Blue Wave Rolls Over Bassick

Once the Blue Wave stopped shooting itself in the foot on Saturday—and the calf, and the knee, and the hamstring as well—and finally got their act together, they rolled over Bassick for a 47-0 win. 

Darien scored midway through the first quarter when quarterback George Benitez, on a couple of keepers took the ball to the Bassick 25-yard. On the next play, he rolled right and completed a pass to Andrew Winter which put the ball on the 12-yard line. Bobby Nolan ran it to the 7-yard line and Benitez, with some strong blocking took it in around left end for the score. It was 7—0 Wave after one quarter.

In the second quarter a series of penalties to both teams slowed play considerably. Neither team could get in gear or establish any kind of rhythm, but once Darien stopped hurting itself with flags and whistles they started to control the game.

Starting at their own 7-yard line, Graham Maybell got some running room on a misdirection and took it to midfield. Then Michael Wohlberg ran for nine yards to the 40 -ard line. Benitez followed that with a completion to Jake Weill to the 3- yard line. Two plays later Nolan took it up the gut for the score. With 1:30 left in the half, Darien led 13—0. On a fourth down for Bassick, Coach Rob Trifone called for the punt block.

"This was the turning point in the game. It gave us a big lift, not to mention the score," said Trifone.

On a bad snap, with a host of Darien players in the backfield, the blue Wave recovered a fumble on the 8-yard line with :22 left. It was enough time for Benitez to hook up with Clay Barker for a touchdown. They got two more points for a 21—0 halftime lead.

Bassick was forced to punt on their first possession in the second half after they were called for two successive penalties: 12 men on the field, followed by an illegal substitution. It didn't take long for Darien to make them pay. After Nolan ran the ball to their own 35-yard line, Benitez, on a keeper, ran 65 yards for another touchdown and a 28—0 lead with 5:40 left in the quarter.

On Bassick's next possession Philip Schwartz "stayed home" and intercepted a sideline pass, and took it to the 1-yard line. Nolan waltzed in on the next play and it was 34—0 after three quarters. 

Nolan also scored the next touchdown when he ran it in from the home team's 34-yard line to make it 41—0. With reserves playing, Curry Harmon took advantage of another bad snap by Bassick in a punt situation. Harmon scooped up the loose ball and scored the final touchdown of the day. Final score: Darien 41, Bassick 0.

"We're still alive for the States. We've got Westhill and Norwalk before we play New Canaan on Thanksgiving Day," said Trifone. "It's really a one game at a time situation."

Next up for Blue is a 2 p.m. home game against Saturday, Nov. 7 against Westhill.

Note: Saturday's Bassick game was played at Bridgeport Central which caused most fans as well as the Blue Wave cheerleaders to arrive late. They were rewarded with a win.