The Naugatuck Greyhounds remained undefeated this season after overcoming a halftime deficit to defeat Torrington 29-14 on Friday night, according to Yahoo Sports.
Torrington controlled the game early with a ball-control offense that limited Naugatuck to just 17 plays in the first half, as reported by CT Insider.
Naugatuck coach Chris Anderson noted the difficulty of playing against such an efficient clock-management strategy, stating, “When you’re able to eat the clock like they can, they have the formula to beat us.”
Trailing 8-0 after halftime, the momentum shifted when Naugatuck player Qwentarvous Lee recovered a fumble and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown.
Lee credited his defensive effort for the turning point, explaining, “I noticed we weren’t getting to the ball. I was driving to the ball, and all the effort paid off.”
Although Torrington responded with a 61-yard touchdown run from Nick Coleman, Lee immediately answered with an 80-yard scoring run for the Greyhounds.
Lee finished the game with 133 rushing yards on seven carries, while teammate Brandon Andoh added 79 yards and two late touchdowns to secure the victory.
Torrington coach Gaitan Rodriguez expressed disappointment regarding the outcome, stating, “This is three years in a row that we’re hurting. This one stings.”
The win likely secures a home game for Naugatuck in the opening round of the Class L state playoffs, per the outlets.
For Torrington, a team currently ranked 10th in Class MM, playoff hopes now depend on a win against Watertown on Thanksgiving and favorable outcomes in other games, according to the local reporting.
The Greyhounds look ahead to their annual Thanksgiving matchup with Ansonia with an unblemished record.