St. Paul/Goodwin Tech/Lewis Mills had just completed a dominating third quarter. They held Rocky Hill to just three offensive plays for minus eight yards. In the first half, the visiting Falcons blocked a punt, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.

"We were worried," admitted Rocky Hill receiver Sean Burgwardt. "St. Paul was hammering it inside. We had to pump each other up. If we lost, the season was over."

Rocky Hill responded with a championship-type of drive, marching 74 plays on 10 yards to score and outlast the pesky Falcons, 19-12. Rocky Hill (8-1, 7-1 Nutmeg) kept alive its playoff hopes.

Burgwardt made two outstanding catches in traffic, including a key 23-yard reception from QB Doug Elliot (6-11-1, 75) on third-and-7 from their own 29-yard line. On fourth-and-6 from the Falcon 25, Elliott hit Burgwardt who held onto a 9-yard reception despite a hard hit from St. Paul’s Jamel Greenlee.

Three plays later, Brendan Held swept around from the 8-yard line to score with 4:57 left. For the second time, the Falcons (4-5, 4-5) blocked the kick and Rocky Hill led 19-12.

St. Paul got the ball back and fourth-and-1 from its own 30 with 2:49 left but Greg Lappen tackled Brent Seaver (23-78) in the backfield to end the drive.

"We just pulled together," Burgwardt said. "In close games, this team pulls together and drives the ball. This was the season for us."

Rocky Hill was fortunate to be ahead by one at halftime, 13-6. On its first four possessions, they lost the ball on a fumble, threw an interception, had a punt blocked and lost leading rusher and scorer Marc Fritz (548 yards, 14 TDs) with an ankle injury.

A blocked punt by Seaver set up St. Paul’s first score. After the block, Seaver scored three plays later on a 9-yard run for a 6-0 lead after the conversion run failed. Rocky Hill responded immediately on Greg Lappen’s 71-yard TD run and Rocky Hill went ahead, 7-6 after Chris Tyler’s extra point.

Midway through the second quarter, the Falcons drove to the Rocky Hill 29 thanks in part to two completions from Demytruk Usher that caught the Terriers off guard. However, on fourth-and inches, Seaver gained three yards but the run was waived off due to an illegal shift. On fourth-and-five, Usher’s pass was just short of the receiver.

Rocky Hill responded with a 14-play, 66-yard drive with Lappen (25-167) scoring from the five for a 13-6 lead. Elliot found Burgwardt for three yards on a fourth-and-one on the Falcon 31 and found Burgwardt for 20 yards on third-and-10 on the Falcon 28.

In the third quarter, St. Paul marched 45 yards in 6:23 to the Terrier 20 but on fourth-and-one, a bad snap from center resulted in a fumble recovery by Rocky Hill.

Rocky Hill lost eight yards on three plays and the Falcons took over on their own 49. On fourth-and-11 from the Rocky Hill 28, Usher (3-7, 56) completed a 22-yard fade pass to Jamel Greenlee to the Rocky Hill six. Seaver scored two plays later to cut the lead to 13-12.

But Burgwardt knocked down the two-point conversion pass to maintain the Terrier lead.

St. Paul had only attempted 11 passes for 48 yards in its previous eight games but they had the Terrier defense on its heels.

"I’m very proud of our kids," St. Paul coach Jude Kelly said. "It’s a tribute to Rocky Hill that they were able to make some great plays. We just weren’t able to make the stops we needed or the first downs we needed.

"This was a tough loss," he said. "They played as hard as they could. When you work that hard, come that close and lose, it’s hard. But we’re moving in the right direction."