Platt rolls past South Windsor 49-13, keeps CIAC Class MM playoff push on track

MERIDEN, Conn. — Platt made a forceful case for its CIAC Class MM playoff credentials Friday night, rolling past South Windsor 49-13 behind five total touchdowns from senior quarterback Austen Standish. The Panthers improved to 5-2 and remained among the top eight teams that would qualify for the postseason in a crowded Class MM field.

Early separation

Platt scored on all four of its first-half possessions and turned a 14-7 game into a 35-7 halftime lead with 21 points in the final five minutes of the second quarter. Standish opened the scoring with a 16-yard pass to Maurice Christie, then added a 12-yard touchdown run after South Windsor had cut the deficit. Amari Bowman, a 14-year-old sophomore, answered the Bobcats with a short scoring run, and Standish later connected with Christie for a 40-yard touchdown. Bowman capped the burst by returning an interception 46 yards for a score with 1:05 left before halftime.

Standish and Christie carry the offense

Standish completed 11 of 18 passes for 199 yards and four touchdowns, and added 50 rushing yards on nine carries. Three of his scoring passes went to Christie, who finished with 162 yards on six catches and touchdown plays of 16 and 40 yards in the first half plus another 40-yard score early in the third quarter. That third score triggered a CIAC running clock for the rest of the night.

“We came out aggressive and disciplined,” Christie said. “It started Monday. Our coaches told us to buy in and clock in. And that’s what we did.”

Class MM pressure

Platt entered Friday as the No. 6 team in Class MM, a division so competitive that two teams with two losses were already outside the playoff field. Standish missed Platt’s back-to-back losses to Windsor and Sheehan earlier this season; the Panthers are 5-0 when he starts.

Coach Jason Bruenn told players there was no room for another loss.

“There is no margin for error in MM,” Bruenn said. “You can try to figure out who is going to win there and who is going to win there, but the bottom line is you have to take your fate into your own hands. And tonight, we started that process.”

South Windsor dropped to 2-5. Colton Kyle Flaherty scored from 6 yards in the second quarter, and Jalil Montgomery added a late 4-yard touchdown in an otherwise frustrating night for the Bobcats.

Key facts

What the result means

The win keeps Platt’s postseason position secure for another week, but Bruenn’s message made clear the Panthers cannot afford another loss in a top-heavy Class MM. Standish said the goal was to start strong and finish strong after a narrow 21-20 win over East Hartford the previous week.

“The mentality tonight was punch them in the mouth; we knew we were the better team,” Standish said. “Our goal was to come out strong and finish strong. And that’s what we did.”

The full CIAC Class MM standings and official playoff points were not included in the match report; Platt remains in the top eight by the ranking cited by the coach.

Source: Yahoo Sports / CT Insider, https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/platt-football-rolls-past-south-042400583.html