Westies run past Dragons

WEST HAVEN — Both the Middletown and West Haven football teams entered Friday evening’s battle in unfamiliar territories. With each team struggling to start the season, something had to give.

What gave was the play of a trio of backs from the Westies.

Led by the running of juniors Deven Robinson, Avian Evans and Trevor Tompkins, West Haven rallied for a 20-13 victory over the Blue Dragons at Ken Strong Stadium.

“We played really tough,” Tompkins said after rushing for 46 yards and a pair of touchdowns. “We worked really hard this week. It was a tough loss (last week), but we knew we had to come back and pick it up.”

Trailing 16-13 after Middletown sophomore quarterback Colin Skene connected with Matthew Steuerwald on a 71-yard scoring strike with 7 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Westies went to work.

Behind a bruising offensive line, which helped the Westies rush for 377 yards in the game, West Haven needed just six plays to march 67 yards. The big play was a 46-yard run by Robinson, before Tompkins capped the drive with a 1-yard score with 4:58 to go for a 20-16 lead.

“We executed,” Robinson said after running for 170 yards on 14 carries. “We followed our blocks. Our offensive line did a great job tonight. We hit the holes. We could not have done it without them.”

West Haven then had a pair of tests to pass. With Skene finishing 23-of-33 for 281 yards and a scoring strike, Middletown would get the ball back two more times with a chance to win the game.

On a 4th-and-7, West Haven held the Blue Dragons one yard short of the first down with three minutes to go. After West Haven failed to convert a first down to ice the game, Skene and company had one final chance.

West Haven again held firm. Despite the Blue Dragons marching to the West Haven 25, the Westies forced an incomplete pass on fourth down to end any thought of a Middletown comeback in the final seconds.

“We battled tonight,” Middletown coach Sal Morello said after his team gained over 300 yards of offense. “We stayed with it. I am really proud of the kids’ effort. They answered the challenge and responded the way I had hoped. I am proud of their effort.”

The Westies jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter. After turning the ball over inside the Middletown 10 on its opening possession, West Haven took the first lead of the contest with a 7-play, 53-yard drive.

Evans, who finished the game with 147 yards on 16 carries, was the key to the drive, running for 34 of those yards. The junior capped the drive with a 17-yard scamper for a score with 4:43 to go in the first quarter.

“The offensive line is always the key,” West Haven coach Rich Boshea said. “They did a great job tonight. Nick Conlon did a great job in his first start as a freshman. He was the leader out there. You have to give Middletown credit. They are a tough team which came to play tonight. Credit to Sal and his team.”

Heading into the contest, Boshea was worried about the play of his special teams. Those concerns continued in the opening half as the Blue Dragons capitalized on West Haven’s miscues to get on the board and tie the contest.

A bad snap by the Westies on a punt after their next possession gave Middletown the ball at the West Haven 22-yard line. The

Blue Dragons needed just two plays to capitalize when David De’Leon scored from 11 yards out with 8:03 left in the first half.

West Haven appeared to remain in front when the extra point sailed wide, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Blue Dragons another shot and Griffin Ladd capitalized to even the game.

The Westies did not take long to take the lead again as they marched 69 yards on 11 plays to take the lead. Evans had the big run in the drive with a 17-yard scamper, before Tompkins put the Westies in front 13-7 with a bruising 6-yard run with 3:07 to go in the half.

Middletown blocked the extra point, keeping the West Haven lead at six.

“Avian stepped up,” Boshea said. “He had a very good game. He had a great game running the ball and a great game at corner.

“Our defense did a great job. Their quarterback (Skene) is excellent and their receivers are excellent. It was a great effort.”

The Blue Dragons inched closer before the half and could have gotten more if not for three penalties stalled their last drive. Ladd saved the Blue Dragons as he booted a 36-yard field goal with 40 seconds remaining in the half to cut West Haven’s lead to 13-10.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

Deven Robinson, Avian Evans, and Trevor Tompkins — The junior trio combined to run for 363 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown by Tompkins with 4:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. Robinson set up the score with a 46-yard run and Evans also had a touchdown in the game.

QUOTABLE

“None of this happens without the play of our offensive line. They created the holes and made the blocks.” West Haven’s Avian Evans on the success of the West Haven running game.