Platt's 49-13 rout of South Windsor keeps CIAC Class MM playoff hopes alive
Senior quarterback Austen Standish threw for four touchdowns and Maurice Christie had 162 receiving yards in the decisive Friday night victory.
By Luis Medina ·
The Platt Panthers defeated South Windsor 49-13 on Friday night in Meriden, securing a victory that keeps their bid for a CIAC Class MM playoff berth intact. The win improved Platt's season record to 5-2 and positioned the team as a strong contender in a crowded division where only the top eight teams advance to the postseason.
Standish, the senior quarterback, was the primary engine for the offense. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 199 yards and threw four touchdown passes. Standish also added a rushing touchdown, bringing his total to five scores. His most frequent target was junior wide receiver Maurice Christie, who caught six passes for 162 yards and scored on gains of 12, 40, and 42 yards.
The game was decided in the first half. Platt scored on all four of its initial possessions, building a 35-7 lead by the break. The decisive moment came with 1:05 left in the second quarter when sophomore Amari Bowman returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown. Bowman had also run in a 12-yard touchdown earlier in the quarter, capping a 21-point scoring surge for the Panthers in the final five minutes of the first half.
Coach Jason Bruenn emphasized that the margin for error in Class MM is nonexistent. He noted that with two teams currently holding two losses, Platt cannot afford another setback if it wants to secure a postseason spot. "You have to take your fate into your own hands," Bruenn said. "And tonight, we started that process."
South Windsor, which improved to 2-5, managed only 13 points. The Bobcats scored their first touchdown on a 6-yard run by Colton Kyle Flaherty. Their final score came just over five minutes before the end, on a 4-yard run by Jalil Montgomery. Montgomery finished the night with 37 rushing yards.
The final score was Platt 49, South Windsor 13. Platt's points came from touchdowns by Christie, Standish, Bowman, and Adam Roberts. The victory allows the Panthers to remain in the top tier of the league standings as the regular season winds down.
