LITCHFIELD —Wamogo, last year’s Division V finalist with all its players back, romped over the Berkshire League’s second-best team Thursday night, beating Shepaug 80-44 at Wamogo High School.
With the Warriors charging on all cylinders, the packed house could pick its own spot as to when the much-anticipated showdown between the two 3-0 teams coming in was over.
Each team raced off to terrific starts in the season. Litchfield was the closest anyone came to the Spartans before Thursday in a 73-58 loss. Housatonic came closest to Wamogo at 66-48.
But Wamogo, spurred on by the challenge of its elevation to Division III this year, hit high gear on offense and defense from the opening tap against Shepaug. The Warriors led 12-0 midway through the first period, then stepped it up to 28-9 entering the second.
If Spartan hopefuls didn’t call that the end, the game was a rout by the half, 47-17
By then, Wamogo captain Garrett Sattazahn had 19 of his 21 points for the game. Defensive maven Ethan Collins had three blocks on his way to eight. And the rest of the team was lining up for double-figure honors — Collins with 16; Reid Turtoro, 15; and Sean Coffey, 10.
Sattazahn added 10 rebounds to his game-high points; Collins had eight more.
“Wamogo played a great game,” said Shepaug coach Matt Lefevre, whose team split two games with the Warriors a year ago. “They beat us on every end of the floor.”
“We’ve been struggling on offense lately,” said Sattazahn, despite the numbers in their wins so far. “We needed to up the intensity.”
Sattazahn, the team captain, practiced what he preached, with seven of the Warriors first nine points, along with two steals.
Nevertheless, he gave Collins credit for much of the margin.
“He guards the other team’s biggest man. Coach (Gregg Hunt) calls him The Human Eraser,” laughed Sattazahn.
“Ethan does all the dirty work,” said Hunt. “His blocks changed the way Shepaug played.”
“I got stronger,” said Collins a six-foot junior.
Shepaug guard Joe Brunelli led the Spartans with 16 points; Owen Hibbard had nine.
Wamogo plays Somers Saturday at 7 p.m. in the finals of its Litchfield Hills Holiday Classic, then goes to Shepaug next Wednesday.
“We have to come out tougher and stronger,” said Coach Lefevre.
With Division III looming, coach Hunt said, “We have to keep getting better.”
WAMOGO 80, SHEPAUG 44
At Wamogo High School
SHEPAUG 9 8 12 15 — 44
WAMOGO 28 19 24 9 — 80
Shepaug (44): Cole Conaghey 2-0-4; Owen Hibbard 3-3-9; Jayden Cornwall 1-0-3; Dom Perachi 1-1-3; Tiernan Crossley 1-0-3; Joe Brunelli 6-3-16; Ethan Hibbard 3-0-6; Totals: 17-7-44.
Wamogo (80): Sean Coffey 4-1-10; Reid Turtoro 4-5-15; Cole Higgins 3-0-8; Ethan Collins 8-0-16; Ben Roy 1-0-2; Garrett Sattazahn 10-0-21; Eric Odenwaelder 2-2-6; Jack King 1-0-2; Totals: 33-8-80.
3-point goals: S – Cornwall; Crossley; Brunelli. W – Coffey; Turtoro 2; Higgins 2; Sattazahn.
Records: Shepaug 3-1; Wamogo 4-0.
