Orange Live

Amity Quarterback James Semmonella runs the ball against Sheehan Sept. 21.

By PHIL BRODSKY

Orange Live Sports Writer

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Racking up 577 yards of total offense (543 on the ground) and scoring the first three times it had possession of the football, Amity went on to steam roll Sheehan High of Wallingford 58-14 Friday night. The Southern Connecticut Conference inter-divisional game was played at Bill Johnson Field in Woodbridge .

On the very first play of the game, Spartan quarterback James Semmonella pitched the ball to Cory Ricks at the Amity 31-yard line. He quickly scooted around his right side and raced untouched for 69 and his team’s first of 8 touchdowns.  It came with only 18 seconds gone in the game.

According to winning Coach Bert Mozealous, “We had practiced that play week and had decided to run it on our first play from scrimmage.”

Trailing 7-0 (after the first of Lyle Luth’s seven conversion kicks), Sheehan (now 1-1) struck right back.  Keyed by Sheehan quarterback Jeremy Gannon’s 46 yard screen pass to Raphael Dominngues, the Titans were perched at the Spartan 5. Three plays later, Dominguez cashed in from the 5 and Kyle Paolella added the game-tying PAT.

The deadlock did not last long. Sparked by Dave Attolino’s 28 yard scamper to the Titan 33-yard line (Paolella’s tackle prevented a touchdown). Five plays later, Ricks scored again. This time he found pay dirt on a 15 yard sprint into the end zone. It came at 6:35, gave Amity a 14-7 lead and started a string of 38 unanswered Spartan points.

Two plays after that touchdown, sophomore defensive back Tyler Burns intercepted a Gannon pass at midfield and returned it 11 yards to the Sheehan 37. Six plays later, Attolino’s 5 yard TD at 2:42 extended Amity’s lead to 21-7.

With 7:30 left in the first half, Semmonella called his own number, skirted his right end and raced away on an 82 yard keeper that upped the Spartan ante to 28-7. Later in the same session, Semmonella dove into the end zone from a yard out. With no time left on the clock, Luth closed out the first half with a 36 yard field goal that gave Amity a 38-7 at the break.

During that hectic first half, trhe Amity offense rolled up368 yards. Semmonella led the winners with 163 of those yards and 2 scores. Ricks added 95 additional yards and 2 TD’s.

“We were not happy with how we ran the ball last week (against Hand). We thought we could do a better job. I thought we ran the ball well tonight. When our offensive line comes to play, we know we can move the ball. Our backs ran hard and broke tackles,’ said Mozealous.

Picking up in third quarter right where it left of in the first half, Amity scored on its first 2 possessions. Sheehan drove deep into Spartan territory but that threat was thwarted by Joe Choiniere’s intereception at his own 12.  Four plays later, Attolino’s 65 yard jaunt opened a 45-7 lead.

After Sheehan went 3-and-out and punted the ball away. Setting up shop at his own 45-yard line, Semmonella handed the ball to Choinere and he “took it to the house” for a 55 yard touchdown and a 45-7 lead.

Starting a midfield, Gannon picked up 23 yards on his toss to Kyle Lorenzo and a first down at the Amity 27. Three plays later Gannon found Bruce Rutkowski in the end zone and hit him with a 10 yard scoring strike.

Leading 52-14 as the fourth quarter got underway, the Spartans closed out its offensive barrage on Dave Buono’s 36 yard run.

Mozealous added, “We know we are a good team and a hard running team. Everybody knows we are going to run the ball. If you stop us, we’ll run somewhere else. We made some defensive mistakes in the second quarter that we need to clean up and need to improve our communication skills, but we’re getting there. It was a job tonight by the offense. We did what we wanted to do and kept playing hard throughout the game.”

Included in the winners’ 577 yards of total offense, 170 belonged to Semmonella. Attolino accounted for 128 yards and Ricks chipped in with 95 first half yards.

The 1-1 Spartans visit Shelton next Friday for a 7 PM SCC Division I contest at Finn Stadium.