It’s no secret throughout the NVL that the Seymour football program is reeling from a string of injuries that would lay the best-driven team to the breakdown lane.
Head coach Tom Lennon refuses to look for excuses lamenting his team as one that hits the weight room and practices just like everyone else so there should be no drop off regardless of who suits up.
The fact remains that Seymour has been decimated by injuries. Just two games into this season, they lost the starting senior co-captain running back Taylor Searles to injury for the season.
Senior co-captain quarterback Connor Shugrue has been donning street clothes for a better part of four weeks now and the likelihood of his return appears nil as the season goes on.
Still, what occurred on Sunday at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury was quite alarming, as the Wildcats virtually collapsed in a span of five minutes that turned an uphill battle into an insurmountable climb in a 41 – 12 loss to Wilby.
Wilby had a 14 – 0 lead with 5:30 left in the half as Seymour was looking to get back in the game. What happened next had Wildcat fans doing deep breathing exercises to keep from passing out.
Wilby ran off a 12-play drive on the initial kickoff, with Devon Pruden breaking the plane of the end zone from five yards out for a 7 – 0 lead.
After both sides traded punts, Wilby was back at it, going 11 plays converting two fourth downs with Tyrell Lane pushing it in from ten yards out to build a 14 – 0 cushion.
That when things rapidly fell apart for Seymour. The Wildcats went three and out but the punt was blocked, giving Wilby possession at the Seymour 30 yard line.
After a pass interference call moved the ball inside the 15 yard line, Darryl Johnson found Robert Williams in the back of the end zone for a 20 – 0 lead.
Seymour fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Wilby struck again, with Johnson hitting Pruden for a 15 yard touchdown grab and a 27 – 0 advantage.
If things couldn’t get worse, they soon did, as Seymour fumbled a punt return with under a minute to play in the half.
Chris Lopez bolted into the end zone with :27 seconds left in the half as Wilby had a staggering 34 – 0 lead at the break.
Seymour was in dire straits and needed a few big plays to get back in the game.
Jacob Drozd (55 yards rushing) pounded out a couple of first downs, latching on to a third and nine pass from Luke Grabowski (8 of 12 for 125 yards).
Damien Granda (53 yards rushing) churned up a 14 yard gain to move the chains. The drive stalled at the Wilby 27 yard line. Two plays later Pruden bolted 73 yards down the sidelines for the clincher as Wilby took a commanding 41 – 0 advantage with 5:07 left in the third quarter.
Seymour managed two fourth quarter touchdowns to close the gap, but the matter had already been settled. Grabowski lowered his head and slammed though the line for a one yard touchdown plunge with 10:52 to go.
Seymour stopped Wilby on fourth down when cornerback Jim Farrell knocked away a sure touchdown pass.
Grabowski then engineered a six-play drive that included a 56-yard pass to Donnel Lewis. Granda pushed his way ahead for 15 yards on three carries before hauling in a three-yard touchdown pass for the 41 – 12 final margin.
Seymour at 0 – 6 will be hosting Crosby this week on Friday looking to break into the win column.
