WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- Top-ranked Bunnell took on Masuk in what has become a familiar matchup.

The Masuk Panthers sought their first win in three tries this season against the high-powered Bunnell Bulldogs on Saturday for the Class L state title at Ken Strong Stadium.

The Bulldogs jumped out early in the game, however, as junior quarterback Chris Sloat went over the middle to a streaking senior, Sam Stringfellow -- and he was gone, all alone.

A long touchdown strike put the Bulldogs ahead early, but Bunnell wasn't done.

In the second quarter, still up by the score of 8-0, the Bulldogs bit again when senior Mario Guerrero got the handoff and went untouched up the middle for another score. Later in the game, Guerrero sacked Masuk junior quarterback Bobby Baker.

Later, Sloat rolled out and found a wide open senior Jonathan Jackson in the corner of the end zone for the score.

Masuk made a game of it with two scores of its own from sophomore Alex Trump and junior Nico Guerrera, but in the end, the third time was not the charm.

Bunnell held on to an eight-point lead to deny Masuk of the state title, 22-14.

"Thirteen and (zero) is a dream come true. Thousands of people would die for this," an emotional Bunnell head coach Craig Bruno said. "After all we got through, this is a great team. We hung on 13-0, state champs two years in a row."

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