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10/26/2013 12:00 AMThe North Haven football team trailed Guilford by a touchdown after the first quarter on Oct. 25, but then broke loose for 26 consecutive points en route to a 47-20 win in an SCC contest at Vanacore Field.
Guilford used a 30-yard touchdown pass to take its quick lead and was marching toward North Haven’s end zone again early in the second quarter. However, North Haven’s defense stopped Guilford on downs at the 11-yard line and then Anthony Sagnella’s offense got its ground game going. Mike Halloran scored on a 19-yard TD run and Ethan Suraci followed with touchdown rushes of 2 and 33 yards to give North Haven an 18-7 lead at halftime.
“Guilford runs an offense that’s difficult to defend and it took us a little time to get used to that,” Coach Sagnella said. “But when our defense stiffened, it really changed the momentum of the game and we contained them the rest of the first half. The kids are working hard to tighten up some areas defensively.”
Suraci started the second half with a 4-yard TD run and, after Mike Montano’s two-point conversion rush, the score read 26-7 in favor of North Haven. Guilford countered with a 34-yard touchdown pass to make it 26-14, yet Suraci and North Haven’s offensive line simply couldn’t be contained. The senior captain running back notched his fourth TD run—this one from five yards out—and then took it in for two and a 34-14 lead entering the fourth quarter. In the final frame, Guilford’s Joe Nault tossed his third TD pass of the game, although Sagnella’s club again had an answer as Halloran found Jeremy Imperati on a 40-yard touchdown strike (followed by Sabrina Fronte’s extra point), after which Tom Gallagher brought home a 14-yard scoring scamper to seal the victory at 47-20.
Suraci rushed 15 times for 199 yards to complement his four TDs behind the blocking of tackles John Tondalo and senior captain Mike Siwek, center Mike Milliard; guards Mike Biehl, Patrick Vanacore, and senior captain Austin Mahon; plus tight ends Imperati, Zach Kastenhuber, and Joe Corniello.
“Our offensive line clearly took control of the game and all our backs were running hard,” Sagnella said. “Last night, it was Ethan’s turn.”
Cole Pecora added 124 yards on 12 rushes, Halloran had 90 rushing yards, and senior captains Austin Mahon and Patrick Mikos both had 10 tackles for North Haven, which improved to 6-1 and moved up to seventh in the Class L State Playoff rankings. The Indians’ next game is against Hillhouse in East Haven at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, followed by home duels with Foran on Friday, Nov. 8 and Darien on Friday, Nov. 15, and then the annual Thanksgiving tilt against Amity that takes place in Woodbridge at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28.