“Our team came ready to play today,” Ansonia running back Montrell Dobbs said.
Heck yeah, they did.
In an early-season battle of the unbeatens, the Chargers blanked Holy Cross 31 – 0 in front of a crowd of about 450 at Jarvis Field Monday.
Holy Cross was coming off a 62-point outburst against St. Paul coming into the game. Ansonia’s stifling defense would have none of it.
The Charger defense held Holy Cross to 1 for 14 passing for zero yards and three interceptions on the day.
Click here for more game photos.
“I thought for the first time, you started to see us play a little physical, Ansonia-style defense,” said Ansonia head coach Tom Brockett.
Dobbs rushed for 173 yards on 30 carries. Holy Cross did its job by ensuring Dobbs didn’t scamper into the end zone for a score. Nevertheless, Dobbs had done his damage.
It was the Ansonia underclassmen who really delivered this evening.
After exchanging punts with Holy Cross, the Chargers got on the board at the 5:01 mark of the first quarter with a 19-yard touchdown pass from junior Elliot Chudwick to freshman Arkeel Newsome.
The Chargers led 7 – 0 after the PAT.
Holy Cross had all sorts of trouble executing on offense. On its next possession, quarterback Matt Czapor was intercepted by Ansonia sophomore Ryan O’Connor. O’Connor returned the ball five yards to the Holy Cross 25-yard line.
The turnover would lead to a 26-yard field goal by Ansonia kicker Tyler Lester. Ansonia led 10 – 0 at halftime.
Dobbs would begin the second half on the Ansonia sideline.
“People think Ansonia is just Montrell Dobbs, but we’re all coming along,” Chudwick said.
On a third down for the Crusaders, Ansonia junior Miky Mason picked off a pass and hit pay dirt 38-yards later at the 10:14 mark of the third quarter to give Ansonia a lead 17 – 0 after a Lester PAT.
Newsome would intercept another Holy Cross pass to give the Chargers another shot at the end zone.
After the zebras flagged Ansonia for holding on two-consecutive plays, which gave the Chargers a 4th and 19 from the Holy Cross 24-yard line, Chudwick threw his second touchdown of the contest – a 24- yard strike to Andrew Matos.
Ansonia led 24 – 0.
“I’m so proud of him [Matos]. He’s such a great play maker,” Chudwick said.
The lead would widen. Newsome found the end zone with an electrifying run toward the Holy Cross sideline from 33-yards out to pad the lead as time expired. The score was setup by stunning 14-yard run by junior fullback Dennis Danley where Danley delivered a blow by bowling right over the Holy Cross free safety.
Danley put more of a bruising on a Holy Cross defense that had already been battered by the Ansonia offense all evening. The crowd went wild.
Ansonia’s defense was led by Tyler Wood and Ryan O’Connor. Wood was busting through the Holy Cross line with treacherous blitzes that forced HC quarterback Matt Czapor out of the pocket.
Tyler Lester was 4 for 4 on PATs for Ansonia.
“3 – 0 feels good, especially with a young team,” Dobbs said.
The Chargers will travel to face the Wilby Wildcats on Oct. 9. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
