Third win for Mountaineers

FALLS VILLAGE — The Housatonic Wamogo Mountaineers have done something that hasn’t been accomplished in nearly 20 years: started a season 3-0, a record they earned after dismantling the Canton Warriors on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Canton High School, 36-22.

But despite this impressive start, Head Coach Deron Bayer is still looking for more.

“We have yet to play a complete game,” he said after Saturday’s game. “Both sides of the ball have to play a complete game start to finish and we have not done that yet.”

One thing Bayer should be pleased with was his team’s ability to make Canton pay for its mistakes in a big way. The Mountaineers quickly jumped to a 16-0 lead, thanks in part to two costly Warrior turnovers.

Jake Sutterlin made the Warriors regret mistake number one, a fumble recovery by Forest Hayden, with a 6-yard touchdown run. Will Perotti added the two point conversion to quickly make it 8-0.

After the second miscue, an interception (one of two on the day for sophomore Jeremy Stiewing), Jake Foley rumbled in from 24 yards out. Next came a two-point pass from Perotti to Foley, and Housy never looked back.

The Warriors came within 10 points before some new faces and different weapons ripped this game wide open.

“We used the spread offense of TCU,” Bayer said of a strategy that seemed to baffle — if not completely confuse — the Warriors.

Sutterlin went to the air in this offense and found Stiewing for a 60-yard touchdown pass. Sutterlin added the two-point conversion and the lead was up to 18.

 Matt McElhone had the defensive play of the day, scooping up another Warrior fumble and rumbling 75 yards to the end zone, giving the Mountaineers a 30-6 halftime lead.

Bayer said he has been impressed with McElhone’s defensive play so far this young season.

“Matt is playing great for us on the defensive line,” Bayer said. “He’s disruptive and has made a ton of plays for us so far this season.”

Another factor that had to make Bayer happy was the number of new faces getting involved in this win. On Stiewing’s second touchdown reception, this time for 30 yards from Perotti in the fourth quarter, Anthony Zucco helped open the way with a key block.

Again the Warriors were caught protecting against the single wing normally running offense, despite the Mountaineers’ lining up in a four wide receiver set during most of this scoring drive.

Next up for the Mountaineers is another road game against a much-improved Granby team on Oct. 15 after a bye week. Bayer knows this will not be an easy task.

“We have an off week so we are going to work,” Bayer said. “We’ll get back to the basics, tackling, blocking, we’ll condition like heck and try and get better.”

Tom Brissett is the statistician for the Mountaineers.