Greenwich season ends in semifinals
GREENWICH — West Haven’s Armani Reid celebrated his 18th birthday on Saturday, but he couldn’t help himself from looking ahead to Sunday.
Yes, he received gifts, but there was nothing more he wanted for his milestone birthday than a chance to win a state championship.
The senior had a big game, catching a 77-yard touchdown to kickstart his team then later intercepting a pass to lead thirdseeded West Haven to a 26-13 win over second-seeded Greenwich in the Class LL semifinals.
“This is it, this is what I was waiting for, I didn’t really care about that day, I cared about the next (day),” Reid said with a laugh. “We beat a real good team, but my team is real good, too.”
West Haven advances to the Class LL championship for the first time since 2003. The Westies will face top-seeded Staples at Arute Field at Central Connecticut State University on Saturday at 5 p.m.
“All I know is we will give it our best shot,” West Haven coach Rich Boshea said. “I don’t know who will win or lose, but we will play our best game.”
The two teams met Week 1 when West Haven won the game 33-23.
“We know that they’re coming for vengeance and when people have something to prove they put in 110-percent into what they have to do,” Reid said. “So, we are going to have to put in 120-percent.”
Reid’s long touchdown came on a third-and-20 and was the first of three touchdowns the Blue Devils scored on third or fourth down. All three came from 10 yards or further to go for a first down.
Facing a third-and-10, West Haven junior quarterback Nick Conlan dropped the snap, picked it up and ran 44 yards for the touchdown that gave West Haven the lead in the third quarter. That was followed up by a 21yard screen pass touchdown from Conlan to Demarco Eady on fourth and 14 to extend the lead for good.
“Great players are going to make great plays and they made
more plays than we did today,” Greenwich coach Anthony Morello said. “It wasn’t for a lack of hustle, it wasn’t for a lack of effort.”
Greenwich scored a touchdown on its first drive of the game, but that was the only time they led.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
West Haven quarterback Nick Conlan rushed for two touchdowns and threw for two more to lead the Blue Devils to the Class LL championship.
QUOTABLE
“I know in Class LL it so hard to get into that championship game and even harder to win,” West Haven coach Rich Boshea said about West Haven returning to the Class LL finals for the first time in 20 years.
WEST HAVEN 26, GREENWICH 13
GREENWICH ................... 6 0 0 7 — 13 WEST HAVEN .............. 0 6 12 8 — 26 G — Rocco Grillo 1 run (pass failed) WH — Armani Reid 77 pass Nick Conlan (kick blocked)
WH — Conlan 44 run (pass failed) WH — Demarco Eady 21 pass Conlan (pass failed)
G — Sebastian Parra 2 pass Grillo (Erick Perino kick)
WH — Conlan 4 run (Reid pass Conlan) Records: West Haven 10-2, Greenwich 10-2