NORTH BRANFORD – The North Branford soccer staff returned a number of talent gamers from a staff that hosted a CIAC Class S quarterfinal-round playoff recreation final yr.
Add in a spark plug like Cole Blotney, a landing scoring menace from anyplace on the sphere and it is making a Thunderbirds’ offense that’s going to be laborious to cease.
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Blotney had a kick return for a landing and caught a TD cross from quarterback Matteo Anderson to assist North Branford blitz Haddam-Killingworth 57-6 at Colafati Area Thursday night time.
Blotney, a switch from the Hopkins Faculty in New Haven, performed youth soccer in North Branford earlier than attending Hopkins. North Branford coach Anthony Salvati referred to as Blotney “electrical, he is that playmaker on the market that we did not have final yr.” Blotney is fairly comfortable at his new faculty.
“I wasn’t as comfortable as I ought to have been (at Hopkins), and, you already know, I have been fascinated about it for years, but it surely lastly acquired to a degree, I made a decision to place the foot down and are available again,” Blotney mentioned. “Now I am right here, attempting to do no matter I can.”
After Haddam-Killingwirth scored on its opening drive, Blotney took the kickoff and went 70 yards for the landing. A maintain through the run negated the rating, however the Thunderbirds scored two performs later.
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And it by no means stopped from there: 57 unanswered factors on this battle of 2-0 Pequot Convention rivals. North Branford ran simply eight performs from scrimmage within the first half and led 36-6 at halftime.
“I feel that thumping we took (from) Sheehan (within the S playoffs, 42-0), actually motivated us within the low season,” Salvati mentioned. “We hit the burden room laborious, each day. Within the weight room we had been harping ’42-0, 42-0.’ We virtually acquired T-shirts made.”
Jack Sigel rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns on simply seven carries for North Branford.
“Our playbook is actually huge. We will simply run just about something we needed as we speak. That is what we did,” Sigel mentioned.
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Anderson threw for 2 touchdowns and rushed for one more.
“Props to North Branford, they’re most likely the perfect staff within the league,” Haddam-Killingworth coach Tyler Wilcox mentioned. “In a matter of three minutes, we had been down three scores. … We thought we had a fairly good kickoff staff squared away for this week and did what we needed to do from the scouting report however (Blotney) took benefit of it. He acquired exterior on us. We misplaced comprise, we did not keep in our lanes just a few instances they usually burned us on numerous kickoff returns that we’ve not given up all yr to date.”
North Branford scored 49 factors in every of its first two video games. Its closest recreation was 30 factors, profitable on the highway at Seymour final week.
“I feel we will play with anybody in Class S. We have simply acquired to remain wholesome,” Salvati mentioned.
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Participant of the Recreation
Cole Blotney, North Branford: Had a kickoff return for a landing and had one other one for 70 yards nullified resulting from a penalty. Blotney additionally had a 48-yard TD cross the place be broke a number of tackles.
Quotable
“He was most likely the quickest child on the tweak (in youth soccer) and that confirmed tonight.”
-North Branford’s Jay Sigel on teammate Cole Blotney
North Branford 57, Haddam-Killingworth 6
(at North Branford)
HK-Tim Hickman 7 run (kick failed)
NB-Jack Sigel 10 run (Owen Brustman kick)
NB-Sigel 3 run (kick failed)
NB-Security (HK punter throws ball out of finish zone)
NB-Cole Blotney 62 kickoff return (Brustman kick)
NB-Sigel 49 run (Brustman kick)
NB-Billy Criscuolo 77 cross from Matteo Anderson (Brustman kick)
NB-Anderson 36 run (Brustman kick)
NB-Blotney 48 cross from Anderson (Brustman kick)
NB-Mason Pantano 9 run (Brustman kick)
Information: HK 2-1; NB 3-0.
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This text initially printed at North Branford soccer scores 57 unanswered factors, routs Haddam-Killingworth to remain undefeated.
