Arkeel Newsome rushed for 324 yards and six touchdowns in Ansonia’s 48-20 win over Torrington in last year’s season opener at Jarvis Stadium. The teams meet Friday night.
We caught some flak last year for pumping up the Ansonia-Torrington Week 1 game as one of the premier matchups in the state, then having the actual game be a dud (in fairness, all of Ansonia’s games last season were duds). So we decided there was no need to make more out of this game than we are, which is our first Game of the Week and is presented by DF Builders.
Remmy’s Keys to the Game: It’s safe to say Arkeel Newsome will get his touches. What’s not guaranteed is that Torrington will have the army on defense to be able to stop Newsome from running wild. Playing from behind is something Ansonia has not experienced since last season (when Holy Cross scored the first touchdown at Jarvis Stadium). Torrington will get a bit of an edge if it can score first in this game. It will take the pressure off of everyone on the Torrington side and will put some pressure on the Chargers. Ansonia has been hampered by injuries and with a new offensive line, it will be interesting to see how those new guys respond to being down by a score. Newsome is an outstanding running back, but even he cannot run around an 11-man defense without key blocks. I expect Torrington to blitz early and often until Ansonia realizes it can take some chances downfield by utilizing its speed at tight end (Raeshaun Finney) and wide receiver (Andrew Matos).
Kyle’s Keys to the Game: The most interesting facets of this year’s Ansonia-Torrington game have nothing to do with Newsome, because we all know he’s going to get his. I’m looking at what Torrington does with its skill players and what the Chargers do on the offensive line and defense. The Red Raiders actually probably have the advantage in the offensive line in this game with several returning linemen, including Brad Brown and Zach McNutt, while Ansonia’s linemen are all new and banged up. Torrington will have to do a great job up front to give Joan Toribio some room on the ground and allow the Raiders to sustain some drives. I don’t think the Chargers will get the ridiculous pressure into the backfield they got last season so Phil Bresson might have a shot to air it out every once in a while. I think overall this season Torrington will throw more than it has in recent years but testing the talented secondary in this game will be difficult. The Red Raiders can’t turn over the ball (and have to try to rip a few fumbles away from Newsome) and an interception is obviously a huge game-changer. Long drives for Torrington will allow its defense to rest and really give everything they have against Newsome. If the Raiders’ defense finds itself on the field too much, Newsome will see a lot of the end zone.
Remmy’s Players to Watch: No one will be surprised if Arkeel Newsome has a big game. I’m going to go with a couple of other PTPers, though. Keep an eye out for Ansonia quarterback Jai’Quan McKnight and his target at tight end, Raeshaun Finney. Ansonia has the ability to catch Torrington off-guard with a fake dive/power and having McKnight pop a few over the middle to Finney for big-time gains. On the Torrington side, quarterback Phil Bresson and wide receiver Desmond Langs are due for big-time performances. Running back Joan Toribio will get his fair share of yardage. But I expect Ansonia to contain him for the most part. This means Bresson will be forced to throw the rock to Langs. The Torrington offensive line should be able to give Bresson adequate time in the pocket for him to be able to deliver strikes to his wide receiver corps.
Kyle’s Players to Watch: I think an interesting matchup in this game will be how well the Torrington offensive line handles the Ansonia linebackers. We know how much the Chargers like to send a little pressure from that level and there’s no reason for us to think they’ll do otherwise. Ansonia still has strong players there, including Ryan O’Connor, Hezekiah Duncan, and Ephram Collins, and I think they’ll be huge in either stopping or allowing the Torrington running game to have success. Brad Brown and Zach McNutt will need to have great games and win way more battles than they lose. I don’t buy into anyone other than Newsome having a large role in the offense for Ansonia, so the Ansonia offensive line will really get to show its worth. Jh’mel Trammell is the only player on the line with any sort of considerable experience (and it comes on the other side) but we know how the Chargers turn over linemen. I’m also interested to see how well some of Torrington’s defenders play, if they’re healthy. Dan Schebell has a chance to be a really solid linebacker if his body allows him. If he can get a little pressure into the Ansonia backfield, it could jar Newsome a little and allow someone else to make a play.
We have to figure all the questions asked about Ansonia throughout the offseason have only served to motivate those guys a little. While not everyone knows all the names on the team right now, that doesn’t mean the new linemen and defenders aren’t Ansonia-good. The Chargers’ defense probably won’t be as stifling as it was throughout last season so Torrington will have a shot to stay in the game if it doesn’t waste any possessions. But Newsome is still coming out of Ansonia’s backfield and it’s tough to see the Raiders’ defense stopping him enough to win.
Picks: Remmy- Ansonia, 35-26. Kyle- Ansonia, 51-20.
The Week 1 Game of the Week is presented by DF Builders. DF Builders provides any and all home improvement you need, inside and outdoors. Whether it’s a new addition, a new deck, home repair or even snow plowing (sooner than you think!), DF Builders can do it all. Call 203-218-1394 for free estimates from a fully licensed and insured company. DF Builders is proud to sponsor the NVL Football Blog!
Top 5 reasons Torrington wins:
5. Front 7 on Torrington is tenacious and nasty vs new o-line.
4. Torrington coaches haven’t been throwing stones at the hornets nest this year. Nice and quiet.
3. Torrington has no single star power. Worked hard on multiple threats all preseason.
2. Torrington staff and players believe anything can happen based on Thanksgiving last year!!!
Number 1 reason Torrington wins is…For some inexplicable reason Newsome gets homesick halfway up the trip to Torrington on RTE 8 and jumps off the bus!
This game is NOT going to be as close as people think. The bottom line is this: Newsome, McKnight and Matos are way too much for Torrington handle. They cannot match up with any of these players. We need to remember, Ansonia does not rebuild, they reload. If you think going into last year that Brockett didn’t know he was losing all 5 linemen then you are NUTS. These new guys up front will be prepared and ready to pave the way for Newsome and McKnight. Torrington is big but they are sloppy. They don’t have the athletes to compete against Ansonia. Also, unless Torrington has drastically improved their pass game they will be their usual one dimensional self and get stuffed in the box.
I know he is hurt but if Lester was playing it would be a blood bath in favor of AHS. BTW, I hope Lester is doing well and can get healthy enough to come back this year. He is a good kid and a special player.
That being said, I hope I am WRONG. I would love nothing more than to see an actual competitive game. It would be great for the league if this was a 4 quarter battle in which Ansonia had to play for all 48 minutes instead of watching Torrington score on their JV’s.
Lango, the Torrington coaches have been hard at work and quiet. Unfortunately, many of the Torrington players have been providing PLENTY of bulletin board on twitter. I hope they can back up their talk….
If I was a coach my players would be banned from social media. It will do nothing good for your program except provide some good bulletin board material for the pre-game. They should have learned their lesson from last year’s ass whooping.
I agree. I’m sure if the Torrington coaches saw the tweets, he would be very unhappy with his players.
I heard this through the grapevine and for heaven’s sake I hope it’s untrue but THS put up 23 TDs on Emmett in a recent scrimmage and the coaches & players were yelling, “This is what we will do to the other team from Ansonia!” Just what I heard!
Maybe I can try to work on putting together a scrolling Twitter window that pulls in tweets from as many NVL players as we can find. There’s some serious talk going on out there. I sort of wish they brought it here.
I’m definitely not posting any. I’ve seen some crazy stuff on Twitter so far this week! Too crazy to even post on the blog!
Also, this morning’s links of interest:
Red Zone Show (with Mike, the Jaffman and me): http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/09/13/redzone/videos/doc50515567dca1e014004561.txt
Jaffee’s game story from last night: http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/09/13/sports/redzone/669452.txt
Kyle,
Are you kidding me with this Wolcott at #4 shit? Please take a look at the actual results from their schedule a year ago. They beat nobody. The real teams they played put it on them pretty good and then they backed into the playoffs because another team lost. They gave up a ton of points in their losses and A LOT of yards on the ground in their losses. Until this team actually beats a solid team I am NOT sold on them. If Woodland knew how to hang onto the football they would have beat Wolcott by 2 scores a year ago. I believe Woodlands RB also ran for 300+ last year against them. Beating a Pequot team in OT does not count as a quality win. I saw a t-shirt in Wolcott the other day that said “2011 Playoffs – Shock The World” on it. You want to shock the world, then beat Ansonia OR Holy Cross.
They bring back a lot of quality players and should be playing with plenty of confidence this season.
It will come down to the defense and whether Mike Nicol decides to throw when a pass play is called instead of tucking and running at the first sign of pressure.
We’ll start to see next week just how well Wolcott stacks up against the top teams in the league.
OK, I will give you that.
BTW, this new blog is awesome. I can’t believe the number of sponsors you guys have obtained. Great job.
Thanks, CC. We’re glad we’ve had this much support from all fronts.
I will say, however, that Wolcott does have one of the best young coaching staffs in the NVL. Pace is a great leader and Cornelio is one of the best young offensive minds in the NVL in my opinion.
Ansonia steamrolls Torrington, right? “not so fast my friend” this isn’t 2011 and Torrington has some weapons. ” But I heard Torrington got hammered by New London” Don’t fool yourself into thinking Torrington’s loss to New London was telling. They played without 6 or 7 starters and still showed they can move the ball. What you did see though was Torrington’s overall team speed on defense can be its Achilles Heel. Torrington has been quiet because they believe that they have the horses to win. Sounds similar to last year doesn’t it? Ansonia respects Torrington so their not gonna catch them sleeping. If Torrington has plans of representing the NVL in the playoffs here’s their audition. So who wins?
Contrary to what Kyle might think, theres no way Ansonia will be able to force feed Newsome against QUALITY defensive fronts this time around. Ansonia will start the day with the same old same while the coaches check the D and it’s flow. Once they get a feel for what Torrington’s plan is its showtime. Having a group of athletes like this is a defensive coordinators nightmare. Players have to be disciplined, they have to stay home and trust their teammates. There’s so much more field to defend and if you can’t match up your kick return team will be getting a workout. If Newsome gets off early call FEMA.
I think Torrington has a similar plan offensively. They will start the game establishing the run with both the RB and QB. Play action passing and quick three step routes will be a big part of Torrington’s plan too.
I just can’t see Torrington having consistent success on either side of the ball. They will have their moments, but their going up against a very good Ansonia team.
Ansonia 35-20
Captain – I think the difference maker is going to Matos, NOT Newsome. Matos is a match up nightmare. He is big, strong, fast and a very gifted athlete. I would not be surprised if he end sup with 2-3 TD’s. I also think McKnight is a lot beter than people think. My question for him is can he handle the pressure of a Friday night as a sophomore QB? I still think AHS by 2-3 scores. Too much for Torring to defend plus I believe AHS has better coaching and can/will make adjustments if they need to. I am not sure Torrington has the staff to make the necessary adjustments IF this is a close game.
I disagree. While Matos is a big-play threat and an outstanding athlete (size and speed), I think the 2012 Chargers’ most under-the-radar player is without a doubt Raeshaun Finney. Remember, he is a WR playing TE. He’s going to create a hell-of-a-lot of match-up problems for linebackers with his size and speed.
If he is a converted WR then he might have trouble in the run blocking game. I just see Matos as a serious threat. He can really do it all. I heard there might be some “wildcat” packages where he lines up at QB. It sure is a nice problem to have…ALL THESE WEAPONS. All I know is this, Torrington better not lay another egg like last year.
He’s a thin dude, but I think he will be fine. He is a very physical player on defense and I think with his intensity, he’ll be fine at TE. Like I said, Finney at TE just makes Ansonia’s offense that much more versatile. If Newsome can’t break a 70-yarder for a TD every game, it won’t be because of Finney’s inability to block on the line-of-scrimmage. Chances are, it will be because some of the other lineman missed blocks. I think they’ll be fine there.
Finney is 6’3″ 200lbs – he’s bigger some NVL linemen. Blocking won’t be an issue. That being said, I believe Matos IS a bigger threat overall. BUT, Finney will find the end zone – he’s just a monster target with great hands. And against LB’s or Safeties… it’ll be game over much of the time.
We all know Ansonia has a ton of weapons. We’ll just need to see how the O and D lines come together.
In my limited opinion how can Newsome not be the turning point. He is one of the elite high school backs around. The Blue will do what it always do. Everyone who expects them to change from that is making a mistake. Torrington will have to be very good at a lot of positions to impact Ansonia enough to throw first and run second.
The change I expect isn’t with more passing, it has more to do with McKnights envolvement as an athlete. If he’s successful in keeping Torringtons DE’s home or if he can get the attention of their LB’s, Newsome will torch them.
Torrington has a chance to win if:
1. They don’t turn the ball over
2. Keep penalties to a minimum
3. Win on first down (stay out of 2nd and 3rd and long)
4. Win time of posession to limit Newsome’s touches.
5. Handle AHS defense playing man coverage and bringing 6 man pressure
all game long.
Newsome is going to get his yards and likely break a long run or two. Will Ttown go in the tank when that happens or will they clear it and play hard?
Let the game begin!
The most underrated player on Ansonia is E. Collins. I believe tonight this kid solidifies himself as the best MLB in the NVL. He will be in Bressons face all night and has the speed to get sideline to sideline with any back. Look for O’Conner to get his hands on a ball or two when Torrington goes play action up top.
Collins is good. But you can’t tell me Finney won’t have his chances on defense. Is Dunaj really going to throw to Newsome’s side? Newsome will cover Langs and if Newsome needs help, expect double-coverage with McKnight helping there. You’ll have Finney likely opposite Newsome (at DE or corner). Finney will have his opportunities at intercepting some balls. They’ll be going his way.
Finney will stay at DE and Matos will be the next to cover a WR. They won’t double anyone all year. What they will do is go to a cover 2 look if a team goes 4 wide and they can get pressure without sending a extra backer. McKnight or Matos will play the opposite corner.
O’Conner is as good a safety as there is, he just makes plays.
For those, like myself, who can’t make it to T-town. The game is being streamed live on here:
or here:
http://www.ciac.tv/
Awesome.
Great heads-up. I’ll post this on the main page.
No problem. Enjoy the festivities boys. Tonight is like Christmas morning for Valley football fans. Wish junior and I could be there but Fall baseball practice stymied those plans.
Go Chargers!!!