December 6th-VERNON-On Sunday afternoon, Henry Tyus of the Rockville High School football team and his teammates can ask for everything.

The second-seeded Rams defeated No. 6 Torrington 42-12 in the M semifinals, and they did it at home.

"We have to play in front of our family. It makes us even more excited," Tyus said. "We look at each other for support. We play better on the rocks."

Before this season, the Rams had only held one playoff game at Rockville High School: defeating the Holy Cross 21-7 in the 1995 L semifinals.

Rockville was supposed to host the M quarter-finals and semi-finals in 2019 as the top seed, but the grass of Rockville High School was unable to participate due to the winter weather.

Instead, the Rams welcomed SMSA to Weaver High in Hartford for the quarterfinals and Weston to Simsbury High for the semifinals.

"I remember getting on the bus to Simsbury and thinking about how cruel it was," coach Eric Nick Bok said. "This is a home game and I have to drive for an hour. I am ready today and I think a lot about how to have so many people who are not even coaches or team members to succeed. Those people without their support, if we are not there Playing at home is not the same game."

In April, the town voted for a plan to install a new artificial turf in the high school. The project started on June 1, and the field officially opened on September 10.

"I can't tell you the advantage we have to be able to practice here," Knickerbocker said. "This is the most important thing. Being able to practice here all the time, and then obviously the game."

Although Rockville did have fans in the 2019 game, it was completely different from the situation during the 2021 playoffs.

"The atmosphere is very good," Knickerbocker said. "The support of the students, the support of the parents. Especially in the Ellington game last Tuesday, we have so many people here. This is really great."

The Rams ranked 7th with Ellington 27-0 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Knickerbocker hopes that the new venue will only increase the town's football experience last Friday night.

"(Bill) Romanovsky helped install these lights and changed the football game on Friday night," Nick Bok said. "They were one of the first schools with lights in 1991. So, nothing is more like Friday night. I know this town embraces it, they like it, and we like it. So, I think I want it. Will continue to grow."

Although it’s not Friday night, it’s good to go out on Sunday afternoon.

"It means the world," Senior Junior Powell said. "Last year we didn't get a season. This is a season we had to participate in."

For reports on the Connecticut Suns and the professional women’s basketball team, the Hartford Athletic professional football team, and regional high schools and local youth sports, follow Adam Betz on Twitter: @AdBetz1, Facebook: Adam Betz — sports writer, and Instagram: @AdBetzJI.

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