Ireland Wins First As Norwalk Holds Off Danbury

The Norwalk football team gave new coach Sean Ireland a thrilling victory in his debut.

The Bears turned back Danbury on a fourth-and-goal with under two minutes remaining Friday to hold on for a 20-14 victory over the Hatters.

Norwalk grabbed  a 20-14 lead on Tomar Joseph's 1-yard TD run late in the third quarter, and the teams played a scoreless fourth quarter.

Norwalk opened the scoring on Andre Cork's 1-yard TD run in the first quarter that was matched in the second period by a 1-yard TD plunge by Danbury's Austin Calitro.

Derek Edwards returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards to give the Bears a 12-7 lead.

Danbury grabbed a 14-12 halftime lead on Garin Mooney's 40-yard TD pass to Corey Chafee.

Norwalk corner Andy St.
Fleur swooped in to deny a Danbury comeback in an FCIAC opener packed with
thrills. St. Fleur's breakup of Mooney's fourth and goal missile intended for a
seemingly wide open Aaron
Dixon with 1:32 remaining sealed the Bears' 20-14 win in coach Sean
Ireland's debut.

Senior option quarterback
Delshawn
Wilson proved an electric weapon in his first start at the position, but his
own fourth down misfire led to Danbury's furious, last-ditch march.

Danbury senior
linebacker-running back Austin
Calitro (12 carries, 50 yards, touchdown) leapt with one hand to pick Wilson
with under four minutes remaining, and Mooney promptly connected with James
"Speedy" Harrington with a 64-yard bomb on the ensuing play.

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph had given the Bears the lead
with a 1-yard tumble with six seconds remaining in the third quarter, but
neither team had mustered a score in the fourth when the Hatters took over.
Calitro pounded the ball inside the 10-yard line but the Hatters' drive would
stall. St. Fleur's knockdown effectively ended it with Danbury out
of timeouts.

"It was just rewarding for us," Ireland -- who
previously served as the Bears' offensive coordinator -- said of St. Fleur's
denial. "All the hard work our kids put in over the summer, they were just
excited. They knew we're a good team. This is a tough place to play and the
crowd was into it. This is a very good win."

From the Danbury sideline,
coach Dan
Donovan thought his team had dialed up the perfect play to complete their
rally -- and it wasn't even the obvious look .

"It looked like we had who we wanted open in the
corner of the end zone," Donovan said. "I'll go back and look at the film but I
believe he was. He was our primary read, but you just have to go with what
happens. (St. Fleur) made a great play. Aaron Dixon was open early and (St.
Fleur) did a nice job."

Norwalk struck first when
Andre
Cork walked in from a yard out with 5:25 left in the first but had their
extra point try blocked. Danbury answered early in the second when Calitro broke
the plane with his second-effort plunge, but the lead would be short-lived.
Norwalk's Derek
Edward fielded a bounding ball on the ensuing kickoff at his own 15-yard
line and zipped 85 yards untouched up the near sideline to put the Bears back
in front.

Mooney (8-for-17, 153
yards, touchdown, three interceptions) underthrew a wide open Corey
Chaffee midway through the second when the junior receiver slipped behind
the Norwalk secondary, but the Hatters gave the play another go late in the
half. This time, Chaffee beat his man, secured the ball with his toes just
inside the sidelined and scampered in to give the Hatters a 14-12 lead.

Wilson (20 carries, 56 yards) ran it up the gut for
two points on Joseph's winning touchdown.

NORWALK 6 6 8 0 -- 20

DANBURY 0 14 0 0 -- 14

Records: Norwalk 1-0; Danbury 0-1.

Scoring: N -- Andre Cork 1 run (kick failed)

D -- Austin Calitro 1 run (Ben Berry kick)

N -- Derek Edwards 85 kick return (pass failed)

D -- Corey Chaffee 40 pass from Garin Mooney (Ben
Berry kick)

N -- Tomar
Joseph 1 run (Delshawn Wilson run)

Read more: http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Norwalk-holds-off-Danbury-for-thrilling-road-win-2175045.php#ixzz1YB3m2AyD