October 14, 2007Crusaders Get First Victiory 55-34from The Stamford Advocate STAMFORD-When you defeat a team that's lost 60 straight games there's probably no call for a big celebration. But when you're Trinity Catholic, it's your homecoming, and it's your first win of the season, the victory is mighty sweet. "I told my team before the game this was the most nerve-racking game for me because I had to take a different approach completely," said Trinity senior John O'Leary. "Instead of worrying about winning, this one you had to be worried about losing." There was no need to fret. Trinity blew out to a 34-7 lead and coasted to a 55-34 victory, playing reserves for the entire second half. Five different players scored touchdowns for the Crusaders, now 1-4 in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference. "It's good to finally get that first win," Trinity coach Bryan Fox said. "I thought they (Bassick) were well-coached and capable of doing some stuff. I was concerned going in. I thought it was going to be a battle." It wasn't, although Bassick, which holds the state record for consecutive losses, never quit. "We're getting better every week. That's all I can ask for," Bassick coach Dennis Wanzie said, looking on the bright side. Scoring on all six first-half possessions, Trinity dominated the Lions (0-5), outgaining them 352 to 83 in first-half yards. Stephen Scalero started and threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Alex Santos, before O'Leary relieved him and fired two more. A Santos interception, one of three Crusader picks of Bassick quarterback George Infante, helped set up Catholic's second touchdown, a five-yard run by junior fullback Nick Cortese. \O'Leary, who has missed a good part of the season with a shoulder injury, came on after his team had taken a 14-0 lead and threw touchdown passes of six and 48 yards to Brian Hubbert and Santos, respectively. The six-yarder came on a bootleg that baffled the Bassick defense, while the 48-yard bomb came with just 28 seconds left in the half as Santos got behind the Lions secondary. O'Leary, a 6-foot-5-inch senior who has been hobbled by a separated shoulder, was cleared by the doctor and said his shoulder felt good during the game. But Fox elected to start Scalero, a junior, instead. "We just didn't have enough snaps with him (O'Leary). I felt more comfortable with the guy who's been starting in there," Fox said. Asked who would start next week against Fairfield Ludlowe, the Trinity coach replied, "Probably O'Leary. It depends on how his shoulder feels. As long as there's no pain." According to Fox, Scalero accepts the idea of O'Leary replacing him at quarterback. "He's a defensive kid. He'd rather play safety. But if you move him to quarterback he's fine with that, too." Both passers were effective against Bassick. Scalero was two-for-three for 48 yards and O'Leary three-for-four for 67 yards. Down 28-7 after Cortese's second five-yard touchdown run, Bassick had minus 11 yards in offense to that point. The Lions' touchdown came on a 73-yard kickoff return by Jordan Smith. Smith was Bassick's star, adding second-half touchdowns on a 16-yard pass from Infante and a 79-yard run. Trinity led 41-14 at halftime and quickly took the wind out of the Lions on the second-half kickoff when Hubbard pried the ball out of the hands of the return man and raced 23 yards for a touchdown. Hubbard also had an interception to go with his two touchdowns. Senior Carlos Romero scored on a six-yard run for Catholic, and sophomore Jayme Antonetti tacked on a one-yard plunge as the reserves mopped up. "We needed this," O'Leary said. "We lost three games late. We deserved a few wins. We've got to keep rolling now." That might be easier now with him back in the lineup. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.
 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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