Tyler Hassett passed for a touchdown and ran for two more, including the game-winner with 7:12 to play, as sixth-seeded Weston defeated Ellington/Somers 29-22 in Class M football quarterfinal action Wednesday night at Enfield High School.
Weston (9-2) advances to face second-seeded Berlin Sunday at Bunnell High School at 5 p.m.
The Trojans jumped to a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest on a 7-yard scoring pass from Hassett to Zachary Cannon. Ellington/Somers, the number three seed, took an 8-7 lead five minutes later on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Christian Schneider, who then ran for a two-point conversion.
Neither team scored in the second quarter, though Weston had three drives stopped inside the 20-yard line, one on a blocked field goal attempt.
Weston claimed a 13-8 lead in the third quarter on a 2-yard run by Hassett, but Neal Janiga broke off a 53-yard scoring run 68 seconds later to put the Knights back in front, 14-13.
Early in the fourth quarter, Aaron Pomerance ran in from nine yards out to put the Trojans back in the lead, with Hassett's two-point conversion run making it 21-14. Schneider returned the ensuing kickoff to the Weston 42, and on the first play from scrimmage, Joe Leslie uncorked a 42-yard touchdown pass to Austin Tautkus. Janiga ran for the two-point conversion to lift the Knights back into the lead at 22-21.
Hassett culminated the next Trojans drive with his second 2-yard scoring run of the evening, then passed to Justin Shaffer for the two-point conversion to put Weston ahead to stay.
Ellington/Somers advanced the ball near midfield with under four minutes emaining, but Hassett intercepted a 4th-and-8 pass and returned it to the Knights' 22 to seal the victory for the Trojans.
Ellington/Somers finished the season with a 9-2 record.
