November 22, 2006City Champs Ready for Wiltonfrom The Stamford Times STAMFORD — So this is what a war room looks like. Vinny Cortese stood beside the center table amid coaches and teammates while on the wall behind him game footage flashes in the low-lit, low-ceilinged room that has become central command for football preparations and, in Cortese's case on the afternoon of Nov. 17, for the construction of highlight tapes to send out to colleges. "This one is going out to Northeastern, but there are others for Hofstra and Army," said Cortese, a senior linebacker and guard for the Crusaders. As of last Friday, though, Cortese and the rest of the players on Trinity's roster had their Thanksgiving match-up against Wilton to occupy the majority of their time. College tapes could wait, playing the Warriors couldn't. This year's game marks the second Thanksgiving Day meeting between the schools. Lining up opposite a team from outside the city cast the game in a different light than the one that shone on Stamford-Westhill. Trinity head coach Bryan Fox said that while he'd like to face a Stamford school, the logistics of three teams in one city presents obvious scheduling impossibilities. Playing a heavyweight FCIAC opponent also has its allure, despite the geographic drawbacks. "We'd love to have a rotation system where every other year we'd play a Stamford team on Thanksgiving," said Fox. "It would be more of rivalry game because the kids know each other and it would be a 'big name' game for both schools, but we're happy to be playing on Thanksgiving against Wilton because they're a good football team, and we're a good football team." The Warriors were the better football team in 2005. Wilton defeated Trinity in Stamford 20-0 in 2005. Wilton rushed for 213 yards in the game and limited the Crusaders to just 87 yards of offense. Still, the Crusaders weren't out for revenge in 2006. They wanted to win surely, but as Fox said six days before the contest, the revenge theme can be prolonged ad nauseam and didn't figure into his pre-game planning. "I don't know how important that really is because you can play the revenge game forever, with any team you beat or lose to, year after year," said Fox. "We try to go 1-0 each week. We put everything we've got into that week's game and we don't worry about the past. We only worry about the next play." Entering Thursday's game, the Crusaders had succeeded more often than not in achieving that 1-0 weekly record. From 2-8 in 2004 to 5-5 in 2005, Trinity stepped onto the field at Wilton High School on Thanksgiving with a 6-3 record for a year that began with lofty expectations for the improving squad. Meeting those expectations proved difficult, but the progress of the team in the last three seasons has been nothing short of impressive. "It starts with the guys," said Fox. "These seniors have been with me and the rest of the coaching staff through some difficult times. Though I hate to say it, maybe going 2-8 helped us. The hard knocks we took that season have left a bitter taste in our mouths. And then going 5-5, which isn't a record that anyone looks to have, we saw a lot of good things come together for us. We hope we can continue this process with the group coming up." Making the playoffs remained a possibility, however slight and unlikely, for Trinity, but barring an almost unfathomable series of fortunate turns, the Crusaders football season ended on Thursday. Wilton, with its 7-2 record, had greater control of their postseason fate. If the Crusaders needed additional motivation, they could find it in preventing the Warriors from continuing their season. "It will be a nice feeling to get on the bus for the ride home knowing that they're not going anywhere too," said Cortese. To that end, coaches and players have been spending extra time in the bowels of their school. The locker room, fitness area and coaches offices were palpable with anxious anticipation, even with the video loop to which one linebacker will pinion his hopes of playing college ball. The objective was simple for the Crusaders against Wilton: stick with what's worked so far, remember their assignments and keep the opponent from executing its game plan. All of that is easier written than done, but Trinity's coaches and players were dogged in the run-up to the game. "We've been preparing for their option. We know they've got a big line and a linebacker named Millers. We just have to play tough, run hard and block," said Eric Stephens, a senior captain, fullback and defensive end. Stephens and Cortese were among the team's 17 seniors in 2006. Twenty of the 22 starting positions were held by players in the final year, with John O'Leary, a junior, the only starter due to return in 2007. The loss of this year's seniors will present significant challenges for Fox and his coaches come next autumn. Assets to the Crusaders on the field and off, the seniors have grown together as a team in the past three trying and at times turbulent seasons. "They're going to be a big loss, not only in terms of talent but these are guys we've been through the wars with," said Fox. "I'm going to miss them come Friday. That's the same anywhere. If you asked coaches why they do it, 95 percent of them will tell you it's for the relationships they have with their kids. That's the most important thing. It's what makes this job fun." Winning games can be a lot of fun too, but Fox stopped short of casting a hard-and-fast prediction last week. "I hope we end up with one more point on the scoreboard than they do," said Fox. "7-3 sounds a lot nicer than 6-4."
 Big senior defensive tackle Vladimir Joseph swims by an offensive lineman in a 28-20 home victory over Fairfield Ludlowe on October 29, 2005. (CrusaderNation.net / Dana Maul)
 Junior defensive tackle Santiago "Teggy" Steele wraps up a Darien
rusher as his
 Junior center Cory Johnson prepares to snap the ball to fellow classmate
 The Crusader offensive line pushes Bassick around in the mud. The
Crusaders
 Senior wideout Rob Hawthorn races downfield to block as junior fullback
Eric Stephens
 2005 All-FCIAC East Offense Row 1, Left to Right: Eric Wells, Bassick; Willie Epps, McMahon;
Pete Raymond,
 2005 All-FCIAC East Defense Row 1, Left to Right: Joe Luchesi, Danbury; Greg Sabo, Danbury; James
Taylor, Danbury;
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