Shaban (5 TDs) leads Barlow past Weston
WESTON — The message was simple, win and get into the playoffs.
Joel Barlow took it to heart and then took it to Weston, running all over the Trojans in a 56-20 win on Wednesday night. The win unofficially clinched a spot in the Class SS playoffs for Joel Barlow, its first postseason appearance since 2017. It’s just the third postseason appearance in program history.
“When all the chips are down and it’s win and in, you have to show up,” Joel Barlow coach TJ Cavaliere said. “We talk about big players making big plays in big games and some of our big players made big plays today.”
The Falcons biggest player indeed made the biggest plays.
Danny Shaban rushed for 302 yards and five touchdowns. He threw for another score and added a sack on defense.
“I can’t overstate how much he does for us as a player,” Cavaliere said. “He’s one of those guys who gives us the opportunity to score any time he touches the ball. Defensively, he’s a disaster for teams to account for.
“He’s a once-in-a-generational player for us.”
For Shaban he wanted redemption. In his team’s last game against New Milford, a 31-21 loss, he rushed for 114 yards and scored no touchdowns, the only game he didn’t reach the end zone this season.
“It was a pitiful performance by myself,” he said looking back to the Nov. 11th game. “I knew the next day and the night of, I had to come out and show out. I let my team down that game and I was going to try to never and I am going to try not to ever do that again.”
Shaban scored the first two touchdowns, but the
Trojans matched them each time.
Then the senior took over.
He hit Mason Leavitt for a 29-yard score and then ripped off touchdown runs on three straight drives, including 40- and 45-yard runs.
“It’s difficult, it’s incredibly difficult,” Weston coach Dan Hassett said about trying to stop Shaban. “Not only is he physically a great runner and one of the best runners we have in the state, in my opinion, he reads it so well. He rides anything from midline to veer, deep in the hole. He knows what he is doing. It’s a challenge to stop him.”
Weston’s Nick Psichopaidas threw for three touchdowns in the loss.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Who else? Danny Shaban rushed for 302 yards and five touchdowns. He did it with his arm with a 29-yard touchdown pass and threw in a sack for good measure on defense. The senior led
the Falcons to their third ever postseason appearance. In all three playoff appearances, a Shaban brother has been on the team ( Jack in 2013 and Henry in 2017).
QUOTABLE
“My offensive line, they don’t get enough credit. They blow the crap out of the defensive line every single time. We have been saying it for two years, I think we have the best offensive in the state.” — Danny Shaban giving love to his offensive line.
JOEL BARLOW 56, WESTON 20
JOEL BARLOW ............... 14 21 7 0 — 56 WESTON ........................ 14 0 0 6 — 20 JB — Danny Shaban 41 run (Cooper Zuccerella kick)
W — Alexander Nevitt 6 pass Nick Psichopaidas (Sean Esslinger kick)
JB — Shaban 64 run (Zuccerella kick)W — Nevitt 39 pass Psichopaidas (Sean Esslinger kick)
JB — Mason Leavitt 29 pass Shaban (Zuccerella kick)
JB — Shaban 6 run (Zuccerella kick)
JB — Shaban 40 run (Zuccerella kick)
JB — Shaban 45 run (Zuccerella kick)
JB — Dylan Taylor 31 run (Zuccerella kick) JB — Taylor 11 run (Zuccerella kick)
W — Nicholas Bibao 74 pass Psichopaidas (no kick, time expired)
Records: Joel Barlow 8-2, Weston 4-6