Wilton 7Blue 21, Weston 0
The Wilton Blue seventh grade football team set the tone of the Sunday, Oct. 11 game early with a 13 play 70 yard touchdown drive to start the game en route to a dominant 21-0 pasting of the Weston Trojans.
In what has become their signature smash mouth offensive style, the Warriors relied on their talented offensive line of Dominick Polito, Jimmy O’Brien, Jack DiRocco, Jack Lenz, Jack Savarese, Maden Herve and Sean Purdy to open holes for Ryan Healey, Kyle Hyzy, Matt Dooley and Austin Andersen. Two of those linemen, Herve and O’Brien, double as running backs, and each had carries for a first down on the drive. Hyzy scored from 12 yards out and DiRocco kicked the extra point to put the Warriors ahead 7-0.
Wilton’s defense is no less fearsome or hard-hitting than its offense, as was demonstrated on Weston’s first possession when Cole Stephenson recovered a fumble at the Trojans’ 33, one of four Warrior takeaways on the day. On the next play Andersen took a handoff from Hyzy, followed a great block downfield by Michael Gamboa and rumbled all the way to the Weston 2, dragging four defenders with him the last eight yards. Hyzy snuck in from there and DiRocco’s boot was good to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter.
Healey’s interception three plays later once again had the Warriors in great field position at their own 49. Andersen and Hyzy alternated runs down to the five and three plays later Stephenson bulled in for another Warrior score and a 21-0 halftime lead.
On the Warrior’s first possession of the second half, great running by Lenz, Dominick Caratazzolo, DiRocco, Stephenson and Purdy advanced the ball to the 19 where DiRocco’s field goal attempt was just wide.
The defense was solid the rest of the way, highlighted by a Gamboa sack, a DiRocco interception and strong defensive line play by Barrett Brown, Nish Wangneo, Nick Wert, Daniel Incao and Steven Tuin.
The victory was Wilton’s sixth against no losses, and their third shutout of the season.
Photo above: Dominick Polito running with a great block by Sean Purdy (credit Joyce Andersen)
Wilton 6White 18, Darien Blue 7
After being shut out for two consecutive weeks, the sixth grade Wilton White football team bounced back with an 18-7 victory over Darien Blue on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Fujitani Field.
The Warriors were ignited by the return of Trevor Martines from injury. On the second play of the game Martines took a direct snap, burst through a hole and, with the help from a block by Connor Healey, streaked 66 yards for a score and a 6-0 lead.
On the defensive side of the ball the Warriors swarmed all over Darien forcing a punt.
Wasting no time Sean Sullivan took a direct snap on the next play from scrimmage and raced 68 yards for the Warriors’ second score of the day and a 12-0 lead just five minutes into the game.
When Wilton’s defensive line was unable to make a tackle, the linebacking core of Martines, Blake Pagano-Walley and Luke O’Neill was there to lay massive hits on the Darien running backs.
After Darien was again forced to punt, the Warriors again went on the ground offensive. On the last play of the first quarter, Pagano-Walley this time took the snap and rumbled 42 yards for a touchdown and an 18-0 lead.
With Ryan van Heyst directing the offense at quarterback the Warrior running backs O’Neill, William Shain, Pierce Bazewicz, Healey, Chase Autore, Christian Theoharides and Jimmy McKiernan ground out yards and controlled the clock the rest of the way.
Darien scored on the last play of the game to make the final 18-7.