Trap game doesn’t snare Naugy

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WATERBURY — It was a classic trap-game opportunity for the Naugatuck High football game. One week after an emotional, comeback victory to remain undefeated, one week before a crucial game for a division championship.

The Greyhounds weren’t having any of it.

Ricardo Montanez made three of Naugy’s five interceptions, and Mike Plasky threw four touchdown passes as the ‘Hounds routed Crosby, 61-14, last Friday at Jimmy Lee Stadium.

Montanez picked off Crosby’s Al Klenja three times and caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Plasky to give Naugatuck (7-0) an early 7-0 lead.

“(It) was all about preparation and execution,” Montanez said. “We prepared so well in practice and this was the end result. It’s a really good feeling.”

Montanez was far from the only impact player for the Greyhounds. Elijah Robinson caught Plasky’s other three touchdown passes on grabs of 55, 31 and 35 yards, Doreon Chapman carried seven times for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and Jayden Anderson scored on an 18-yard run.

John Mezzo also hit Ty Coney for a 44-yard touchdown late in the game. Coney and Nick Boudreau recorded the other interceptions for Naugy.

Plasky completed nine of 19 passes for 210 yards and an interception. Robinson caught four of those passes for 130 yards.

“We’re getting a lot of contributions,” Naugatuck coach Dave Sollazzo said. “When guys are getting in the game, they’re getting it done and making plays. The kids played hard to the last snap.”

Naugatuck was coming off a 27-13 win over Watertown in a game the Greyhounds trailed, 13-0. The ‘Hounds held a Crosby team that had averaged 49.7 points per game during a three-game winning streak to just one offensive touchdown.

Naugy boasts the Naugatuck Valley League’s second-best defense, allowing 13.9 points per game. The Greyhounds will be challenged again this Friday against Wolcott (4-3), a team that has won two straight after dealing with injuries earlier in the season.

The Eagles are coming off a 58-34 win over Oxford and have scored 122 points in their last two contests. They’re led by one of the NVL’s best dual-threat quarterbacks in Mike Polzella, who combined for 385 total yards and six touchdowns in last week’s game.

“This is the best team we have faced all season,” Sollazzo said. “They have speed and experience. They play as a team.”

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at Veterans Field. Naugatuck can clinch the NVL Iron Division championship with a victory. It can also improve upon its state playoff positioning. Naugy is ranked third in Class LL. The top eight teams qualify.

The Republican-American contributed to this article.