West Haven Falls To Greenwich In Class LL Football Championship

NEW BRITAIN, CT — Led by quarterback M.J. D’Angelo and a dominant defense, the Greenwich football team defeated West Haven 14-0 in the Class LL championship game Saturday night at Arute Field at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain.

It was the second title in three years, and 10th overall, for third-seeded Greenwich (11-2).

For No. 5 West Haven (10-3), it was another painful loss at Arute Field after the Westies returned to the Class LL championship for the second year in a row. West Haven suffered a devastating 21-20 loss to Staples in last year’s title game after being stopped on a 2-point conversion.

D’Angelo, a senior quarterback, dominated the game for Greenwich with his running and finished with more than 200 yards rushing.

After a scoreless first quarter, D’Angelo gave Greenwich the lead with a beautiful fake handoff that had looked like a stop in the backfield, but turned into a 58-yard touchdown run.

West Haven couldn’t get anything going against Greenwich offensively and was forced to punt on its first five possessions of the game.

West Haven quarterback Nick Conlan and receiver Tahmayn Thompson connected on a couple of long completions in the first quarter, but both were called back on penalties.

The Westies were moving the ball near the end of the second quarter, but Greenwich’s Noah Steele came up with a big interception on a long pass from Conlan to thwart the threat.

D’Angelo took over the game with his running in the third quarter.

While the teams were kept off the scoreboard in the third quarter, D’Angelo marched the Cardinals deep into West Haven territory as time expired.

D’Angelo opened the fourth quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run and give Greenwich a 14-0 lead.

Conlan and West Haven responded by hurrying up the offense and getting as close as the Greenwich 21-yard line.

But the Greenwich defense responded, and a huge sack on third-and-9 sent West Haven back to the Cardinal 33-yard-line.

After a turnover on downs, D’Angelo kept running and winding down the clock for Greenwich, and the eventual 14-0 final.

West Haven, which lost to Greenwich 24-6 in the first week of the season, defeated Glastonbury, 6-0, and Fairfield Prep, 42-7, on its way to the championship game.

The Westies' last championship was in 2002, when they defeated Greenwich 20-13.