Ansonia QB Sheldon Schuler moves with the ball during Thanksgiving Day football action against Naugatuck in Naugatuck on Thursday.
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media
NAUGATUCK — There is no truth to the rumor that there has been a member of Cafaro family taking part in each of the Ansonia High School football program’s 120 meetings with rival Naugatuck also one could excuse the Greyhound faithful if they will be checking the 2020 roster to be certain that they have seen the last of the talented football playing Cafaro siblings.
The youngest of the Cafaro brothers were front and center in visiting Ansonia’s 52-8 victory over Naugatuck combining for three touchdowns and coming up with two of the Chargers’ four turnovers to wrap up a 10-0 regular season and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CIAC Class S playoffs.
It doesn’t even feel like hyberbole to suggest that Garrett and his twin brother Tyler Cafaro were destined to suit up for the tradition-rich Ansonia football program from the date of their birth. They were regulars during Larry and Bryson Cafaro’s time at Ansonia and on Thursday, they not only played starring roles but served as two of Ansonia’s four team captains.
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“I don’t even remember [their first Ansonia game] but we haven’t missed an Ansonia football game since 2012,” said Tyler Cafaro, who ran 11 times for 61 yards including touchdown runs of 4 and 5 yards.
Ansonia defeated Naugatuck for the ninth season in a row and that coincides with the four Cafaro brothers arrival.
2nd of Tyler Cafaro’s TD runs for Ansonia in 1st half #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/9l63tWgnvj
— Jim Fuller (@NHRJimFuller) November 28, 2019
The latest showdown between the NVL rivals was over early as senior running back Shykeem Harmon had touchdown runs of 4 and 27 yards in the first quarter and a 38-yard scoring scamper in the second quarter. Harmon finished with 203 yards on 13 carries all in the first half to earn MVP honors in the annual Thanksgiving morning showdown between the rivals.
The defense got into the act as well as Jamel Gauce had a fumble recovery and interception, Tyler Cafaro’s interception was set up by pressure brought by his brother and Garrett capped the Chargers’ 46-point first half as a hit by Cyril Jack on Naugatuck quarterback John Mezzo jarred the ball free. Cafaro scooped up the ball and ran in for the score.
“Cyril tackled the quarterback, it came out and the ball popped right into my hands,” Garrett Cafaro said. “I knew nobody was behind me and I knew it was going to be a touchdown.”
Some of Shykeem Harmon’s 203 yards in 1st half as Ansonia leads Naugatuck 46-0 #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/LupQPDEBGa
— Jim Fuller (@NHRJimFuller) November 28, 2019
From being captains to each scoring at least one touchdown in their final regular-season game, that certainly gives the twins some new material at what must be entertaining Thanksgiving dinners at the Cafaro household.
Bryson hung up his pads and has pitched in 15 games over the last two seasons for the Fairfield University baseball team and is heading into his final season as a left-handed pitcher for the Stags. Larry Cafaro had 27 tackles in the 2017 and 2018 seasons for the WPI football program. The college destination for the two youngest of the Cafaro brothers is still to be determined but they admitted that playing side by side is a possibility.
The victory was not the end of the road for the Cafaro twins.
Ansonia will play host to a quarterfinal in the CIAC Class S playoffs and they are hoping to have as many as three state playoff games to take part in before turning their attention to their final season with the Ansonia baseball team.
Veteran coach Tom Brockett is in no hurry to see the final two Cafaro brothers play their final down for the Chargers.
“They are [cut from the] same mold, tough kids, they compete, they are great students,’ Brockett said. “Everything that is good about high school sports, they are.”
Redoing the video of Ansonia’s Tyler Cafaro interception. It was Cyril Jack (who also had a huge game) with the pressure and not Garrett Cafaro as my failing vision betrayed me #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/EPsHYqYS2n
— Jim Fuller (@NHRJimFuller) November 28, 2019
In the official CIAC tabulations, Ansonia edged out fellow 10-0 teams Bullard Havens and Bloomfield to earn the No. 1 seed in the Class S field and would host Plainfield in the quarterfinals. A possible semifinal showdown with either Sheehan or a Woodland team that only lost by six points to the Chargers earlier this month could be looming.
“It was a major step in the right direction,” Brockett said of the Chargers’ convincing win. “The regular season is gone and now we move onto the playoffs.”
Paul Marsh had a 21-yard touchdown run while Nick Linton recovered a fumble for Naugatuck (5-5).
Michael Harris capped the scoring with a 2-yard TD run for Ansonia.
ANSONIA 52, NAUGATUCK 8
Naugatuck 0 0 8 0-8
Ansonia 16 30 0 6-52
First quarter
A-Skykeem Harmon 4 run (Harmon run)
A-Harmon 27 run (Sheldon Schuler run)
Second quarter
A-Tyler Cafaro 4 run (Schuler run)
A-Harmon 38 run (Cafaro run)
A-Cafaro 5 run (Cafaro run)
A-Garrett Cafaro 13 fumble return (kick blocked)
Third quarter
N-Paul Marsh 21 run (Marsh run)
Fourth quarter
A-Michael Harris 2 run (run failed)
Records: N 5-5; A 10-0
