Jaden Watson runs in from 1 yard out to give North Haven 7-0 lead over Amity 3:45 into game #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/A8rD0pmXEV
— Mike Madera (@MikeMadera2) November 27, 2019
WOODBRIDGE — Stopping the North Haven football team on the ground always proves to be a tough task. The Amity Spartans saw this first-hand in the final regular season game for both teams.
Gaining 485 yards on the ground, North Haven rolled to a 49-13 victory over Amity in the regular season finale for both teams in a Southern Connecticut Conference contest at Amity High Wednesday evening.
North Haven senior Jaden Watson ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries as the Indians closed the season with a 3-game winning streak to finish the campaign with a 6-4 record.
“I am very proud of them,” North Haven coach Anthony Sagnella said of his team. “We had a few bumps along the way earlier this season. These kids never gave up. They never turned on each other. That is a credit to them.”
THANKSGIVING WEEK SCOREBOARD
Trailing by 22 points to start the second half, the Spartans tried to mount a comeback when Samuel Sachs raced in from 63 yards on the first offensive play.
Watson put a quick end to that threat as he ran in from 59 yards out just two plays later for a 35-13 lead. The Indians used a 1-yard score by Patrick DaSilva for a 42-13 lead with 2:38 left in the third.
“This feels great,” Watson said. “To see all the ups and downs we had this season, and to end the season like this, is all that matters.”
Albert Hooks in from 1 yard out to give North Haven 14-0 lead over Amity 48 seconds into second quarter #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/TqRKkJQX2s
— Mike Madera (@MikeMadera2) November 27, 2019
Other than Amity’s lone first half scoring drive which accumulated 69 yards and ended with a 10-yard scoring run by Sachs, the Indians dominated to the tune of 269-83 in first half yardage. North Haven held Amity to just 14 total yards in the first quarter, before taking over.
“They are a real physical team,” Amity coach Craig Bruno said. “They were able to move the ball. We cut it to 14-6, but hey came right back.”
The Indians scored on four of their first five drives of the game, including the first two, where they marched 62 and 92 yards for a 14-0 advantage.
Watson capped the opening scoring drive when he ran in from one yard out with 3:45 gone by in the contest for a 7-0 lead.
“I have to thank my line,” Watson said. “They opened the holes. I did my best. It is great to see us click together like this.”
After the Spartans punted and forced North Haven back to its own 8-yard line, the Indians used 12 plays on the ground to go the distance. Albert Hooks Jr. ended the drive with a 1-yard scamper for a 14-0 advantage with 48 seconds gone by in the second quarter.
Sam Sachs runs in from 10 yards out for Amity. Spartans trail North Haven 14-6 with 8:44 left first half #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/4KiIuyxOAw
— Mike Madera (@MikeMadera2) November 27, 2019
The Indians ran 31 plays in the first half, all coming on the ground to produce close to 300 yards of offense.
Amity finally got on the scoreboard with 8:44 remaining in the opening half as a 5-play, 69-yard drive was capped by the 10-yard scoring run of Sachs. The Spartans never got going the rest of the half.
“It seemed like they had the ball all night,” Bruno said. “They had the ball when the game mattered.”
North Haven pulled away in the final 2:27 of the second quarter on a pair of touchdown runs by Corey Hooks. The first of the two scores by Corey Hooks was one of beauty as he rumbled 30 yards for the score, carrying a host of Amity defenders with him for the final 10 yards.
After Amity failed on a fake punt in the final minute of the half, North Haven needed just two plays to move 23 yards. Corey Hooks capped the drive with a 6-yard score for a 28-6 lead with 26 seconds left in the opening half.
“I can tell by the sound on the field,” Sagnella said. “I have been around a long time and there is a certain sound at the point of attack. Great teams have that. This team made that sound.”
Corey Hooks finished with 150 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries for North Haven. Amity’s Joseph Digello finished with 110 yards on 17 carries.
Two plays after Amity fails to convert fake punt, Corey Hooks runs in from 6 yards out to give North Haven 28-6 lead with 26 seconds left in 1st half #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/SP23EHwEc7
— Mike Madera (@MikeMadera2) November 28, 2019
Player of the Game
Jaden Watson — North Haven senior ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries.
Quotable
“There are challenges every year. There’s the challenge to start the season and there’s the challenge ending it and saying goodbye to these great kids.”
— North Haven coach Anthony Sagnella
