Home Care In Portland, CT

Twenty-three years ago, when Carl Johnson began doing the landscaping for the owners of Wheeler Farm Gardens, a property 12 houses away from his own in Portland, he had no idea he would one day live across the street. He and his wife, Debbie, loved their brick ranch in the Middlesex County town, where they raised their family for 36 years. But they wanted more land, an oversize garage, and other wish-list items for their retirement years.

“We initially looked to build locally but couldn’t find land we liked, so we began looking at different houses,” says Carl, who worked for the Town of Portland for 42 years and his landscape business for 32 years.

“If we were going to build or move, it had to have everything we wanted, or I wasn’t going anywhere,” adds Debbie.

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Then, Wheeler Farm Gardens’ 3-acre lot, which had been up for sale when the couple wasn’t ready to buy, became available again. The new owner had subdivided the property into three lots but returned it to the market as one. That’s when the couple took notice and bought it in early October 2019. Since Debbie didn’t care for previous wooded properties they had seen, the wide-open land was perfect, and had a great location backing up to the Portland Golf Course.

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Around the same time, Debbie’s friend told her about the Parade of Homes tour by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Connecticut. The annual event, which offers tours of new and remodeled homes, and takes place this year on Oct. 14 and 15 (see the schedule at hbracentralct.com/about/parade-of-homes), is an excellent opportunity to meet different builders.

“We toured a house on Fox Hopyard Golf Course, and I said if I could put this house in Portland, I’d be thrilled,” Debbie remembers. “It was a two-story house; we were looking for a ranch. But we were very interested in all the details in the house.”

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They spoke with the home builder, Nick Uccello, owner of Rocky Hill-based Uccello Development, and chairman of the Parade of Homes committee. After talking with a few other builders and seeing more of Uccello’s work, they decided to move forward with his firm.

The couple knew exactly what they wanted thanks to their time spent perusing home design books and magazines, so the process was quick. Uccello tapped Jack Kemper of Farmington-based Kemper Associates Architects to draw up plans. “We didn’t want a long, typical ranch,” says Debbie. “I showed Nick a picture of a house with a gable roof and a window on the front and back attic level. It gives the home character and extra storage.”

Building on the three-bedroom, 2½-bath custom house began in March 2020, just as COVID started to wreak havoc. But Uccello was not deterred. “Our challenges were trying to keep everyone safe, plus timing in acquiring materials, and labor, but we powered through it and got it done,” he says.

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Carl remembers: “I had asked Nick, ‘Should we put this on hold?’ and he said, ‘Absolutely not, your lumber is all ordered, and we’re in a very good position right now. Let’s move.’ And I said, ‘Okay, you’re the boss.’ And we didn’t hit too many bumps, except for getting our appliances at the end, which took longer.”

In addition to an open-concept kitchen, dining and family room, the house includes a pantry, office, mudroom and laundry room on the first floor. Debbie had broken her ankle a few years back, and with the washer and dryer in the basement, they joked that Carl got a quick education on how to do laundry. Uccello even built hallways and doorways big enough for handicapped accessibility.

While West Hartford Stairs & Cabinets was behind the cabinetry and built-ins, Debbie took charge of the interior design. From wall color, lighting and furniture sourcing to consulting with Uccello about window placement, she knew what she wanted. Transom windows along the top and sides of the front door make for an impressive focal point for the entry and help bring in more natural light. And her idea for a glass room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the patio does the same. “I need to have light in the house,” she says. “I can’t stand a house that is dark, and you need to have lights on all the time.”

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For paint, she opted for Benjamin Moore Gray Owl in the kitchen, hallway, mudroom and pantry, with Marina Gray in the family room and dining area. The gray color palette is the perfect backdrop for furnishings brought over from their other house, while blue, Benjamin Moore’s Exhale, works in the glass room, where they purchased all new pieces from Kloter Farms in Ellington. She also had fun with brighter colors in the bathrooms and guest and grandkids’ bedrooms.

Debbie worked with Universal Tile in Hartford, deciding on white subway tile for the kitchen backsplash to complement the cabinetry. A decorative arrangement of gray tiles above the oven adds interest. And after a few trips to Connecticut Lighting Centers, all the lighting fell into place. But it took a special trip to Circa Lighting in Norwalk to find the piece over the dining room table. “It’s interesting to note that none of the lighting I chose has glass,” says Debbie. “I didn’t want to constantly be cleaning.”

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Aqua Scapes of CT helped her design her outdoor happy place: a zen-inspired fishpond with two waterfalls. They had a smaller one installed at their previous house. Determined to have full-grown trees on the property, they hired a tree-moving company to relocate four that stood where the new house would sit. “Everyone said that they would never survive, but Carl babysat them for seven months, watering them every day, putting water bags around them, and feeding them nutrients,” says Debbie.

After 15 months of construction, the Johnsons moved into their new house in July 2021. Carl continues to care for the outdoors, and an oversize barn garage by Morton Buildings holds his landscaping equipment and, hopefully, the motor home they’d like to buy one day. And while the fire pit nearby was part of the initial plan, the pool was not. But they strategically put the septic system on the west side of the property in case they decided to add one, which they did in August 2022, contracting with Juliano’s Pools.

“Our grandchildren were invited to swim in our neighbor’s pool,” Carl says. “So, we put one in with a heater to enjoy an extended season. We also added onto the patio once the pool was complete.”

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The resort-like setting is even home to the Johnsons’ daughters’ dollhouse, built for them years ago. Complete with running water and electricity, the dollhouse made its way to the new house and is now a popular spot for their grandchildren to play. “They call it the clubhouse,” says Carl, “and have a ball over there.”

Every home has a story. Each month we share the story of a Connecticut home, including new builds, additions, renovations, restorations, plus interior designs. If you’d like to see your home featured, send a summary of what makes it special, along with 3–5 photos, to [email protected].

PORTLAND — After 43 years of running the ever-popular Top Dog food truck, with the eye-catching, distinctive trailer topped by a large, red hot dog, complete with mustard and relish, Andrea and Alan Spaulding have settled on a new owner.

The Spauldings’ goal was to also sell Top Dog to a Portland resident. “It’s an institution,” Alan Spaulding said.

The 1963 bun-colored former camper is based at the defunct Connecticut Central Railroad depot at 211 Marlborough Road, not far from the Portland Bridge. Alan Spaulding, who's been helping out his wife for about three years, built the trailer himself.

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It is drawn by a 1972 yellow Marathon checker cab with an “Elvis” mannequin in a Hawaiian shirt in the passenger seat. The iconic Airstream trailer has been on Route 66 for so many decades that their customers span several generations. The stand has been featured in local media, as well as on national TV shows such as "Road Food.”

The couple insists on Thurmann’s natural casing hot dogs, and makes the sauerkraut from scratch. Over the years, the couple has had to forego many vacations because they prioritized the business. Customers come from all over Connecticut, upstate New York and even Europe one time, Andrea Spaulding has said.

After meeting Marissa Puida, daughter of Kim Greenlaw, who runs the Eggs Up breakfast spot down the street, the couple said she was “a natural” to take over. Puida’s mother owns the 1462 Portland-Cobalt Road restaurant, and saw the Facebook post announcing it was up for sale.

The Spauldings were looking for someone who shares their dedication to the food truck. “You’d be perfect for it,” Greenlaw told Puida.

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They chose five individuals who stopped by to watch the operation in action. “Marissa came across as someone who really wanted this business,” Alan Spaulding said.

The Spauldings received an “overwhelming response” on social media from those wanting to take over the operation, Alan Spaulding said. In fact, they continue to get one or two queries a day. “I didn’t realize so many people wanted to be in the food truck business,” he said.

Puida, who waitresses at Eggs Up, has been around her mother’s restaurant since she was 4. She began as a dishwasher, then prep cook prior to becoming a server, she said.

“I’ll miss it when I do my own thing,” said Puida, who has gotten to know generations of customers who come every day to Eggs Up, and eventually bring their children and grandchildren to eat there.

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“Andrea saw a little bit of herself in me,” Puida said. “She was the same age when she started doing it. She’s a people person, getting to know all the customers.”

“She appeared as somebody who’s been doing this for years: her personality, the way she treats people,” Andrea Spaulding said. “She is the person who is going to do it. I have no doubt she’ll continue to do so, if not better than Alan and I’ve done.”

During the interviews, Alan Spaulding warned his wife that she may have trouble finding a buyer who fit her parameters.

“‘They don’t exist,’” he told her. “And she did. When I met her, it was instantaneously hot dog lady,” she said with a chuckle. “It was like she was groomed for it. … She just had a way about her.”

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The Spauldings were very discerning when it came to their search. “Andrea didn’t just sell it to anybody," Greenlaw said. "Andrea made everybody come in and work with her, and then she chose somebody. I thought that was incredible because she wanted somebody like [Puida]."

“You always want your kids to do as well as, if not better, than you,” said Greenlaw.

Puida will keep the menu of hot dogs, and eventually add her own specialties, such as Sloppy Joes.

“I can’t wait to carry it on,” Puida said. “People were very disappointed when they thought that it was closing down. To be able to keep it going is going to be awesome.

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“They’ve run a successful business, and I hope I can be just as successful,” Puida added.

“She’s going to be very good at it. She’ll definitely give it her all. She’s a hard worker,” Greenlaw said. “Of course, I'll shoot myself in my foot because she’s my best waitress,” she said with a laugh. “I’m losing my best worker.”

“I feel bad,” her daughter admitted. “She’s my best friend and I love working with her, but she wanted me to have my own opportunity.”

Top Dog’s last day of business will be Sept. 23, when the couple plans a customer appreciation day.

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It won’t be easy to entirely let go after more than 40 years, Andrea Spaulding said. “I’m going to have a really hard time. He’s a lot stronger than I am with separating,” she said, referring to her husband.

“All the people I’ve met over the years, all the friendships, it’s still part of me,” Andrea Spaulding said. “I could still do it for a few more years, but I understand my husband’s wish to end it on a high note.

“There’s going to be a lot of crying, and quite a bit of adjustment for me in the months to come,” she added.

“I can’t thank people enough for what I’ve experienced in 43 years,” Andrea Spaulding said. “I was a woman in business, which, back in the '80s, was hard to be. Especially a food truck: They were mostly run by men.

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“The acceptance and kindness and encouragement I got from people, it’s going to break my heart to say goodbye to these people, but I’ll always have memories of it,” Andrea Spaulding said.

“I wanted to go out when things were good, and this is the time,” her husband said.

For information, visit Top Dog on Facebook.

At a time when multifamily housing faces numerous obstacles, developers are well on their way to building more than 1,000 such housing units, mostly rental apartments, within less than 8 miles of one another in Middletown, Portland and Cromwell.

None of it came about easily, however, as major projects now moving toward fruition have been in the works for years, sometimes with significant conflict along the way and always with extensive scrutiny and discussion.

Most of the multifamily housing growth comes from three major complexes:

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While those three complexes, all of which are receiving tax abatements from the municipalities, account for 1,000 of the coming housing units, redevelopment of buildings on Main Street in Middletown is expected to add another 30 units.

The reasons for the surge in apartment construction are undoubtedly multifaceted. But Bob Dale, the developer of Springside Middletown, succinctly explained one major reason when he said during a recent tour of the construction site, “Connecticut is the state with the least vacancy.”

The burgeoning apartment market is not the only development taking place in the area. At least two of the big apartment complexes, Brainerd Place and Lord Cromwell, will also include commercial space, as will the four smaller redevelopment projects on Middletown’s Main Street.

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Other commercial development in the area includes a Big Y supermarket under construction on South Main Street in Middletown and a Texas Roadhouse restaurant and Goldfish Swim School, both under construction in the big shopping plaza anchored by a ShopRite supermarket at 45 Shunpike Road in Cromwell.

An entrepreneur’s plan to convert the abandoned Portland Drive-in site into a complex containing a firing range, archery range, axe throwing lanes, a food court and conference rooms could become real at any time.

Robert Pizzi, president of Central Connecticut Arms LLC, says he put the project out to bid last month and is waiting to see whether the bids show that the COVID-19 spike in construction prices has come down to the point that he is willing to go ahead.

Here’s a rundown of the projects by town:

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Middletown

Springside Middletown. Phase 1, consisting of 240 apartments and amenities that include conference rooms for people who work at home and an outdoor pool, is under construction. Bob Dale, the developer, said during the site tour that he hopes to have apartments ready to occupy by about Memorial Day, with completion of Phase 1 by mid-2025.

After that, he said, he hopes to secure financing for the second 246-apartment phase of the project.

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Dale said it was too early to know exactly what rents in the complex would be, but he said they would be comparable to other “newer communities in the region,” roughly in the range of $2,000 to $3,000 per month.

The complex will bring a big infusion of population to the outskirts of town. But the developer plans to encourage the tenants to shop locally by giving out gift cards good at more than 200 local businesses, Mayor Ben Florsheim said during the tour. He said the total amount of the cards started at $100,000 but is higher now.

Big Y. Construction is well underway on the new supermarket on South Main Street. The store is expected to bring 50 full-time and 100 part-time jobs to the city, while adding $20 million to the tax rolls, according to a document the developer, Stone Point Properties LLC, submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission when it was under consideration.

The developer said the new store is in an “underserved corridor,” and several residents who submitted written comments to the commission agreed that the area needs a grocery store.

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The developer called the store more “appropriate and attractive” than the telephone company fleet maintenance garage that was on the site previously.

The entrance will be from South Main Street, unlike the maintenance garage, which opened on Highland Avenue, and a traffic light will be installed at the entrance. The developer said the light would enhance traffic and speed control in the area.

418-422 Main St. Dominick DeMartino is the principal of companies redeveloping this building and several others on the east side of Main Street.

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The business on the first floor of 418 Main St. is to be called The Wine Bar at Sicily, and is to be operated by Tony Prifitera, who also owns Sicily Coal-Fired Pizza next door at 412 Main St. Prifitera said the space for the wine bar is “about ready” and that it probably will open in February.

On the northern, 422 Main St. side of the building, an ice-cream and cookie shop is planned, also to be run by Prifitera.

The upper floors of the building are to be renovated into 10 market-rate apartments, according to Christine Marques, the city’s economic and community development director.

428 Main St. is another DeMartino project, being done with city and state financial assistance. The developer plans to restore the art deco façade of the former Woolworth building and use the first floor for retail and restaurant space, while creating a rooftop bar overlooking the Connecticut River, according to Marques.

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545 Main St. consists of two buildings, a former office building facing Main Street and a former roller-skating rink in the back, according to Marques. It belongs to a company headed by resident Jerome R. Carnegie-Hargreaves, records show.

The plan, also being carried out with city and state financial assistance, is to create eight “workforce residential units” and more than 12,000 square feet of “program and small business space,” according to Marques.

584 Main St. is another DeMartino project, this one involving replacement of the front section of the existing building. The revamped building is to be occupied by a restaurant and 12 apartments, Marques said via email.

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Cromwell

Lord Cromwell complex. The town is giving substantial tax abatements to the developers of the new complex planned for 100 Berlin Road, at the intersection of Route 372 and the entrance ramp to the northbound lanes of Interstate 91.

But, in addition to the new development, the town stands to get a cleanup of a blighted former hotel that presents challenges from squatting to mold and PCBs, according to the developers.

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The project has necessary local approvals but physical work has yet to start. When the financing for the project is in place and weather permits, the developer, Lexington Partners LLC, plans to start a demolition and site cleanup process that could take a year and cost more than $4 million, according to lawyer Peter J. Alter, representing the developer.

Construction will come next and is expected to take 24 to 28 months, depending on the weather, Alter told the Town Council in October.

When the project is complete, it is expected to include 254 rental apartments, 20 townhouse condominium units and some 30,000 square feet of commercial space, the developer says.

Texas Roadhouse. The new restaurant is under construction on the edge of the parking lot of the ShopRite plaza at 45 Shunpike Road, replacing the Ruby Tuesday restaurant that formerly occupied the site.

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"We are on schedule to open our doors at the end of March 2024," Peter Christian, an official of three companies involved in the development, said via email.

Goldfish Swim School is being built in the same plaza, in a space formerly occupied by a Pet Valu store and a vacant space that was next door to it, according to Steve Marszalek, a co-owner of the company that will operate the chain’s Cromwell school.

He said the school is expected to open Jan. 2. It started taking enrollments in October and has reached almost 600, said Lydanis Cruz, the school’s sales and service coordinator. She and Marszalek said the school can accommodate up to 1,800 students.

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Aside from the Cromwell school’s sign and construction fencing around the front, little visible change is taking place. But major changes have been happening inside, where construction of a pool started about four months ago, and it was recently filled with water, Marszalek said.

Other changes to the building include changes to the ventilation system, installation of showers, bathrooms, and even a hair drying station, he said.

The school plans to keep the pool’s water temperature at 90 degrees and the air temperature at 92 degrees, he said. That’s part of the school’s approach of making learning to swim a fun and pleasant experience for the children from ages 4 months to 12 years that it teaches.

The school emphasizes learning through play, along with safety, according to its website. Marszalek said the interior will seek to create a bright, colorful family atmosphere.

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Portland

Brainerd Place, now under construction, is to include 240 apartments and almost 118,000 square feet of commercial space, according to Dan Bourret, the town’s development planner. The complex, at the intersection of Main and Marlborough streets, also includes three historic homes that will be preserved, he said.

The project received its first approval around 2017 and it has undergone changes over the years, Bourret said. He said the developer, BRT DiMarco PTP LLC, has changed the project from two phases to three and is negotiating a new tax abatement agreement with the selectmen.

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Central Connecticut Arms plans a firing range that will include five 100-yard rifle lanes and 15 25-yard pistol lanes on the site of the former drive-in theater, according to Pizzi, the company president.

Asked about the compatibility of the range and the food court also planned for the complex, Pizzi said, “You won’t hear a thing.”

The complex is also to include five archery lanes separate from the firing range, he said, and will offer axe throwing and several large conference rooms available to rent for events.

The complex will also include a three-dimensional simulator for such things as self-defense training, he added.

MIDDLETOWN — A $2 million state grant for the engineering and construction of a Middletown connection to the Air Line State Park Trail in Portland has the potential to unlock another $8 million in federal dollars for the overall project.

The State Bond Commission will be issuing the funds to the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments, of which Middletown, Portland and other Middlesex County municipalities are members.

The Air Line, a former railway that takes its name from the imaginary line drawn from New York to Boston, according to the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, is a stone dust trail used by walkers and cyclists.

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The trail now has two sections: south from East Hampton to Windham and north from Windham to Pomfret with the Thompson addition and beyond, according to DEEP.

Plans are for it to eventually connect the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail with Middletown at the center, according to a news release from state Sen. Matt Lesser.

The lawmaker was instrumental in advocating for and securing the money, according to RiverCOG Executive Director Samuel Gold.

The Air Line and Farmington Canal trails are the two longest such routes in the state, said Gold, who has biked the Air Line Trail all the way to Willimantic. “I love it,” he said Monday, speaking from Colorado. He cycled Glenwood Canon on Sunday.

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“You can see in places like Colorado, where it’s a huge tourism draw,” Gold added.

Once finished, the 23-mile ALT-FCT Connector would complete the 111-mile Central Connecticut Loop Trail.

The local portion now ends at 82 Middle Haddam Road in Portland, which goes to East Hampton and beyond.

The town of East Hampton just received funding to complete its gap in the trail, Gold explained. Meriden, through the South Central Regional Council of Governments, has finished its plan, as has Cheshire, in the Naugatuck Valley.

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“We’re all working together toward this vision … and now we have money to build,” Gold said. The Portland-to-Middletown connection would make its way over the Arrigoni Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River.

“This is a once-in-a-career time for me when there’s money in Washington (D.C.) for projects like this” through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant, Gold said.

The entire initiative is expected to take longer than a decade, according to John Hall, executive director of the Jonah Center for Earth and Art in Middletown. “As the state invests in it, it becomes more and more likely to happen, because now it’s becoming a major project," he said.

The Air Line passenger trail was built in the late 19th century. It was called the Air Line "as if it were how the bird flies,” Hall said. “It was the most direct line between New Haven and Boston.”

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Already, the Naugatuck River Greenway and Farmington Canal Greenway projects received federal support. All these require a 20 percent nonfederal match, Gold added.

The $10 million will allow the overall project to be realized, he said. “It’s much bigger than the trail, because once you complete this, what becomes possible is a 111-mile loop in the center of Connecticut.”

It will create a “very significant recreational and transportational facility … that will connect neighborhoods to retail and workplaces, make walking and biking a viable option for people, and create more safe spaces to recreation with their families,” Gold said.

He envisions a tourism connection could follow. “There are people who do the East Coast Greenway, and this would be a very convenient route for them,” Gold added.

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The ECG is enjoyed by pedestrians, horseback riders, cross-country skiers and many others who can travel from Maine to Florida.

Some portions of the old railway exist under the Portland Bridge, Gold pointed out.

“This construction money makes this project so much more feasible and have much better legs than it did before,” the executive director added. “This is a great position to be in.”

The original Air Line leads to Marlborough Street at Anderson Farm Supply in Portland, said Hall.

“If we can get the trail to there, it would either cross Marlborough Street (Route 66) and continue along the railroad spur to Pickering Street, up to the bridge, and use the sidewalk to get across,” he said.

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It will eventually hook up with both the Mattabassett and Westfield bike trails in Middletown. The city is working on the Newfield Corridor Trail, so named for Route 3, that will extend the Mattabassett Trail south at least to the high school, and possibly Veterans Memorial Park, Hall said.

Already, Hall said, the project has received $900,000 from the state to conduct a route study from Portland to Cheshire, $100,000 of which was used for the Meriden section, Hall said.

“The federal transportation department likes these multi-use trail projects, because they’re trying to reduce traffic on the roads …” he added.

Electric bikes are becoming all the more popular, Hall said. In fact, this summer, DEEP created an eBike Incentive Program, where Connecticut residents, 18 and older, can apply for a voucher of up to $500 toward the purchase of an eligible bike.

Demand has been so high, according to the Lamont Administration, that DEEP has increased the first year of funding from $500,000 to $750,000.

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For information, visit portal.ct.gov/DEEP. To learn more about the Air Line, visit and bit.ly/3rKR3S5 and thejonahcenter.org

EAST HARTFORD, CT — After a wild back-and-forth first half, Bloomfield High School pulled away to secure its 10th state title Saturday, defeating Cromwell/Portland, 42 -20.

On a gray day at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, the Warhawks, led by head coach Ty Outlaw, earned the CIAC Class S championship.

It was the day's first of three games on CIAC Championship Saturday at the University of Connecticut's football home.

After an even game, the Warhawks took control in the second half and capitalized on Cromwell/Portland losing their starting quarterback after a vicious hit by a Bloomfield defender at the end of the first half.

With the score tied at 20-20 early in the second half, Bloomfield rolled up 22 points afterward en route to the championship.

Find out what's happening in East Hampton-Portlandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Perennial power Bloomfield, a 2nd seed, ended a four-game title game losing streak in CIAC title tilts after winning their last state championship in 2018.

Meanwhile, 4th-seeded Cromwell/Portland, a co-op team combining Cromwell and Portland high schools, was looking to add to its lone state title in 2021.

The Warhawks enjoyed a solid regular season, going 8-1 before winning their two CIAC playoff games while the Panthers went 8-2 before easily winning their playoff games.

Cromwell/Portland opened the scoring on its first possession of the game with a 20-yard pass from junior quarterback Jess Elfreich to senior receiver Emeka Yearwood.

A completed two-point conversion put the Panthers up 8-0.

But a short kickoff from a personal foul penalty from Cromwell/Portland gave Bloomfield good field position.

The Panthers drove downfield and scored on an 11-yard pass play from junior quarterback Darrien Foster to senior running back Davion Kerr and the subsequent two-point play evened the score at 8-8.

After trading punts, the first quarter ended all even, 8-8.

Early in the second quarter, Bloomfield junior defensive back Jayden Johnson intercepted Elfreich at midfield, bringing it to the 29-yard line.

That led to a 29-yard pass play from Foster to Kerr, for their second touchdown of the game. A missed two-point conversion had Bloomfield up 14-8.

The Panthers took the kickoff to midfield, giving them good field position, which was squandered when Johnson intercepted his second pass of the game deep into Bloomfield territory.

After a methodical drive, though, Bloomfield's Kerr fumbled on the 3-yard line, with the ball tumbling into the endzone and recovered by the Panthers for a touchback.

Cromwell/Portland's drive appeared to stall and a punt was in order while still in their own territory.

But in a gutsy call by Panther coach Randell Bennett, Cromwell/Portland went for it on 4th and 5, with Elfreich completing a 50-yeard bomb to junior receiver Jack Nolan.

On the next play, Elfreich hit Nolan for a 15-yard touchdown against the shellshocked Warhawks, with a missed 2-point conversion leading to a 14-14 tie.

But Bloomfield wasn't just going to run the clock out.

They returned the kick to the Panther 33-yard-line and drove to the 3-yard-line on a long pass from Foster to Kerr.

With the clock stopped at 1 second in the half, Bloomfield missed a pass in the end zone, but a pass interference penalty on the Panthers gave Bloomfield one more chance to score.

Bloomfield's Kerr ran the ball in from the 1 after appearing to fumble, but the officials ruled he broke the goal line prior, giving Bloomfield a 20-14 lead over Cromwell/Portland.

A missed 2-point conversion ended a thrilling first half with that score.

The second half started with sophomore quarterback Michael Sitaro replacing an injured Elfreich for Cromwell/Portland.

They weren't slowed, however, as the Panthers' Yearwood ran the ball 61 yards to the 3-yard-yard on the first play of the half.

Then Cromwell/Portland scored when Ositadinma Yearwood ran it in for a touchdown, tying the score 20-20 right out of the gates in the second half.

A missed conversion kept the score 20-20.

But on their next drive, Bloomfield responded, taking the lead when Kerr ran it in, giving Bloomfield a 28-20 lead after a successful 2-point try.

In the quarter, a 38-yard pass to Bloomfield's Kerr took the ball to the Panther 3.

But Two costly penalties, though, cost Bloomfield dearly and they were backed up to the 16 after starting on the 3 and they failed to score.

On fourth down, Bloomfield scored a touchdown when junior Zachai Kimber fell on a fumble in the end zone after a Bloomfield receiver caught a pass, but fumbled en route to a score.

A failed conversion had Bloomfield up 34-20 and the Warhawks never looked back.

Bloomfield then went up 42-20 when Kerr ran in the ball from the 2-yard-line and a 2-point conversion was scored, essentially ending the game's competitiveness.

Resorting to a strict running attack, Bloomfield then ran out the clock for the rest of the game and then began to celebrate.

For a complete box score and game statistics, click on this link.