Sacred Heart’s Trey Dawson stiff arms Waterbury Career Academy defender Jaden Battle Thursday night at Municipal Stadium. Erin Covey Republican American.
BY KYLE BRENNAN
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
WATERBURY — Sooner or later — and throughout the three-hour, 10-minute duration of Thursday’s game, it always seemed as though it would be later — the clock was finally going to run out.
Unfortunately for the Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech football team, the Hearts had the ball when there was no more juice left in the Municipal Stadium scoreboard.
Trey Dawson’s last-second Hail Mary heave into the end zone fell incomplete as time expired, and Waterbury Career Academy held on for a 72-70 victory in a game that shattered the state record for most combined points in a game.
The 142 combined points obliterated the previous mark from 2013, when St. Joseph earned an 84-49 win over Ledyard in a state playoff game.
“I’m shocked,” said WCA’s Josiah Rivers, who ran for 302 yards and six touchdowns, including the game-winner with 4:26 remaining. “I was listening while (public address announcer Bryan Baker) was talking, and he said it was a state record. That got me shocked.”
On a night when at least a half-dozen players could have been the hero, Rivers came up with a few of the biggest players in the fourth quarter.
WCA (3-3) entered the fourth quarter facing a 64-50 deficit. Rivers chewed into that lead with a 20-yard touchdown run, and Kyren Petteway’s two-point conversion run made it 64-58 with 9:48 to play.
On the ensuing kickoff, Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech (3-3) fumbled at midfield. Rivers sprawled over the ball at the WCA 48, and the Spartans began an eight-play drive. Petteway capped it with an 8-yard touchdown run, then stretched his way into the end zone for the go-ahead conversion to make it 66-64 with 6:16 left.
Minutes later, the Spartans made a fourth-down stop at their own 47 to take over again. Rivers cashed in with a 6-yard touchdown run, but the Hearts prevented the conversion to make it 72-64 with 4:26 remaining.
Tiron Ferris scored a 1-yard touchdown on the next series to pull Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech to within two, but Dawson’s two-point conversion pass failed. That prompted an onside kick attempt, which Rivers recovered at his own 45-yard line.
The Hearts forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back at the WCA 46 with 30 seconds left, but Dawson’s last two passes fell incomplete to end the game.
“That was the most tiring game I’ve ever been a part of in my life,” WCA coach Pete Flammia said. “I’m embarrassed because I’m the defensive coordinator, but hey, we won. That’s all that matters.”
Dawson was 27-of-39 passing for 446 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. Tyler Rudolph caught 12 passes for 219 yards and scored four times, while Tiron Ferris scored three rushing touchdowns. Courie Stevenson also caught 10 passes for 150 yards.
Petteway added to Rivers’ totals with 127 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and he tossed a touchdown to Jadan Battle.
The third quarter alone was a 35-22 score in favor of the Hearts. WCA held a 495-492 advantage in yards from scrimmage. Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech held three separate leads of nine points each and was up, 57-42, with 2:42 left in the third.
“It’s kind of difficult when they’re just going back and forth,” Rivers said, “but somebody has to win.”