When the regular season comes to a close on Thanksgiving weekend, the West Haven football team may have two very different takes on the season opener against North Haven.
That loss where the Westies fell inches short of a win in the final seconds will either be one which propelled the Westies, or one which hurt its playoff chances.
Three games later, it appears as if West Haven is rallying around the defeat. Opening up the offense after a slow start, West Haven cruised to a 50-6 victory over Bassick in Bridgeport Friday evening, winning its third straight contest and improving to 3-1 on the season.
The Westies did not get off to a good start in the contest as they turned the ball over twice to start the game, but both times the defense made the stand, holding Bassick inside the 20-yard line.
Jordan Berrios then took advantage half way through the opening quarter. After the second West Haven stand, Berrios raced 78 yards for the score and a 6-0 lead. West Haven never looked back.
After holding Bassick to start the game, the defense then put up points. Tylen Jennette picked off a Bassick pass on the ensuing possession and returned the interception 28 yards for the score and a 13-0 lead with 5:39 to go in the opening quarter.
Jennette was just getting started. The senior then added a 35-yard touchdown run and the run on the conversion for a 21-0 lead less than two minutes later.
Special teams then got into the act for the Westies as Bassick had trouble on the punt snap with under a minute to go in the quarter. When the snap sailed into the end zone, West Haven had a safety and a 23-0 advantage with 58 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
The Westies were not done.
With excellent field position to follow, Berrios scored his second touchdown of the evening, this time a 15-yard run with 9.6 seconds left in the first quarter for a 30-0 lead.
The West Haven defense took over from here. Senior Joe Rosemond had the next pick which allowed sophomore Troy Nelson to run in from five yards out for a 37-0 advantage in the second quarter.
Senior Demerick Blackford was next with an interception and that turnover set up sophomore Manny Haba’s 8-yard touchdown run for a 44-0 lead with 1:25 remaining in the half.
Leading 44-6 after a long Bassick touchdown run, West Haven capped the scoring with 5:35 left in the third as Damian Torres scampered in from 31 yards out.