The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
O’Brien lifts ATI over MCW Co-Op
FALLS VILLAGE — Jordan O’Brien sure did work himself up an appetite for a Thanksgiving feast on Thursday.
So, too, did the Abbott Tech/ Immaculate offensive line, which cleared the path for O’Brien’s five touchdowns in a 48-6 triumph over Wolcott Tech/Housatonic/ Wamogo — the MCW Co-Op — at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
“I’m here with my family first, then I’m going home with my other family to finish it off,” O’Brien said with a grin.
O’Brien rushed 14 times for 171 yards and four touchdowns, including a 73-yard jaunt to put ATI on the board first in the first quarter. He also caught two passes from C.J. Cianflone for 47 yards, including a swing pass which O’Brien broke for a 30yard touchdown to make it 26-0 ATI in the third quarter.
It was a satisfying win to cap a 6-4 season — a fourth straight triumphant season since the birth of the ATI co-op arrangement.
“One thing I loved about this season is that we came together as a team,” O’Brien said. “We started out with a small number of people, but every day we came out fighting. I’m proud of my team, and my linemen. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything without them.”
Cianflone ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns of his own and completed three passes for 71 yards. Anthony Frasier rushed for 32 yards and Jake Payton rushed for 32 yards and caught a 24-yard pass; Frasier and Payton
each added an interception on defense. Tommy Fahey had an 87-yard run but was stopped just shy of the goal line. Derek Taveras and Frasier each added a sack and Alex Fernandez recovered an MCW fumble. Eric Hovasapian recovered two fumbles, one by ATI and one by MCW.
FIGHT TO THE FINISH
Derek Oakes hit Christian Saade with a 45-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to put MCW on the board.
It’s been a tough season for MCW — which gets its initials from its schools’ mascots: Mountaineers for Housatonic, (Wild)Cats for Wolcott Tech and Warriors for Wamogo — a second straight winless season since the formation of their co-op.
“It’s hard,” MCW coach Jamie Coty said. “They fought and they never gave up, and that’s what’s important. It shows a lot of character for these kids not to hang their heads. It’s been a hard season, but they just stuck with it. Cold, rain, sleet, these kids stuck it out.”
TOUGH START
Things looked bleak for ATI early in the season, to say the least. The United lost senior starting quarterback Jimmy Fahey to an injury prior to their opening-week showdown with O’Brien Tech, then lost to the Condors 34-12. After a 1-3 start, ATI rolled off four straight dominant wins to turn its season around.
“At the beginning of the season, we were pretty short on men,” Hovasapian said. “We really had to come together and put it all on the field, and I think we did that. It was a tough season, and we fought through it.”
ATI even played its way back into contention for a spot in the Class L playoffs. The United finished 15th in the Class L playoff standings, which was still pretty impressive considering where they were on Columbus Day.
“To end up 6-4 and with a shot at the states, considering the adversity we were facing, it’s kind of surprising to end up where we are,” ATI coach Rich Holmes said. “I’m very pleased.”