NEW BRITAIN — The final time that Eli Rice carried the ball as a member of the Berlin High School football team only lasted a matter of seconds. However, Rice's game-deciding kickoff return for a touchdown in the CIAC Class M championship game at Arute Field on Saturday night provided memories that will last a lifetime.
Berlin trailed for the first time against a spirited Brookfield team in the final minute as a perfect season appeared headed to an imperfect final act.
Aware of Rice's game-breaking ability as a kickoff returner, the Bobcats sent a squib kick down the field. Rice did the rest and provided the stunning conclusion to Berlin's return to championship glory. His 80-yard touchdown scamper lifted the second-seeded Redcoats to a 20-15 win over No. 5 Brookfield.
"I just said, keep going, keep going until I was in the end zone. It was barbeque chicken from there,” Rice said with a smile. "I always practice my speedwork and agility with some of the guys, so really breaking through helped me get there."
In a game with only a handful of crucial pass plays, Brookfield's Thad Balzi found a wide-open Chase Sylvia late in the fourth quarter for a 55-yard catch and run to put the Bobcats in position to end Berlin's bid to win its first state title since 2009.
Seven plays later, Balzi scored a 1-yard touchdown with 48 seconds left in the game.
Rather than kick the extra point to tie the score, the Bobcats gave the ball to senior running back Tyler Buttendorf. He powered his way into the end zone to give the Bobcats the one-point lead.
"We have fight,” Brookfield coach Bryan Muller said. "We are always in the game. We fought all the way down to the last play. We came back, we went for two. I am sure everybody is holding their breath. Hats off to Berlin, No. 18 (Rice), a hell of a runback. Our kids, I can't be happier with the way we played. A couple of times we could have given up a score early on and we keep fighting, and that is the character of these kids."
Berlin's Braden Kelly recovered a fumble on Brookfield's third offensive play to set up Cody Puzio's 1-yard touchdown run, and a 7-0 lead.
The Bobcats tied the score late in the first quarter on Buttendorf's 54-yard touchdown run.
Puzio connected with Rice on a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the lead back to Berlin just three plays after a low snap resulted in Balzi, who also punts for the Bobcats, touching his knee down as he fielded the ball to give the Redcoats possession inside the Brookfield 15.
Taking a 14-7 lead into the second half, the defense stepped up time after time for Berlin.
"It feels amazing,” said senior linebacker Ryan Lavender, who led the Redcoats with six tackles. "We got a new coach. We didn't have a coach for months. The players bought in and we had lifts by ourselves. We worked harder than we ever had this year, and it really paid off. We had injuries, people went down and everybody stepped up. It is amazing."
Puzio finished with 67 rushing yards for Berlin (13-0).
Buttendorf ran for 83 yards for Brookfield (10-3). Balzi led the Bobcats with six tackles.
Player of the Game
Eli Rice, Berlin:Rice had the game-winning kickoff return for a touchdown and a key defensive play when he ripped the ball away after a 28-yard pass play by Brookfield.
Quotable
"I hope they kick it to me. I have a chance to shine. The blocks really help us out to get there. The senior class is great, we all bought in. We have been going since March." — Berlin's Eli Rice.
Berlin 20, Brookfield 15
BROOKFIELD 7 0 0 8—15BERLIN 7 7 0 6—20
Be—Cody Puzio 1 run (Collin Sullivan kick)Br—Tyler Buttendorf 54 run (Zachary Costa kick)Be—Eli Rice 5 pass from Puzio (Sullivan kick)Br—Thad Balzi 1 run (Tyler Buttendorf run)Be—Rice 80 kickoff return (run failed)Team records: Brookfield 10-3, Berlin 13-0.