Sports
Nonnewaug Chiefs Stun Notre Dame Prep With Late Comeback Win
Robert Metcalfe's 29-yard catch-and-run from Brady Herman with 17 seconds left to play seals the win for Nonnewaug, which improves to 5-0.
WOODBURY, CT — The Nonnewaug Chiefs Co-op football team staged a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback Friday night, erasing an 11-point deficit to edge Notre Dame Prep, 35–32.
With Notre Dame threatening to make it a three-score game early in the fourth, Chiefs senior linebacker Sean Crawford turned the tide.
Crawford wrestled the ball away from a Lancers receiver at the goal line and sprinted 100 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 32–27.
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That play sparked a wild final quarter. After both teams went three-and-out, Scott Viveros’ punt was muffed by a Notre Dame returner. As a Lancer player dove for the loose ball, Nonnewaug center Rocco Varrone managed to swat it away, allowing Julian Ocasio to recover for the Chiefs.
Moments later, facing 4th-and-5 from the Notre Dame 40, quarterback Brady Herman connected with running back Davion Joe on a leaping sideline catch to move the chains.
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Two plays later, Herman found Robert Metcalfe for a 29-yard catch-and-run touchdown with just 17 seconds remaining. Joe added a 2-point conversion for the final 35–32 margin.
On the ensuing kickoff, Metcalfe’s squib kick deflected off a Notre Dame player and was downed at the Lancers’ 21-yard line. Nonnewaug’s defense held firm, with Jaxx Willey recording back-to-back sacks on the final two plays to secure the victory.
The win keeps the Chiefs undefeated at 5-0 under first-year head coach Scott Lynch and at the top of the CIAC Class SS standings midway through the season.
Nonnewaug, playing an independent 10-game Alliance schedule this year, has a short turnaround with a Thursday night game at Cheney Tech in Manchester.
Notre Dame Prep 6 14 12 0 — 32
Nonnewaug 7 14 0 14 — 35
ND - Ja’cari Harris 6 run (kick failed)
N - Davion Joe 6 run (Robert Metcalfe kick)
ND - LJ Richardson 1 run (run failed)
N - Davion Joe 26 pass from Brady Herman (Derek Chung pass from Herman)
ND - Harris 4 run (Nathan Derisme pass from Richardson)
N - Chung 9 pass from Herman (run failed)
ND - Harris 18 run (pass failed)
ND - Bryant Tarczali 32 pass from Richardson (run failed)
N - Sean Crawford 100 INT return (pass failed)
N - Metcalfe 29 pass from Herman (Joe run)
