Surging Shelton hammers Hillhouse

Written by Bill Bloxsom, Sports Editor
Tuesday, 03 November 2009 14:49

Shelton High’s offense was a given heading into coach Jeff Roy’s SCC interdivisional football game with Hillhouse High at Bowen Field in New Haven on Oct. 30.

The Gaels were averaging 33 points per game, and had won two in a row before taking on the Academics, who were clicking off points at a 28-per-game clip entering the contest between 3-3 teams.

This left it up to the rival defenses to provide a springboard to future success — and it was Shelton’s that came up big in the Gaels’ 42-8 victory.

It started up front, where Rob Gelozin, Ricky Raffaele and Teddy Hopnick stuffed the interior runs of the Acs’ Tuarese Washington.

This left Cody Kitson, Carl Cristino, Joel Youd and Robert Milne free to make life miserable for Hillhouse’s featured back Spencer Jones.

When Academic quarterback Derrick Chin tried to run or throw the ball, Stephen Leopold, Paul Piccirillo, Mike Georgalas and Dan Guerrera were there to shadow receivers and force plays to the edge.

Shelton (4-3) will now look to make it four straight wins when it visits Amity High (2-4) in Woodbridge for an SCC Division I encounter on Friday night at 7.

The Spartans are coming off a 49-21 loss to Xavier High.

Shelton took little time taking charge against Hillhouse, with Piccirillo scoring from five yards out and Jon Groth adding the first of his six conversion kicks.

After the defense forced a Hillhouse punt, Shelton tacked on its second straight score after a 11-play drive that covered 80 yards.

The Gaels’ dominance at the line of scrimmage continued on offense, as Greg Bukoski, Tyler McNamara, Gelozin, Patrick Gillen, Wood and Eric Sinko at tight end created the surge.

Ray Pendagast, who completed 9-of-19 passes for 184 yards, connected with Georgalas for a 14-yard gain to get the march going.

Piccirillo, who rushed for 85 yards on 11 carries, took the handoff on a jet sweep and followed Gillen and Youd around the left side for a 32-yard gain to the Hillhouse 36-yard line.

Cristino picked up a blitzing linebacker to give Pendagast time to throw to Georgalas’ outside shoulder for a 19-yard pickup to the Academic six.

Georgalas finished with five catches good for 72 yards.

Youd carried it in to the end zone two plays later from two yards out, and after the PAT, Shelton led 14-0 with 1:45 remaining in the opening quarter.

An exchange of punts found Pendagast booming a 55-yarder to set Hillhouse back at its 20, but a rare missed tackle showed how dangerous Jones can be, as he ripped off a 67-yard scoring run to get the home team on the scoreboard.

Shelton countered quickly, with Pendagast making a dazzling 55-yard touchdown run of his own and it was 21-6 midway through the second quarter.

Shelton added a pair of scores in the final minutes.

Piccirillo took a bouncing punt on the run and got to the wall, where Wood’s block gave him a lane for a 62-yard return for a touchdown at the 1:11 mark of the half.

The defense got the ball back one more time, and Pendagast found Shaquill Holman all alone at the 15 and the junior carried the pass in to complete the 44-yard touchdown connection with 36 seconds left on the clock.

After a scoreless third quarter, Youd (56 yards on 17 carries) ran in from a yard out for his second touchdown and Hillhouse recorded a safety on a snap from center out of the end zone.