Indians’ Football Beats Sheehan, 28-14; Volleyball, Girls’ Soccer Playing in States This Week
Football
The North Haven football team evened its record at 4-4 after earning a 28-14 victory against Sheehan on Senior Night at Vanacore Field on Nov. 8. It was the first loss of the year for the Titans, who came into the game with a record of 6-0.
Senior Albert Hooks ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries for North Haven, which rushed for 403 yards as a team. Both of Hooks’s TDs came in the second half as North Haven snapped a 14-14 tie by scoring the last two touchdowns of the night.
Senior Max Augustine scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give North Haven an early lead versus Sheehan. Junior Chase DiCarlo kicked the extra point to make it 7-0 with 3:57 to play in the first quarter.
Later in the quarter, the Titans used a 23-yard TD pass to tie the score at 7-7 with 1:30 remaining. Following a scoreless second quarter, North Haven and Sheehan went to halftime locked in a 7-7 tie.
North Haven started the second half by kicking a surprise onside kick, and senior captain Joe Vitale recovered the ball to give the Indians good field position. On North Haven’s subsequent drive, senior Justin White ran for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Indians up 14-7 with 8:30 left in the third quarter. Just 26 seconds later, Sheehan scored on a 52-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14-14.
Hooks scored his first touchdown on a 25-yard rush to give North Haven a 21-14 lead with 3:51 to go in the third. Nine seconds into the fourth quarter, Hooks broke off a 45-yard TD run to give the Indians some insurance. DiCarlo kicked his fourth extra point of the game to make it 28-14 in favor of North Haven.
Augustine had 14 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown for the Indians. White ran 11 times for 94 yards and a TD.
On defense, Hooks and senior captain Luke Maruca each recorded one sack. Maruca also forced a pair of fumbles for North Haven. Vitale and Augustine both had a fumble recovery in the win. Vitale also made nine tackles on the night.
North Haven’s next game will be an SCC Tier 1 matchup at Xavier (4-4, 2-2) on Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
Volleyball
North Haven opened play in the Class L State Tournament this week. The Indians (10-10), who are the No. 22 seed, played a first-round match at No. 11 seed Fitch on Nov. 11 (after press time). If North Haven wins that match, it will face the winner of No. 6 Masuk and No. 27 Brookfield in the second round at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14. The quarterfinals are on Saturday, Nov. 16; the semis take place on Wednesday, Nov. 20; and the championship match is at East Haven High School at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Girls’ Soccer
The Indians are the No. 27 seed in the Class L State Tournament and began the draw by playing at No. 6 Guilford in the first round on Nov. 12 (after press time). If North Haven (5-8-3) wins, it will play either No. 11 E.O. Smith or No. 24 Law in a second-round matchup on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. The quarterfinals will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16; the semifinals are on either Tuesday, Nov. 19 or Wednesday, Nov. 20; and the Class L final will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23.