OXFORD — Naugatuck’s running attack was the key component in a 43-6 NVL win over Oxford at Wolverine Park on Friday night.
Jeff Schebell and Malachi Gatison each found the end zone twice, as coach Dave Sollazzo’s Greyhounds improved to 5-0. The touchdown tandem knows where their bread is buttered — the offensive line.
“There is no us without those guys in the trenches. They open those gaps for us,” said Schebell, who had scoring runs of 2 and 29 yards and finished with 105 yards rushing and 63 more receiving. “We have runners that can shoulder down and run through people or get outside to the edge.”
Anson Lau centers an 0-line that features Tyvias Dippelhofer, Syed Ahmad and Tim Northrup.
“Our offense is extremely versatile,” Sollazzo said. “I love that fact. We run the ball and that sets up the pass. It starts with our offensive line and we go from there. We pride ourselves on being physical.”
Naugatuck’s Malachi Gatison runs for TD versus Oxford lead 14-0 after 2nd Joe Pinho PAT with 5 minute left half @GameTimeCT #blox354 pic.twitter.com/gDy0d1GGEc
— Bill Bloxsom (@blox354) October 11, 2019
Gatison, with TD runs of 4 and 45 yards and 176 yards rushing, knows why his front five gets the job done.
“Those guys all focused on getting stronger,” Gatison said. “They all can lift over 500 pounds and a couple are in the 1,000-Pound Club. They get off the ball fast; and they get off the ball hard. This is a blue-collar team.”
That work ethic resulted in Naugatuck running 38 plays to 13 for Oxford in the first half. The score after two quarters was Naugatuck 21, Oxford 0.
“Naugatuck is a good football team,” Wolverine coach Joe Stochmal said. “They have very good athletes, they are bigger up front, and they wore us down. Our kids played hard and they were physical. We are learning and we will get better.”
Oxford (1-4), led by quarterback Cayden Mitchell, had taken the opening kickoff and ran off six plays, including a first-down earning pass completion of 12 yards to Andrew Aldo, before being forced to punt.
Naugatuck’s Jeff Schebell carries for good yardage against Oxford @GameTimeCT #blox354 pic.twitter.com/RLiww1kwEC
— Bill Bloxsom (@blox354) October 11, 2019
Naugatuck went 80 yards on 10 plays on its first series, with Schebell scoring from the 2-yard line. Joe Pinho made the first of six conversion kicks for a 7-0 lead with 3:01 left in the first period.
The Greyhound offense doesn’t surprise you, well until it does. Setting up Schebell’s TD was a perfectly-thrown pass from John Mezzo to Isaiah Williams that was good for 38 yards to the 2-yard line.
After an empty Oxford possession, Naugatuck took over on its 8-yard line with 38.8 seconds remaining in the opening frame.
Blocking from fullback Aaron Smith provided Gatison (12 yards) and Schebell (29 yards) to move the ball across midfield. Eleven tough plays later, Gatison scored on a 4-yard run with five minutes left in the half.
Oxford’s Paul Davis provided a momentary lift with an outstanding kickoff return deep into Greyhound territory — a penalty brought the ball back.
Naugy’s defense, with Matt Munno, Dante Miranda, Smith, Herve Tshibamba and Denzel Amoako in the mix, gave the ball back to the offense three plays later.
A 56-yard, 13-play drive ensued, with Messo throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Williams with 10.1 seconds left before the half. Rolling right, and with his receivers blanketed, Mezzo found Williams dragging across and put the ball on target.
Naugatuck struck much quicker after intermission.
Miranda barreled over from 1-yard out four plays after Gatison broke off a 36-yard run. It was 28-0 three minutes into the third.
Mitchell led Oxford on a 12-play drive of its own, with Davis, Ayden Ferrante gaining good yards. A fumble recovery set them back and they had to punt.
Naugy scored 10 plays later on Schebell’s 29-yard run five plays into the final quarter.
Gatison then scored from 45 yards out.
Mitchell connected with Peyton Mowrey on a 50-yard pass for Oxford’s touchdown with 1:52 remaining.
QUOTABLE
“Denzel Amoako never played football until this year, and because of an injury, stepped in and played a heckuva game at defensive end in his first varsity game,” Naugy coach Dave Sollazzo said of the 6-1, 185-pound former soccer player. “We need every player to be ready, and he proved it tonight.”
