New Canaan scored two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half and never look back, rolling to a 35 – 0 win over Seymout at DeBarber Field Friday night.
At the start of the season this game was billed as one of the marquee out-of-league match ups, pitting the Wildcats, last year’s Class SS runner-up, against three- time Class MM state champion New Canaan.
The last time these teams went at it was in 2001, when the Rams won the state championship over Seymour by a 29 – 6 margin. These teams have taken different roads this season as New Canaan burst out to a 4 – 0 start while Seymour has been decimated by injuries, falling to 0 – 4 for the season.
That didn’t stop the Wildcats from gaining the Rams attention as they took the opening kickoff and went 72 yards on 14 plays racking up four first downs against the number one team in the state.
Seymour added a few wrinkles in its offense with Jacob Drozd lining up in the backfield and bulling his way for a first down. Quarterback Luke Grabowski fired a 14 yard pass to Donnel Lewis to move the chains again.
Damien Granda took a pitch and held up firing a 37 yard halfback option pass to Lewis that had the Cats pounding at the door. A pass interference penalty had Seymour set up with a first and goal at the Rams seven yard line.
Four straight running plays netted only six yards and the drive stalled at the New Canaan one yard line.
“There’s no doubt about it, if we score on that first drive it’s a whole different ball game,” said Seymour head coach Tom Lennon.
“In spite of our record we have a good football team. Unfortunately when we don’t execute that makes us a not so good football team.”
Seymour has lost the services of starting running back Taylor Searles, backup running back Jon Wilson, starting quarterback Connor Shugrue and backup quarterback Luke Grabowski.
Grabowski is now back under center and Shurgue may be a week or two away from returning as the Wildcats struggle to turn around their fortunes.
“We have some players out but I’m not making excuses for anyone. Every player on this team has been in the weight room and in practice and they know what needs to get done.”
The Wildcats defense was certainly getting the job done in the early going shutting out the powerful Rams offense throughout the first quarter. The Rams finally got on the board with 9:57 left in the second quarter when Jim Granito busted it in from two yards out to open up a 7 – 0 lead.
Seymour came right back going 50 yards in seven plays. Jacob Drozd threw a 25 yard pass to Lewis and then plowed his way ahead for a 12 yard pickup for another first down.
The Rams defense started to double team Drozd and Grabowski put it in the air only to get picked off in the end zone with 5:57 left in the first half.
Quarterback Turner Baty (two touchdown passes) fired a 44 yard sideline pass to Peter Park (two touchdown runs, one touchdown catch) to set up a first and goal at the three. Park barreled in from there to up the margin at 14 – 0.
Time was running out in the first half when the Rams delivered a staggering blow. A 30 yard pass to Park set up his eight yard plunge with just :15 seconds left on the clock and New Canaan was in control at 21 – 0.
It started to slip away from the Wildcats when the Rams took it down the field to start the third quarter. Parks capped a ten play drive turning the corner on a 14 yard touchdown scamper to up the advantage at 28 – 0.
Two plays later the Rams were at it again after Tim Robustelli picked off a pass. It took just two plays for Cody Newton to haul in a seven yard touchdown pass from Baty for the 35 – 0 final margin with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
“We are playing hard but we need to execute our assignments and we are not doing that right now,” said Lennon.
“We are going to get back to work and we will right the ship.”
Seymour will be back at it next Saturday when they travel to Waterbury to take on the Wilby Wildcats for a 1 p.m. match up.
