Simsbury picks up the pace to beat Norwalk for first win of season

Simsbury QB Charlie Strayer (3) ran for 48 yards on 13 carries in Friday night’s win over Norwalk at Holden Field. More game photos

SIMSBURY, Sept. 23, 2022 – Noble Gognon ran for a pair of touchdowns and Austin Coiro scored on a 60-yard touchdown reception from Charlie Strayner as the Simsbury High football used their speed and quickness to win their first game of the season Friday night with a 30-6 win over visiting Norwalk at Holden Field.

The game was part of the Connecticut Football Alliance series to match up teams from different leagues and these two teams were meeting for the first time on the gridiron.

Simsbury ran a no-huddle offense throughout the game to keep the pace of the game quick. For the first time this season, the Trojans saw results on the field and celebrated afterwards.

“After not being able to move it for two weeks, it was nice to execute on some things (offensively),” Simsbury High coach Dave Masters said. “We put in some extra linemen this week. We wanted to get back to what we’re known for – run it on the ground and pound it.”

Simsbury dropped their first game of the season to North Haven, 49-0 and fell to defending Class L champion Maloney a week ago, 35-13.

“This new (offensive) line is young,” Masters said. “They’ve been tested the past two weeks and they are in a crash course (of learning to success in high school football). Today, it was a few steps forward.”

Gongon ran for a career-high 166 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries while QB Charlie Strayner completed nine of 13 passes for a career-high 194 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Garrett Dagenais (45) and Niles Arango  (57) chase after Norwalk QB Dylan Izzi in Friday’s non-conference game at Holden Field. Simsbury won, 30-6.  More game photos

Simsbury led 10-0 at halftime and cemented their control of the contest with an outstanding third quarter. The Trojans opened the second half with a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive that took just 2:19 to take a 17-0 lead. Gongon scored from the 12-yard line and rushed for 48 of the 60 yards on the drive.

Late in the third quarter, Simsbury took a 24-0 lead on a single play. Strayer found Coiro on a short screen pass and Coiro made his way through the Bear defense for a 60-yard touchdown reception with 1:54 left in the third quarter.

Norwalk (0-3) finally got on the scoreboard when quarterback Dylan Izzi found received Jamar Alcena behind the Simsbury defense for a 58-yard touchdown reception with 10.3 seconds left in the third quarter. The Trojans stuffed the run to make the lead 24-6.

Masters liked what he saw from the Simsbury defense. They forced two turnovers (interception, fumble), had two sacks from Mason Swilley and Michael Goodberg and three tackles for a loss including two from Garrett Dagenais.

“Our defense stepped up. They were aggressive,” Masters said. “I know they will be (ticked) off about that score. They wanted that shutout.”

Simsbury (1-2) took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter on a four-yard touchdown run from Gongon with 7:35 left in the first half. The Trojans marched 70 yards on 11 plays with Strayer gaining four yards on a fourth down and one play on the Norwalk 27-yard line to keep the drive going.

After getting that key first down, Strayer ripped off a 16-yard run to the Bear seven yard line. He ran for 48 yards on 13 carries in the win.

Norwalk tried to respond. They marched to the Simsbury 39-yard line but on third down and nine, Simsbury’s Swilley sacked Bear QB Dylan Izzy for an 11-yard loss back to midfield, forcing a punt.

The Trojans started on their own 15-yard line but marched 78 yards to the Norwalk seven yard line with 34.3 seconds left in the second quarter. Gognon was sacked for a four-yard loss but Daniel Sullivan came in to hit his first field goal of the season for 29 yards to give Simsbury a 10-0 lead after two quarters.

Simsbury received Jacob Isabel (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in Friday’s 30-6 win over Norwalk at Holden Field. More game photos

In the fourth quarter, Jacob Isabel scored on an 11-yard run with 7:32 remaining in the game to extend Simsbury’s lead to 30-6.

“This team is young. They’ve seen some serious battles,” Masters said. “It’s a heavy schedule. We will see how it goes.” Next week is No. 6 Southington on the road, a team that the Trojans have beaten once since 1971.

But that is next week’s focus. For one evening, the Trojans and their fans will celebrate their first win of the season.

Simsbury 30, Norwalk 6
At Simsbury
Norwalk (0-3)                    0    0    6  0  — 6
Simsbury (1-2)                   0  10  14  6  — 30
Second quarter
S: Noble Gongon 4 run (Daniel Sullivan kick), 7:35
S: Sullivan 29 FG, 23.3
Third quarter
S: Gongon 12 run (Sullivan kick), 9:29
S: Austin Coiro 60 pass from Charlie Strayer (Sullivan kick), 1:41
N: Jamar Alcena 58 pass from Dylan Izzi (run failed), 10.3
Fourth quarter
S: Jacob Isabel 11 run (kick fails), 7:32
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Simsbury – Jacob Isabel 11-37, Charlie Strayer 13-48, Noble Gongon 20-166; Norwalk – Jalen Victor 1-4, Nassirah Louisy 5-13, Jamar Alcena 2-minus 7, Dylan Izzi 16-39, Andrew Hernandez 5-13
PASSING: Simsbury – Charlie Strayer 9-13-1, 194, Noble Gongon 1-1-0, 9; Norwalk – Dylan Izzi 9-21-0, 121, Jalen Victor 1-5-1, 4
RECEIVING: Simsbury – Noble Gongon 1-15, Mitch Wallman 3-58, Daniel Sullivan 1-8, Austin Coiro 4-114, Travis Bolognese 1-11; Norwalk – Andrew Hernandez 2-32, Ryan Gilchrist 2-25, Chase Delpalma 2-13, Jayden Diaz 2-6, Jamar Alcena 1-42, Cam Pellitier 1-4
INTERCEPTIONS: Phoenix Diurno (N) 1-17, Austin Coiro (S) 1-33; FUMBLE REC: Ben Roberts (S), Norwalk team; SACKS: Mason Swilley (S) 1-11, Michael Goldberg (S) 1-10