GRISWOLD BOMBS PLAINFIELD 44-6 IN FINAL CONTEST

Central Village - The Griswold High School Wolverines stunned Plainfield’s Panthers 44-6 here Thursday morning in the inaugural of a Thanksgiving Day series between the two Quinebaug Valley Rivals.

More than 2,000 fans witnessed the rout which saw Griswold’s quarterback Karl Malek combine a fine aerial game with an awesome ground attack.  Malek threw one touchdown pass which covered 48 yards and was on the receiving end of a 50 yard scoring pass play.

Shattering the Plainfield defense to shreds, the Griswold eleven compiled a comfortable 30-0 lead by intermission then managed to outscore the PHS team, 14-6 in the second half.  Griswold’s defense was equally effective with the front line deepint the Panthers from generating any serious running attack while the secondary picked off three Plainfield passes.

The Wolverines were in command from the opening kick off going 60 yards in 14 plays from scrimmage to score first.  Henry Tripp, who returned the kick off 20 yards, scored from two yards out to climax the sustained march.

Griswold scored three times in the second quarter.  Malek hit John Thivierge in the end zone on a 20 yard pass and later Greg Mackin gathered in a Malek pass on the Plainfield 30, racing to another touchdown in a play which covered 48 yards.

After the Wolverines took possession again, Malek handed off to Tripp at midfield and Tripp tossed a long pass which Maked took on the 40 and raced along the sidelines almost unchallenged.

After each of these three td’s will Lachappelle sliced over tackle to add the two-point conversions.  

A bad pass from Center by Griswold in its only punting situation gave Plainfield its initial scoring opportunity in the third period.  The Panthers took possessions on the Griswold 20 but surrendered it on downs four plays later only to regain the pigskin by virtue of a recovered fumble.  Dave Corey gained 12 yards in two plays and Roy Mercer advanced the ball to the Griswold one.  An apparent scoring play was nullified by a five yard penalty but then John Warner tossed to Carter Rodowicz in the end zone.

An eight yard Malek to Stuart Norman pass accounted for another Griswold score in the final quarter and a nearly identical play gave Griswold the conversion and 38-6 lead.

The final score came after Griswold was forced to punt deep in its own territory.  However, the bouncing pigskin deflected off a Plainfield player and was recovered by Griswold on its own 40.  At this point the humiliated Panthers suffered two consecutive 15 yard penalties and two players, Captain Roy Mercer and Mark Chmielowski, were ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct.  A pass interference gave the Wolverines possession on the one and Mike Marinello scored from there as the game ended.