Brookfield quarterback Jordan Burandt has been named BlueStreak Sports Training’s Fairfield County Player of the Week for his Week 5 performance against Masuk.

Burandt completed 21 of 36 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns and was picked off twice in the Bobcats’ 31-24 upset win over the Panthers, who were ranked fifth in the State Coaches Poll.

Other Week 5 nominees included Nick DiRubio (New Canaan), Chris Evans (Stamford), Kyle Finnegan (Ludlowe), Adler Florian (Westhill), Gaquawn Henderson (Wright Tech/Stamford Academy), Brian Kosnik (Darien), Kevin Pierre-Louis (King) and Joe Scalzo (Brunswick).

Players are nominated both by football coaches representing teams in Fairfield County. A mimimum of five nominees from a weekly fan poll are also included on a ballot, and the Player of the Week is then selected by members of the Fairfield County sports media community.

The award is presented by the FCIAC Football Blog.

The following media members voted: The following media members voted: Rob Adams (WGCH-AM), Bill Bloxsom (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), Zachary Eastright (WSTC-AM/WNLK-AM), Dan Farrand (News-Times), Scott Ferrari (Greenwich Citizen), Andy Hutchison (Newtown Bee), Jason A. Intrieri (FCIAC Football Blog Live), John Nash (The Stamford Times), Ken Morse (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), Jesse Quinlan (Greenwich Time), Dave Ruden (Stamford Advocate), Eliot Schickler (Westport News), Dave Stewart (New Canaan Advertiser), Rob Sullivan (Minuteman Newspapers/Bridgeport Banner), Michael Suppe (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers).

Popularity: 23% [?]

By Tim Parry

If Fairfield Ludlowe is going to become a winning program, players are going to need to adapt to different roles and coaches are going to need to make the right halftime game plan adjustments.

Ludlowe did both against Harding, and left Hedges Stadium with a 14-0 win yesterday.

With starting tailback Phil Tsopanides sidelined, Kyle Finnegan stepped in and became a fourth-quarter star, with touchdown runs of nine and 14 yards.

“He did exactly what I asked of him in the second half, because we couldn’t get the offense going,” Ludlowe head coach Matt McCloskey said. “We had some offensive difficulties today, he and the offensive line stepped up, and we ran the ball the way we should.”

It’s true, the Harding defense bent a little but didn’t break in the first three quarters. In the first half, Ludlowe kicker Sean Anderson missed a chip-shot field goal, and Rasheed Setal picked off a Rob Ferrara shovel pass in the end zone.

And when the Ludlowe offense seemed to get started in the third quarter, it stepped on its own foot. A 40-yard screen pass for a touchdown by Ferrara to Matt Tierno was called back for a hold. Then one play after Ferrara and Tierno connected for 25 yards, Harding defender William McDonald forced a fumble that was recovered by Kyle Harrell.

But once Tierno stormed through and blocked an Isiah Drake punt for a safety early in the fourth quarter for a safety and a 2-0 lead, Harding’s defense unraveled.

“When you have some guys out, it definitely takes a while to get that rhythm back,” McCloskey said. “Kyle stepped up and he’s definitely the reason we got that rhythm back.”

Harding’s offense also didn’t get on track. Simply put, the Presidents are not going to win if they can’t move the ball. And for that matter, hold on to the ball. Ludlowe linebacker Mike Sheehan recovered two fumbles, and Craig Wilson one on Harding’s last kickoff return.

Even though Harding was shut out, junior linebacker Jonathan Berrios said they sent a message to the league: Don’t take the Presidents lightly.

“These four quarters showed what we can do, that we have potential to win games,” Berrios said. “The rest of the season we will surprise the entire league.”

Popularity: 13% [?]