The Chargers start the season next week in Beacon Falls where they will face the Woodland Hawks.
Game time is 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 16.
The Valley Independent Sentinel interviewed two Ansonia players — senior running back Montrell Dobbs (#5) and junior quarterback Elliot Chudwick (#7).
Click here to visit AnsoniaFootball.com.
Valley Independent Sentinel: How long have the both of you been playing football?
Dobbs: “This is my tenth year. I’ve been playing since I was seven.”
Chudwick: “This will be my third year.”
VIS: Elliot, did you play Pop-Warner here?
Chudwick: – “No. My first year was freshman year.”
VIS: What’s Tom Brockett like as a head coach?
Chudwick: – “Someone you can actually rely on. If he tells me to do something, I know it’s the right thing to do.”
VIS:: What are your expectations this year?
Dobbs: – “I expect us to go far. This is my last year and I’m putting my all into it. Not only am I gonna put my all into it but I’m gonna push everyone to put their all into it. This is my senior year. I want this class to be remembered. I want this to be remembered as a really good team. A team that fought for something. A team with a purpose.”
Chudwick: “We could easily go all the way because we have the talent and mental capability. We can trust our coaching staff because they’ve won more titles in their lives than most of our players have won Pop-Warner games.”
VIS: How do you like your chances to win the NVL?
Dobbs “I mean, it doesn’t so much matter when you’re young. What matters is how much work you put into listening, learning, and putting that onto the field. We have a freshman playing on the field with us and he’s one of our best players. He plays hard.”
Chudwick: “To me, this team has shown me that age doesn’t really matter. I’ve seen last year how the seniors ran the plays correctly just like we do this year. Like Mont said, one of our best players is a freshman who is playing better right now than most of the skill guys in my class.”
VIS: The freshman, Newsome?
Dobbs: “Yeah. Arkeel”
VIS: How significant was your injury last season? How do you feel going into the season this year?
Dobbs: “I feel more elusive and like I could do more things. My left wrist was messed up, too, and I couldn’t really carry the ball. But now, I feel like I can carry the ball more.”
VIS: Do either of you have any superstitions prior to games?
Dobbs: “Kind of. I just feel like I have to listen to music and it has to be quiet in the locker room. I have to be focused. I’ve been here for the great teams and the upperclassmen told everyone to quiet down and focus on their assignments and what they got to do. That’s when they went out and dominated. From the days we did talk, my sophomore year, we didn’t have a vocal leader and you could tell that nobody told each other to stop talking. And that’s the first year we had our first loss. I felt the difference and I know now that we have to focus on the game and do what we got to do.”
Chudwick “Mostly just music. I like it when everyone in the locker room is serious about the game. I don’t want to hear laughing or anything like that. It makes the game seem less important.”
VIS: What’s the most intimidating defense you’ve faced?
Dobbs: “In the NVL?”
VIS: Yes.
Dobbs: “I want to say Watertown was one of the hardest defenses I’ve went up against. That’s the most banged-up I’ve been. I had stitches in my chin and everything.”
VIS: Montrell, what makes you such a quality running back?
Dobbs:“I have experience. I’ve been behind A.T. [Alex Thomas] freshman year, Tristan, and I can say I picked up traits from their running styles; like what’s right and what’s good, how to make cuts, and square my shoulders up-field. And coaching. If a coach tells me I’m doing something wrong, I listen, and try my best to fix my mistake.”
VIS: Speaking of freshman year, why did you change your number from 20 to 5?
Dobbs: “When I was a freshman, I didn’t get the chance to pick number five so I got it sophomore year.”
VIS: “Number five? Reggie Bush?”
Dobbs: [laughs] “Yup”.
VIS: Elliot, what’s it like having a player like Montrell in the backfield? Do you feel like it takes some of the pressure off of you at QB?
Chudwick: “It relieves a lot of pressure, you know. Even if you’re not the one making the plays, you have someone that can, and can lead the team and show how good we actually are.”
VIS: Guys, who’s impressed you on the defensive side of the ball this year?
Dobbs: “Jake LoRovera because, I mean, he got in on offense last year and didn’t really get into defense. He didn’t get into many defensive plays because we had a good defense. He stepped up this year and he’s one of our powerhouses on defense. We can rely on him to make a play.”
Chudwick:“I just think he is our best player on defense. He transferred from DE to LB and worked his butt off. He knows the plays and knows what to do. He just has to lead this squad to do the right thing on defense.”
VIS: Elliot, what’s it going to be like facing Derby as the starting QB for the first time ever?
Chudwick: “(It is going to) be amazing. I have a lot of friends and rivals at Derby that I have been close with for awhile. It’s going to be fun putting an end to the trash talking and show them who the best is.”
VIS: There’s a lot of talk of the league being down. What are your thoughts on the league competition as a whole?
Dobbs: “I think it’s pretty much level. Yeah, because last year, we beat Wolcott and Wolcott beat Watertown, so it was kind of unexpected. A team would come out working their hardest and get the win.”
Chudwick: “I’d say it’s even. You could easily overlook a team and if you play them and you aren’t ready, you can easily get dominated and take a loss. It just depends on who comes ready to play.”
VIS: Will the Jets win the Super Bowl this season?
Dobbs: The Saints, back-to-back. I’d have to go with the Saints cause I’ve been with the Saints forever. But the Madden curse, Drew Brees on the cover. I hope it doesn’t fall through.”
Chudwick: “I hate to say it because I’m a Pats fan, but the Jets.”
Dobbs: “Ugh.”
