Reserve QB Conway Guides Simsbury Past Newington

SIMSBURY – When Brendan Conway reported for gridiron duty Friday afternoon, he was expecting to be Simsbury’s starting safety.

But when starting quarterback Steven Steijn sustained an injury to his right knee late in the second quarter, Conway was suddenly calling signals for the Trojans’ intricate veer option.

Looking like anything but a reserve, Conway engineered two long drives in the second half and the Trojans’ hard-hitting defense contained the Newington running attack Friday to key a 14-7 win in a CCC interdivisional clash before a nice crowd at the Simsbury High field.

“Luckily we have two juniors,” Simsbury head coach Jeff Osborne said. “[Conway’s] the quarterback of our defense. He’s calling out all the coverages. He had to play both ways the second half.”

Steijn marched the Trojans down the field on the game’s first possession. On a third-and-8, he uncorked a long pass down the right side into the waiting arms of Blair Zentek that went for a 55-yard touchdown and a 6-0 lead.

Late in the second quarter, Steijn was injured after a 15-yard gain. When the team came out after intermission, the junior starter was on crutches.

Conway ran for a game-high 117 yards on 20 carries, deftly executing Osborne’s grind-it-out offense and keeping the ball away from Newington and explosive senior quarterback Jonathan Snyder.

“I didn’t practice that much at quarterback this week because Steven doesn’t really get hurt,” Conway said. “I only take a couple reps and he gets hurt.”

In Simsbury’s veer, the quarterback has to make reads and decide whether to keep it or hand off to a wingback or fullback. The delicate responsibility fell to Conway and he handled it with the utmost poise.

“If some guys come up, I’ve got to give it to the fullback. If some guys come down, I’ve got to keep it. Sometimes I’ve got to pitch it,” Conway said. “I get practice, but the last couple days I didn’t. Further on in the game it got easier. A lot of it is instinct.”

The Trojans turned the ball over four times in the first half, three on fumbles and one via interception, which inhibited their ability to sustain the kind of clock-killing drives that a well-executed veer generates.

But the Simsbury defense preserved the lead.

With 6-foot-4, 265-pound junior nose tackle Karon Beckford commanding the center of the line and 6-foot-3, 265-pound end Christian Kaljulaid wreaking havoc, the interior stuffed the run. Snyder managed just 34 yards rushing on the night and the Indians gained just 50 as a team.

Zentek and Cormack Mulshine had interceptions. Eddie Novak supplied tight coverage at the corner.

“Our focus was improving the defense and I thought they played well,” Osborne said. “And I think Newington’s going to have a decent team.”

Airtight coverage by Novak on a third-and-8 pass blew up Newington’s first second-half possession. Conway took over at the Simsbury 30 and drove 70 yards in 14 plays, killing nearly eight minutes.

Sophomore Brad Helmkamp, who also turned in a strong defensive game at middle linebacker, thundered in from seven yards out and Conway ran for the two-point conversion to give Simsbury a 14-0 lead.

A holding penalty on a apparent touchdown run kept Newington off the board in the third quarter. Kaljulaid and Zack Wilkins combined to stuff Snyder on a fourth-and-3 with under a minute to go.

Snyder finally loosened up the Simsbury secondary in the fourth quarter. Two 24-yard passes on “out” patterns to Adam Murphy set up a one-yard touchdown run by Snyder with 9:44 remaining.

Once again, Conway guided the offense on a long drive that devoured nine minutes. When a field goal try by Brian Poggio sliced wide left, Snyder had just 44 seconds to traverse 80 yards. The Simsbury defense stood tall again in what has developed into a rivalry after Newington upset the homestanding Trojans in a 2008 Class L semifinal.

The Trojans host Conard Friday night.

Simsbury 14, Newington 7

Newington (0-1)   0  0  0  7 –   7

Simsbury (1-0)     6  0  8  0 – 14

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

S – Blair Zentek 55 pass from Steven Steijn (kick failed), 8:27

Third Quarter

S – Brad Helmkamp 7 run (Brendan Conway run), 2:39

Fourth Quarter

N – Jonathan Snyder 1 run (Christian Beauford kick), 9:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Newington: Snyder 16-34, Freddy Burgos 3-12, Tyrone Jones 1-4; Simsbury: Conway 20-117, Steijn 12-89, Andrews Girard 14-48, Christian Martinez 4-23, Helmkamp 2-12, Cormack Mulshine 1-5.

PASSING – Newington: Snyder 10-16-1, 85 yds.; Zachary Morris 0-1-1, 0 yds. Simsbury: Steijn 1-1-0, 55 yds; Conway 0-1-1, 0 yds.

RECEIVING – Newington: Eric Ryan 5-44, Adam Murphy 4-60, Burgos 2-33, Jessie Ramirez 2-24, Bryan Esposito 1-5; Simsbury: Zentek 1-55.

MISSED FIELD GOALS – Simsbury: Brian Poggio 21WL.