The Seymour football team celebrated senior night on Friday with co-captain Connor Shugrue back in the huddle.
After missing the last four games, the senior quarterback sparked the Cats to a 41 – 26 victory over Crosby earning head coach Tom Lennon his very first water bucket shower.
“You can see just by the stats the kind of impact Connor has on this team,” said a shivering coach Lennon after the game.
“But what you don’t see is what he does on the other side on defense. He is a team leader and he came to play tonight and so did the rest of our seniors.”
Shugrue came out sporting a brace to protect his knee that kept him on the sidelines for the past four weeks, but you hardly noticed it with his fiery disposition. He led the Cats on an opening possession drive that went 11 plays, with the quarterback bursting into the end zone chest bumping any teammate within an arms length.
It wasn’t picture perfect for the Wildcats as they fumbled on their next possession, setting up a Crosby score. In fact, two fumbles and several untimely penalties aided the Bulldogs cause.
But there was something different about the Cats on this night — it had a lot to do with #10 and the rest of the Seymour seniors.
Nothing was going to stand in their way of a ‘W’ on this night. Shugrue was 5 of 11 passing for 135 yards and a touchdown, while calling his own number four times for 14 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
The offense came to life, moving the chains for 10 first downs — including a real head turner when Jacob Drozd latched onto a fourth down pass and converted it into a 60-yard touchdown that brought the crowd to its feet on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Drozd (9 carries for 40 yards, two catches for 90 yards) ripped off a 30-yard run that was called back for a penalty midway through the second quarter. Crosby took full advantage when Dion Small (67 rushing, 61 receiving) ran back a punt 60 yards to give the Bulldogs a 12 – 7 advantage with 7:46 left in the half.
That only stirred up the Cats desire as Shugrue led Seymour on another 11-play drive, converting two third downs and one fourth down along the way.
The quarterback tucked it in and went behind Dylan Sadick, Chris Wilson and Josh Tilton for the score.
Chris Sheppard (8 carries for 35 yards) pounded into the line for the two point conversion as Seymour regained the lead at the half 15 – 12.
“It feels good to get number one,” said Lennon. “It certainly wasn’t the way we drew it up at the beginning of the season but I’m really proud of the effort the seniors gave tonight. The whole team committed themselves to Wildcat football this week in practice and it showed tonight.”
Crosby took the opening kickoff in the second half looking to get back in the game. But the Seymour front four of James Tyer, Eric Roberts, Kevin Tapia and Justin Guillette had other ides as they pressured the Bulldogs quarterback.
Shurgure stopped Dion Small in his tracks and broke up a pass in the flat. On the next play Derrick Cox (8 of 18 for 116 yards) dropped back and fired a pass right into the arms of Jim Farrell.
The junior defensive back took it to the house, going 36 yards as the Seymour sidelines erupted with the Cats out in front 21 – 12.
It wouldn’t be the last time that Crosby heard from Mr. Farrell, as he returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown to put the mustard on the hot dog with 5:02 to go in the game.
The Seymour defense scored three second half touchdowns to pull away as Jacob Drozd barreled in and leveled the Crosby quarterback picking up the fumble and taking it to the goal post to open a 34 – 18 advantage with seven minutes left on the clock.
Crosby did manage to get back on the board, but the game was already in the win column when Small took it 30 yards with 3:47 remaining.
Seymour will look to continue what they started next Friday at Wolcott for a 7 p.m. game with the Eagles.
