soccer career is far from over. Everything she learned with the Blue Knights will come with her during her tenure at Curry College.

Mathews Achieves College Soccer Dream

Curry wasn’t on Mathews’ radar at first. She had known about the school through Carmody, who had committed a year prior. But Mathews was holding out for a Division II program and potentially a soccer scholarship.

Yet when that DII opportunity came, Mathews had to reassess what she really wanted out of the college experience. She began to think about her academic goals as well as her athletic ones. Once she took everything into account, Mathews realized that Curry College was the right place for her.

“At this point it feels like a relief that I accomplished what I wanted to since I was younger,” Mathews said. “I know where I was going to college, I have it all figured out which is so exciting. I feel so great that I was able to accomplish what I wanted to.”

When it came to the soccer aspect of her college decision, Mathews had some expectations of her future program – chief of which was a coaching staff and team she could trust. Once she met Curry head coach Lindsey Garvey, Mathews found her support system. She called the head coach, “one of the nicest people she’s ever met.” Furthermore, her honesty throughout the recruiting process made Mathews’ decision easier.

“The coaching staff and team I really wanted to love,” Mathews said. “If you don’t like your coaches or your team, then it makes the sport draining, it makes you not want to be there. I wanted to connect with them at that level.”

In the classroom, Mathews will be majoring in psychology. On the field, she doesn’t plan to alter how she approaches the game. Mathews knows things will get tougher at the college level. But she isn’t letting that change her mindset as she heads to Curry.

“Positivity. I rely on that so much,” Mathews said. “Yeah, you got to be hard on yourself, but if you don’t let yourself make mistakes, if you don’t let your teammates make mistakes, then you cannot play to the best of your ability. I’m going to go in with a great attitude every single day. Some days may not be the best. But I’ll get them better next time.”

Once Mathews set her mind to succeeding at soccer, there was nothing that could stop her. Not low expectations entering her sophomore season. Not a two-way trip from Massachusetts and back. The sport helped shape her mentality and showed Mathews how to push forward through any hurdle, or pesky Maloney attacker.

“I’m never going to give up,” Mathews said. “With that athlete in me, it’s not possible for me to. If things get hard now, it will get better later. There’s always a better side to it.”

Southington Falls To Greenwich In Class LL Final

The Blue Knights take the field at New Britain's Veterans Stadium CT DRONE SOURCE PHOTOS

After a 2-3 start to the season, Southington football went on a seven game win streak to reach the Class LL State Tournament finals. The Blue Knights’ campaign ended there at the hands of the Greenwich Cardinals, who came out on top, 45-6.

“Greenwich is a really good team,” head coach Rob Levesque said. “We knew they were good, we knew we had to execute better than we ever have. We didn’t. We had some turnovers, we gave them momentum early. We got banged up again, but that doesn’t mean anything, they’re a good team. Hats off to them. We ran into a good team and didn’t have our best game. The scoreboard looks like that when that happens.”

The Blue Knights got very close to the top this season, overpowering several strong teams along the way. On Saturday, however, the Cardinals proved to be more than the Knights could handle.

Teams leaders at the coin flip

Game Recap

After a series of first downs, Greenwich broke off a long run to reach the one-yard line. Two plays later, they scored via another rush and converted the two-point try to go up 8-0.

It wasn’t long before the Cardinals got the ball back. On Southington’s next possession, faced with a third-and-18, junior quarterback Luke Prozzo threw an interception near the line of scrimmage. Greenwich would soon capitalize on that mistake with a seven-yard touchdown run, taking a 15-0 lead after the extra point.

Southington seemed to be getting the momentum back when junior Walker Mierzejewski came away with an interception. Prozzo found junior Leif Renehan for a first down. But the Blue Knights’ drive stalled after sophomore Ben Beaulieu took a big hit in the backfield. He was slow to get up, but left the field on his own power and later made his return to the game.

Southington was forced to punt. Greenwich brought the pressure, coming away with a block. Soon thereafter senior Mason Nardi checked the Cardinals’ momentum, coming away with an interception following a big hit.

On the Blue Knights’ next possession, however, the injury bug bit again. Prozzo got hit hard in the backfield and stayed on the ground. Eventually he walked off the field on his own power, but he did not return to the game. Sophomore Jacoby Roman came in as quarterback.

After a punt, Greenwich took over possession in Southington territory. A deep pass brought the Cardinals down to the one-yard line before Greenwich scored a rushing touchdown. The extra point made it 22-0.

On the next drive Southington moved up the field on a late hit penalty against Greenwich. A fake punt on fourth-and-11 was unsuccessful, however, and Greenwich took over. The Cardinals used a long run, a 13-yard touchdown pass and the extra point to take a 29-0 lead into halftime.

On the Cardinals’ first possession of the second half, Connor Orange made a key stop on defense. But Southington fumbled a snap and lost the ball. Greenwich soon took advantage with a three-yard touchdown run to move their lead to 36-0.

Despite the deficit, the Blue Knights kept fighting. Roman found Mierzejewski for a long pass down the field. Beaulieu ran in a touchdown that was called back for holding. Yet Southington still found a way, as Roman hit Beaulieu for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked, making the score 36-6.

RB Ben Beaulieu takes it in for the score

The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Greenwich. They kicked a 27-yard field goal to take a 39-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

Southington kept up the fight, as Orange recovered a fumble in the backfield. However, the Blue Knights’ drive ended after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-six. Greenwich missed a 42-yard field goal on their next possession, but then intercepted Roman to get the ball right back.

The Cardinals scored one more time on a 14-yard run. While the extra point was blocked, Greenwich secured the Class LL title with their 45-6 win.

Beaulieu cuts as Cardinal defenders loom

QB Luke Prozzo looks for an open receiver as RT Ahmed Mamoon (57) blocks

Senior Send Off

Southington’s senior class played a crucial role in their run to the Class LL finals. When they entered their bye week at 2-3, Southington had a decision to make. What kind of team did they want to be? The seniors helped fix the Blue Knights’ mistakes and dictate their winning attitude to end the season.

“I’m proud of how they stepped up,” Levesque said of the seniors. “We could’ve given up after New Britain. They ground out those seven straight wins. They got to the state championship and the right to play the last snap of football in Connecticut. They earned that right.”

Linebacker Daniel Corrado has seen the highs and lows of Southington football, from 3-7 in 2024 to Class LL runner-up in 2025. Through it all one thing never changed: Southington battled as one, like a family.

“It’s really nice to be a part of this family here,” Corrado said. “This is a family. We work hard all year round, and we work through that family.”

Watching Southington’s turnaround after their loss to New Britain had a profound impact on Corrado. He will forever remember a senior season marked by a seven-game win streak that ran all the way to finals. But for Corrado, that never would have come about if the Blue Knights didn’t become as close as they are.

“We all work together,” Corrado said. “We found our rhythm. This team is really close knit.”

Southington’s senior class features: Tyler Koski, William Cumberlidge, Beckett Colby, Rosco Cook, Jaxiel Rivera, Mason Nardi, Kevin Hamilton, Daniel Corrado, Darien Rivera, Benjamin Cassan, Adin Abaza, Rocco Calabrese, Ahmed Mamoon, Matthew Musshorn, Brandon Haley, Evan Kirk, Corey Kosienski, Caden Powers, Samuel Tokarzewski and Tanveer Singh.

WR Jaxiel Rivera turns upfield

WR Rosco Cook takes the kickoff return

For Those Who Remain

Southington will see many of their key contributors return for the 2026 season. When they do, Levesque is expecting the Blue Knights to use their Class LL tournament experience to their advantage.

“We’ve been here,” Levesque said. “We understand what it means to run the gauntlet. To play all those games in so few days and keep your focus at the same time. These kids did that, even though we fell short. They ground it out and they prepared. They were ready to do this.”

Among the returners will be both quarterbacks, Luke Prozzo and Jacoby Roman, as well as star running back Ben Beaulieu. Against Greenwich, Prozzo completed 8-of-13 passes for 46 yards and an interception. Roman completed 9-of-21 passes for 87 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Beaulieu ran for 25 yards on 14 carries, while tying Jaxiel Rivera for the team-lead with 27 receiving yards on three catches. The running back had just won CTInsider's Player of the Week for his five-touchdown performance against NFA

Roman was thrown into the fire when Prozzo suffered his injury. He had won games for Southington earlier in the season during a previous Prozzo injury, but the Class LL finals was a different beast. Despite the loss, Roman came away with a better understanding of what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

“My nerves were a little high. Big stakes in this game,” Roman said. “First time for me, starting quarterback in the state championship. It didn’t go our way. But we’ll be here again though. We’ll be here again for sure.”

As he prepares for his junior season, Roman says he’ll be focusing on doing a better job of getting the ball to his receivers. He knows the Blue Knights have plenty of playmakers on their roster. If he is put into the starting role again, Roman is confident success will come if he can get them the ball in space.

Looking back at the Blue Knights’ campaign, the sophomore quarterback can’t help but notice just how far the team had come. It didn’t end as Southington had hoped, but Roman is confident it’ll only make the Blue Knights stronger in the long run.

“It means a lot,” Roman said. “We flipped the script after New Britain. We went on that big win streak. We shut out Cheshire. We had a lot of momentum going into the playoffs, and that’s what happens. We made it all the way to the state championship at 7-3. We did a lot of good stuff this season. We’re looking forward to it next year. We’re going to be back.”

There were numerous memorable moments in Southington’s run to the finals. They shut out Cheshire on Thanksgiving, then dropped 42 points on NFA in the quarterfinals. For all those touchdowns and takeaways, the key was how the Blue Knights approached things mentally.

No matter how high the hurdle, Southington was ready to leap it. Their comeback proved how much this year’s team was willing to fight.

“Mentally they started to believe and buy into what it means to be a competitive football player,” Levesque said. “Not just talk about it but to be it. They really started to come together as a unit. Sometimes with young guys that can be a challenge. But they really became a tight knit group.”

In the trenches with the Blue Knights' defense

Blue Knights Beat NFA, Advance To Class LL Championship

QB Luke Prozzo scrambles as RB Lonnie Green (25) and OL Nicolas Drury (53) and Mason LeFort (55) protect the pocket KIERAN SUMMERS PHOTOS

Daniel Corrado, Lonnie Green and the rest of the Southington football senior class have been dreaming of a state championship opportunity since freshman year. With a 42-7 win over Norwich Free Academy (NFA), the Blue Knights will get that chance, as Southington advances to the Class LL State Championship game.

“It means so much. All of the seniors, when we were freshmen we were thinking about it,” Green said. “We’re going to be the class to do it. We’re going to bring one back to the dungeon. We’re so hyped to go.”

“It’s exciting. We’ve been working on it since last December, when we came home 3-7. We started off slow,” Corrado added. “Ever since the bye week, we’ve been winning – ‘1-0 every week’.”

Game Recap

On their opening drive Southington marched 75 yards down the field in 10 plays, led by several first down runs from sophomore Ben Beaulieu and a 14-yard pass to senior Rosco Cook. The drive was capped by a nine-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Luke Prozzo to Beaulieu. Sophomore Sawyer Trudeau’s extra point gave the Blue Knights a 7-0 lead.

Southington forced a turnover on downs on NFA’s ensuing drive. However, the Wildcats got possession right back when Prozzo threw an interception. NFA then broke off an 18-yard run before scoring on a four-yard rush. The extra point tied things at seven to end the first quarter.

At the start of the second, the Blue Knights were faced with a fourth-and-12 when Prozzo found Green for a 16-yard pass to secure the first down. Beaulieu broke through tackles to convert third-and-four before scoring on a seven-yard run. Trudeau’s extra point extended Southington’s lead to 14-7.

It wasn’t long before the Blue Knights got the ball back, with senior Austin Sirois intercepting a pass on NFA’s next drive. Southington’s offense wasn’t able to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs. Still, the defense made sure the momentum remained in the home team’s favor. Sophomore Todd Flint forced intentional grounding on second down. On third down, senior Tyler Koski and sophomore Owen Manuel provided pressure while junior Connor Orange forced a fumble in the end zone. Senior Daniel Corrado managed to scoop up the ball for a touchdown; Trudeau was again clean with his extra point, which moved the score to 21-7.

After another stop by the defense, NFA was forced to punt. The kick was short, and the Blue Knights began the possession on the Wildcats’ 41. Two plays later, Prozzo found Beaulieu for a 38-yard touchdown pass. The extra point from Trudeau was good once again, and Southington now held a 28-7 lead.

While the Blue Knights managed to march into NFA territory one more time before the break, a fumble from Prozzo kept them from adding to the score.

Southington’s defense stayed strong to open the second half, forcing a punt on NFA’s first drive. Faced with third-and-long on their first possession, Prozzo broke through tackles to set up fourth-and-one, which he then converted using his legs. The quarterback next found Cook for a 46-yard touchdown pass as the senior bounced off initial contact and ran in for the score. Trudeau upped the lead to 35-7.

The Blue Knights’ defense was not yet done collecting takeaways. After a fumbled snap from NFA was recovered by Koski, Prozzo would find junior Leif Renehan for a 27-yard pass before Beaulieu ran in a 13-yard touchdown. Trudeau stayed perfect on extra points, increasing the lead to 42-7.

Southington had a 35+ point advantage when the clock started running in the fourth quarter, and continued to play stout defense and offense, although they did cough up a late fumble. Regardless, the Blue Knights never trailed and came away with the victory. They will now compete for a state championship.

“This is where we all want to be,” head coach Rob Levesque said. “Winning [the state championship] is the ultimate pinnacle of what we do. We say we want to make the playoffs, win the conference, beat Cheshire. We want to go for state titles, make a run at it. I never say that I’m not going to try and win a state title. Last year, obviously, at 3-7, that didn’t work out for us. But these guys bought in.”

ILB Mason Nardi prepares for action at the end of the second quarter

Southington Defense Pitches Near Shutout

Once NFA scored on their first drive, Levesque knew Southington had to alter their gameplan. The Blue Knights did exactly that, with the coaching staff adjusting course to counter NFA's offensive strategy. Once those changes were made, the Wildcats were kept completely out of the endzone.

“We made some corrections. We made some mistakes on the short field they had, and they scored,” Levesque said. “My coaching staff does a great job of getting to the Xs and Os, figuring things out and making corrections. They did it; we had a shutout after that.”

On a frigid night – so cold that the game was moved up from 6:30 to 5:00 to catch a few extra degrees of warmth - Levesque expected to see plenty of NFA’s ground game. That’s exactly what they got as the Wildcats relied heavily on the run. The Blue Knights found the perfect counter and allowed just 107 total yards in the win.

“We figured it would be more of a two running back backfield,” Levesque said. “That’s what we gameplanned most for and that’s what they went to. We had a lot of options. A and B weren’t working at first, so we had to go to C and D.”

For Corrado, the semifinal win is special for a number of reasons. He’ll be competing for a state title in his senior season. Furthermore, his defensive score was the first touchdown of his high school career. But even in his moment of glory, Corrado was quick to credit the teammates, and friends, around him.

“I saw my friend Connor Orange knock the ball out of the quarterback’s hands. I came flying down. I see my friend Tyler Koski try and pick it up,” Corrado said. “It got knocked out, he really should’ve had the touchdown. I came in and scooped it up.”

Corrado said every member of the Blue Knights was flying to the ball all night. Everyone wanted it in their hands. Those wishes were granted as Southington forced a pair of fumbles and an interception.

Corrado knows the Blue Knights will need to bring the same level of intensity to take home the state title. They’ll also need to rely on the message defensive coordinator Travis Swim has been sending the team all season. The bright lights will now be on Southington; Corrado and company cannot flinch.

“Championship-level focus,” Corrado said. “He’s been saying that since Week 1. We’re just going to keep that focus going, keep the momentum going. We’re going to work hard.”

DL Ahmed Mamoon and DB Walker Mierejewski make a tackle

Prozzo Goes From Blue Knight To Warrior 

Southington was already up 28-7 when they had another opportunity to expand their lead. Prozzo was trying to break to the outside for a first down when he fumbled the ball. At halftime, Prozzo knew he needed to bounce back from the turnover.

“My mentality was, ‘it can’t happen again.’ We were about to score,” Prozzo said. “I knew I let my boys down when I fumbled the ball.”

Levesque was confident that Prozzo wouldn’t let the mistake linger in his mind. The junior responded by completing 18-of-26 passes for 218 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Southington’s coaching staff has preached about battling through adversity during the second half of the season. Those teachings were manifested in Prozzo Monday night.

“He’s a warrior. He’s an all-around athlete, comes from a family of athletes. His mindset is always there,” Levesque said. “That’s one thing we really pushed the second half of the season, the mental part of the game. Not making mistakes and beating ourselves. That also goes for how we handle adversity. We try to coach that as much as possible. If you make mistakes, bounce back. He did that.”

Prozzo is no stranger to battling through misfortune, as an AC sprain in his shoulder wiped out most of his season this year. After making his return in Southington’s Thanksgiving win over Cheshire, Prozzo says he is now feeling as healthy as possible.

“I feel 100 percent normal,” Prozzo said. “Throwing the ball is great. I’m running the ball now, putting that back into the game now. It feels great with my shoulder.”

As for the championship game, the junior quarterback exudes confidence. He knows the Blue Knights have been putting in the work and are ready for their title opportunity. He’s preparing to help bring the trophy back to Southington.

“We’re going to put in the work,” Prozzo said, “and we’re going to get that win.”

Running Back Brotherhood

Southington’s offense gained 389 yards of total offense. Beaulieu gained 140 of those yards on 20 carries. With two rushing and two receiving touchdowns, the sophomore served as the catalyst for the Blue Knights’ offense. Beaulieu has excelled in that role throughout the playoff run, gaining 138 yards and five touchdowns in the quarterfinal win over Glastonbury. His efforts earned him a nomination for CTInsider Player of the Week.

Green has worked closely with Beaulieu throughout the season. The senior says he has never played next to a talent quite like the sophomore. Their connection on and off the field will last long after Green’s graduation.

“Splitting time with Ben is like no other,” Green said. “He’s the best young player I have ever played with. He has a spark, he’s fast. He’s everything that a mentor would love to have. I’m coming back every game to watch him play. That’s my dog, and I can’t wait to see him excel.”

Green and Beaulieu spearheaded the Blue Knights’ rushing attack, but both players shone in the passing game as well. On top of Beaulieu’s two receiving touchdowns, Green led Southington with four receptions, taking them 37 yards.

Levesque has watched the Blue Knights’ offense blossom throughout the stretch run. He credits it to the brotherhood the running back room has crafted. Their selflessness has now percolated through the rest of the roster. When Southington breaks the huddle, they often let out a collective yell: ‘Family!’

“They bring the best out of each other. Healthy competition makes you better. Someone is always there to push you. They’re each other's biggest fans. They sub in, out, they don’t fight for reps. They support each other, they correct each other,” Levesque said of Beaulieu and Green. “It’s really the attitude of most of the kids on our team. Even where there’s a lot of competition like the QB position, we support each other, because these kids have been playing together for a long time. They really are a family.”

Green is still entering the championship matchup on a quarter-by-quarter mentality. But the running back shares the same confidence that Corrado and Prozzo bring to the table.

“Grit, blood, sweat and tears,” Green said. “But we’re used to that. We’re going to get it done. We’re taking it back to the dungeon, back to S-Town, we’re just going to bring it home.”

RB Benjamin Beaulieu breaks off another long run

Just One More Week To Go 1-0

No. 4 Southington has ridden their motto, ‘1-0 every week,’ to a seven-game win streak and a spot in the Class LL finals. The Blue Knights’ final opportunity to go 1-0 will come this Saturday against No. 3 Greenwich.

The Cardinals enter the matchup having knocked off No. 2 Fairfield Prep 31-10 during the semifinals. Greenwich had an 8-2 record during the regular season.

Levesque and company know that at this stage of the game, there are no easy matchups. Every team that's left is there for a reason. Whatever the challenge before them, the Blue Knights are preparing for their final contest.

The head coach acknowledges that the end is almost here. It has been a rollercoaster run for the Blue Knights, going from a 2-3 start to the Class LL championship. Southington is going to enjoy what’s left of the ride. They hope to end their journey hoisting the state championship trophy above their heads.

“We’re going to have to play a good game. There’s no bad teams left,” Levesque said. “Nobody is going to give you anything, you have to go out there and get after it. We’re going to get to the film, get to work. There’s only a couple days left of it. We’re going to make the most of every minute.”