Warriors pull away to win opener

Wamogo uses second-half surge to sink Nonnewaug

LITCHFIELD — Wamogo’s Garrett Sattazahn and Reid Turtoro led the Warriors out of a close first half, pulling away from Nonnewaug to an 80-48 pasting with a torrid third quarter in a boys basketball season opener at Wamogo High School Monday night.

The Chiefs stayed with Berkshire League favorite Wamogo in the first half with aggressive rebounding leading to multiple attempts at the basket, ruling the first-half boards 28-22, 16 of them by Peter Rickenbach.

“We didn’t do a good enough job boxing out,” said Wamogo’s Sattazahn.

Still, it was a Warriors’ pace as Sattazahn led the first-half race up and down court with 14 points at the half, including 6-for-6 at the foul line (8-for-8 for the game).

Nonnewaug’s Jarrett Michaels kept up with 10 points and multiple steals.

But, by the start of the second half, most of the other Chiefs showed the strain.

“We ran out of legs getting out after their shots,” said first-year Nonnewaug coach Devonne Parker. “The third quarter… They can shoot.”

With more space, Torturo found his spot beyond the arc, draining three treys in a row and four for the third quarter while Sattazahn kept peppering away inside along with his own third three for the game.

“I came out with too much energy and shot it long. Then I found my range,” said Torturo, with 16 of his 22 points in the period.

In addition to more shooting space outside, the Warriors found more rebounding room inside. Jackson Baker, who sat much of the first half with an early pair of fouls, came away with 14 rebounds for the game.

“Give Nonnewaug credit. They came out and fought,” said Wamogo coach Gregg Hunt.

James Gengenbach had his best quarter in the third, with eight of his 16 points for the game. Michaels kept hustling with another 16.

Ultimately, Sattazahn’s gamehigh 29 points, along with Turtoro’s 22 and Ethan Collins’ 15 (11 in

the first half) combined with 10 Warrior threes and the wicked pace for burial rites for Nonnewaug by the

end of the third.

Nevertheless, the Warriors weren’t crowing. The other league favorites, Lewis Mills and Northwestern, are even bigger than Nonnewaug.

“We have to do a better

job boxing out,” Sattazahn repeated.

Peter Wallace / For Hearst Connecticut Media Wamogo coach Gregg Hunt pushed the pace through a second-half surge in the Warriors' opening-night win.