HOW SWEEP IT IS!
MILITIA BOUNCE ARMOR WITH 3rd STRAIGHT SHUTOUT!
Courtesy of Rich Gregory- Danbury News-Times
NEW FAIRFIELD — The Western Massachusetts Armor entered the New England Football League playoffs with the league’s most potent passing attack.
That passing attack fizzled, however, against the Western Connecticut Militia’s ball-hawking defense in the semipro league’s Triple-A quarterfinals Saturday night at New Fairfield High School.
The Militia defense pitched its third consecutive shutout in a 16-0 victory over the Armor — and even scored some points of its own on Andrew Pratt’s 45-yard pick-six in the final seconds of the second quarter. It was a defensive struggle throughout, and that played right into one of the Militia’s strengths.
Flythe completed seven passes for 64 yards and was sacked twice. Derrick Whitley caught two passes for 22 yards, while Capdeville rushed for 66 yards on 19 carries.
“I felt great tonight,” Oberg said. “It felt great to be back in the huddle with these guys. The offense was a little shaky, but we put some points on the board, we played an all-around good game. We look like a unit now, and it’s the best time of year to look like a unit.”
Assie led the Militia ground attack with 58 yards on 15 carries. Oberg, back in the lineup for the first time in a month due to an ankle injury, completed five passes for 47 yards and was sacked three times. Ryan Mack caught four passes for 26 yards.
The Armor drove to the Militia 17 on the opening drive of the second half, only to have a 34-yard field goal attempt blocked and receovered by the Militia. Early in the fourth quarter, a pass interference call against the Militia in the end zone gave the Armor the ball, first-and-goal, at the Militia 1. The Armour attempted three straight run plays and were held out of the end zone all three times, with Donte Williams, Courtney Moultrie and Gary Lalonde making the tackles for the Militia. On fourth-and-goal from the 4, Flythe dropped back to pass and was sacked for an 11-yard loss by Hakim Pearce.
On the first play of the Armor’s ensuing drive, quarterback Aaron Flythe was intercepted by Pratt, who raced 45 yards untouched into the end zone to make it 16-0.
The Militia took over on downs and marched 63 yards in 10 plays, scoring the game’s first points on Aaron Taylor’s seven-yard touchdown run. A 21-yard screen pass from Kevin Oberg to Lionel Assie on third-and-10 from the Armor 35 kept the drive alive. After the teams traded punts for most of the second quarter, Luigi Liovvi booted a 37-yard field goal to extend the Militia lead to 10-0 with 31 seconds to go before halftime.
The defenses stole the show for most of Saturday’s game, and in fact it was a big defensive stand that led to the Militia’s lone offensive touchdown of the night. Late in the scoreless first quarter, the Armor drove the ball to the Militia 37-yard line where, on fourth-and-one, Jermayne Capdeville was stopped for no gain by Militia defensive end Jasper Ramsey.
“Regardless of who it may be, we have to come ready,” Young said. “It’s all about our preparation, out attention to detail, and making sure everybody is mentally focused. The physical part is over. We’ve been at this since March. We can’t do any more Xs and Os. It comes down to heart, it comes down to perseverance and that attitude.”
No matter who they face in the playoffs, however, the Militia’s goal is to get back to the NEFL title game for the second straight year — and win it this time.
Halfway across the state in Wallingford, meanwhile, the Connecticut Bearcats won a 20-14 overtime thriller over the Connecticut Panthers in their quarterfinal game, setting up a showdown between the Militia and the Bearcats in the semifinals at a time, date and place to be announced. The teams split their two regular-season games, with the Militia winning 30-12 in Danbury on July 16 and the Bearcats winning 38-0 in Wallingford on Aug. 6. The score from the Bearcats-Panthers quarterfinal hadn’t gone final yet as the Militia celebrated their quarterfinal victory.
“Our defensive backs were tremendous,” Young continued. “This team was number one in the league in passing, passing efficiency, touchdowns, all that. For the most part, we shut that down.”
“It all starts with the guys with their fingers in the dirt,” Militia coach Lonnie Young said, referring to the defensive linemen. “If they can create another line of scrimmage and dictate right there, they make the job easier for the guys behind them.
NEFL QUARTERFINALS
WESTERN CONN. MILITIA 16, WESTERN MASS. ARMOR 0
WESTERN MASS.0 0 0 0 — 0
WESTERN CONN.0 16 0 0 — 16
WC—Aaron Taylor, 7 run (Luigi Liovvi kick).
WC—Liovvi, 37 field goal.
WC—Andrew Pratt, 45 interception return (pass failed).
