Cat-Fight
- Updated: August 15, 2016

Will Melvin tackles Jamie Bryant during Saturday’s Bearcats/Panthers game
MERIDEN, CT- In another Southern Division slugfest, the Connecticut Bearcats used an early lead to hold off the feisty Connecticut Panthers 16-8. “This was a battle like always” said former player and current Bearcats Defensive Coordinator Court Sutherland, “we’ve matched up pretty evenly for years; today was no different; we just got out early and held on”.
The Bearcats opened scoring in the first half behind a 35 yard strike from Ryan Falagurra to his brother Conner over a Panther defender. Later in the half, Montrell Dobbs found the end zone to give the Bearcats a 16-0 lead going into the half.
The second half saw both teams battle in the trenches and exchange possessions. The Bearcats lead made the Panthers abandon their run game and but pressure on both Tim Rush and Jamie Bryant to throw the ball against the Bearcats secondary. For the third consecutive week the Bearcats held an opposing passer to less 75 yards in the air. “We’ve been playing well the last few weeks” said Sutherland, “we just hope to keep this going through the second half of the season”.
A fourth quarter run by Shante Wynn put the Panthers on the board but was too late to comeback against the Bearcats. The loss gives the Panthers a 2-3 record and places them towards the bottom of the standings. “We have to get this right over the next few weeks” said Jamie Bryant, “we’re real close to breaking out but can’t get over the hump”.
The Falagurra brothers celebrate after a first half touchdown
TEAMS | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | FINAL |
Bearcats | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
CONNECTICUT BEARCATS
PASSING | Completions | Attempts | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions |
Rich Snowden | 4 | 7 | 81 | 0 | 0 |
Ryan Falaguerra | 5 | 9 | 60 | 1 | 0 |
RECEIVING | Catch | Yards | TD’s | Catch | Yards | TD’s | |
Conner Falaguerra | 5 | 110 | 1 | Tremaine Barnes | 2 | 10 | 0 |
Smalls | 1 | 9 | 0 | KJ Ellison | 1 | 12 | 0 |
RUSHING | Rush | Yards | TD’s | Rush | Yards | TD’s | |
Rich Snowden | 1 | 3 | 0 | Montrell Dobbs | 11 | 62 | 1 |
Conner Falaguerra | 2 | 12 | 0 | Justin Wilson | 5 | 28 | 0 |
Jerhome Bunch | 5 | 32 |
DEFENSE STAND OUTS | Tackles | Sacks | INT | Misc. |
Gerald Patrick | 4 | ½ | 0 | |
David Reese | 2 | 1 | 0 | Forced fumble |
James Martin | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
Will Melvin | 4 | 0 | 1 | |
Tevon Moye | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
Raheem Stanley | 4 | 1 | 0 |
SPECIAL TEAMS | |
N/A |
CONNECTICUT PANTHERS
PASSING | Completions | Attempts | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions |
Tim Rush | 4 | 15 | 25 | 0 | 1 |
Jamie Bryant | 3 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
RECEIVING | Catch | Yards | TD’s | Catch | Yards | TD’s | |
Corey Robinson | 4 | 22 | 0 | Jamie Bryant | 2 | 11 | 0 |
Josh Padilla | 1 | 6 | 0 |
RUSHING | Rush | Yards | TD’s | Rush | Yards | TD’s | |
Jamie Bryant | 2 | 17 | 0 | Shante Wynn | 6 | 28 | 1 |
Mike Thomas | 5 | 28 | 0 | #47 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
#11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | C.DesRuiessiuex | 1 | 4 | 0 |
DEFENSE STAND OUTS | Tackles | Sacks | INT | Misc. |
Moose Welch | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
Keith Pratt | 3 | Pass Deflection | ||
Tim Pratt | 5 | 0 | 0 |
SPECIAL TEAMS | |
Jamie Bryant | 75 total return yards |
Shante Wynn | 58 total return yards |
TOTAL OFFENSE
OFFENSE | Rush Plays | Rush Yards | Passing Plays | Passing Yards | TOTAL OFFENSE |
Bearcats | 24 | 137 | 16 | 141 | 40 plays/ 278 yards |
Panthers | 16 | 85 | 22 | 39 | 38 plays/ 124 yards |