McMahon picks up first win
NORWALK — McMahon coach Jeff Queiroga was a mix of emotions after his team won its first FCIAC game in over two years, defeating Westhill 20-14 in three overtimes Friday.
Queiroga was obviously thrilled for his team, but the excitement of the win was dampened somewhat by the melancholy he felt for his former assistant coach Aland Joseph, now the Westhill head coach.
Joseph and Westhill were seeking their first win overall in two years and playing with heavy hearts on the birthday of Jordan Martinez, the Westhill senior killed in a car accident last month.
“I was hugging (Joseph) after the game and I feel for those guys over there. That’s really hard what they are dealing with,” Queiroga said. “We have a lot of young guys, we start mostly sophomores and a couple of juniors. Up until now they didn’t know how to win a close a game. Obviously this wasn’t pretty, but wins are wins and we got the job done.”
McMahon beat Capital/ Achievement last week for its first win. Friday was the first FCIAC win for the Senators since Oct. 25, 2019 against Stamford.
Ironically, Westhill’s last win came the same weekend in 2019, when it beat Bridgeport Central on Oct. 26.
McMahon is now 2-4 while Westhill fell to 0-6.
Wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Martinez on it, Joseph reflected after the game.
“Another emotional game today. It was tough, it’s Jordan’s birthday,” Joseph said. “We fought, but McMahon wanted it a little more at the end. We started off slow and didn’t come out with the energy we needed to. We had a lot of stupid penalties and that hurt us. We had a couple of chances in the end but we couldn’t finish.”
McMahon seemed poised to win the game in regulation but lost a fumble on the 5-yard line with 21 seconds remaining, sending the game to overtime.
In the first overtime, McMahon intercepted a Westhill pass, but the Senators’ 23-yard field goal try was blocked.
In the second overtime, McMahon got stuffed by the Westhill defense on the 1-yard line on 4th down and then it was McMahon’s turn to block a Westhill field goal.
In overtime No. 3, McMahon again picked off a Westhill pass in the end zone.
Then on first down, Callum Letters hit Adrian Vega for a 10-yard touchdown pass, setting off a big celebration.
McMahon led the game 14-0 after one quarter. The Senators scored first on a 19-yard pass from Letters to Jack Vahle.
Later in the quarter, McMahon pounced on the ball in the end zone after a snap over the Westhill quarterback’s head.
Westhill scored before the half on a 32-yard touchdown run by Kevin Laba.
The Vikings would tie the game in the third quarter when Jordan Reyes hit Ryan Ellis for a 49-yard touchdown pass.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Callum Letters, McMahon, Jr. QB: Letters stayed poised in overtime and delivered the game-winning pass, hitting Vega in a tight window in the end zone.
QUOTABLE
“It feels pretty good to get this win,” Letters said. “I was expecting us to call a run (on the last play) to be honest. When they called the pass I was thinking it wasn’t going to work, but I trusted myself and threw the touchdown. I am really proud of our defense. They did a great job keeping the Westhill offense out of the end zone.”
Sericson @stamfordadvocate.com; @EricsonSports