Fairfield, CT — The Southern Connecticut Division I football coaches have always understood that the regular-season schedule is going to be brutal. Getting through it to attain a CIAC playoff berth is an achievement in itself. Fairfield Prep is on the receiving end of what has been a winless season against arguably the state’s toughest schedule. Shelton wanted to make sure that first victory didn’t come Friday night at Rafferty Stadium. Quarterback Mike Kinik threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Shelton to a 28-7 victory over Fairfield Prep. “They have one of the hardest schedules, just like us,” Kinik said. “Playing against them and beating them finally after three times playing them feels great.” This was the first win for the Gaels (4-2) over Prep (0-6) since 2019. “They are living my nightmare right now,” Shelton coach Mike DeFelice said. “Every year, when we look at our schedule, we can easily lose those games. They have the toughest schedule in the state right now.” Kinik (7 of 14, 147 yards) threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Kanye Tinney on a deep ball in the first quarter and a 37-yard TD to David Dojidko (game-high 142 rushing yards) on a play-action screen pass. Dojidko took it up the Gaels’ sideline for the score. On his 18-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, Kinik read the defense keying on Dojlidko. Kinik kept it and raced in for the 14-0 lead. Kinik said it was his first rushing touchdown in his career as the starting quarterback. “I finally got it. It feels great,” Kinik said. Said DeFelice: “I thought David had (the ball) too. We sometimes tell him, ‘If you see it, that back side guy crashing’ which a lot of teams have to do to try and slow David down, so you got to make them pay when they do something like that.” Fairfield Prep started 1-3 last season, but the turnaround came a year ago almost to the day, winning six straight games to conclude the regular season and get into the Class LL state playoffs, then two more victories to reach the final. Losses to a pair of reigning state champions (Greenwich and North Haven) has been a part of what has been a nightmarish season as the Jesuits enter their bye week. “To be 0-6 is not what any of us strives for. It’s not the standard around here,” Fairfield Prep coach Keith Hellstern said. “But the standard is based first and foremost off of a process of developing these guys into young men and to try and do the right thing to get them there and the byproduct of that is hopefully success.” Shelton is also entering its bye week. The Gaels are 11th in the Class L rankings, but the schedule ahead includes opponents who are a combined 15-5. That starts with North Haven, last year’s Class MM champion, coming to Finn Stadium on Oct. 27. “Our offense tonight I think played a lot better (than against Notre Dame-West Haven last week). If we keep on improving our offense and our defense plays physical, we should be good,” DeFelice said. Player of the game Mike Kinik, Shelton: Quarterback ran a ball-controlled offense for the Gaels, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another touchdown, the first for Kinik. Quotable “We haven’t put it all the way together. I’m not going to make excuses about it. I'll be the first one to take the blame on it because I’m the head coach.” Fairfield Prep coach Keith Hellstern Shelton 28, Fairfield Prep 7 Shelton 14 0 7 7 — 28 Fairfield Prep 0 0 7 0 — 7 S — Kanye Tinney 49 pass from Mike Kinik (Jake Ferreira kick) S — Kinnik 18 run (Ferreira kick) S — David Dojlidko 37 pass from Kinik (Ferreira kick) FP — Jack Davis 49 run (kick good) S — Ryan Kinik 5 run (Ferreira kick) Records: S 4-2; FP 0-6. https://www.ctinsider.com/gametimect/football/article/football-shelton-fairfield-prep-18424422.php?fbclid=IwAR3reBVeDWDoRoqRfoskZng9AG17TU4cSB5cavh2ynDgEME8AJ2ChvshoUU#taboola-4