Stratford rolls past ND-Fairfield

The perception around the SWC -- although no opposing coach is going to come right out and say it -- is that you can tick a `W' off next to Stratford on the football schedule.

It's a small two-game sample size, but the Red Devils are trying to show they won't be a pushover again in 2012.

"That's fine," Stratford coach John Svatik said Friday night after his team's 37-14 win over Notre Dame-Fairfield at Bunnell. "They might not expect much, but we expect a lot from us. If you chase perfection, you may catch excellence, as they say."

A week after giving Brookfield all it could handle in a 24-19 defeat, Stratford notched its first win of the year with a comprehensive performance vs. Notre Dame. The Red Devils (1-1) forced six turnovers -- returning a pair of interceptions for touchdowns -- and piled up 31 points in the second quarter, dominating in all facets before pulling its starters in the second half.

"Everybody expects (to beat us), but we come out for the upset," said Noah Provo, who had a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Provo opened the scoring a minute into the second quarter on a 10-yard touchdown run. He doubled the Stratford advantage midway through the quarter when he intercepted an underthrown Glody Tumba pass on the goal line, racing up the left sideline untouched, winning a foot race against a pair of Lancers chasers.

"I was at the right place at the right time," Provo said. "All I saw was green. I just didn't want to get caught."

Notre Dame (0-2) cut it to 14-6 on the ensuing kickoff when Marcus Fulton brought it back 79 yards for a touchdown. Any momentum for the Lancers was short-lived as Red Devils quarterback Michael Cannata found Bryan Lesperance up the right sideline for a 66-yard score on the next Stratford drive.

Sergio Colon intercepted Tumba three plays later, taking it back 30 yards and putting Stratford ahead 28-6.

Stratford's second-quarter eruption was a far cry from last year's game between the schools when the Red Devils needed a score in the final 20 seconds to pull out a seesaw 41-38 win.

Sam Breiner added 97 yards on 14 carries, aided by the lead-blocking of Dana Smith. Colon finished with two interceptions. Arron Smith and Kyle Peterson each recovered a fumble for Stratford.

Notre Dame got a late score on a 43-yard run by freshman Tajik Bagley.

"It was the similar tune as last week -- we're moving, we've got momentum but we throw a pick or fumble it," Lancers coach Dawon Dicks said. "I don't chalk it up to offense, defense or special teams, I honestly just think Stratford was tougher than us tonight. They hit us in the mouth and kept coming at us. They didn't do anything we didn't expect, they just did it well."

Stratford 37, Notre Dame 14

NOTRE DAME 00-06-00-08--14

STRATFORD 00-31-00-06--37

S--Noah Provo 10 run (Kyle Kodnia kick)

S--Provo 99 interception return (Kodnia kick)

ND--Marcus Fulton 79 kickoff return (run failed)

S--Bryan Lesperance 66 pass Michael Cannata (Kodnia kick)

S--Sergio Colon 30 interception return (Kodnia kick)

S--Kodia 25 FG

S--Eric Kristiansen 18 run (kick failed)

ND--Tajik Bagley 43 run (Matt Moffat run)

Records: ND-Fairfield 0-2; Stratford 1-1