Battle of the Raiders Turns One-Sided as Enfield Cruises, 43-6

Tony Romano threw four touchdown passes, including three to Hugh Lindo, and ran for another as Enfield whipped Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby 43-6 in Pequot Conference football action Thursday in Windsor Locks.

"Our air game was aggressive, Tony threw the ball well and our receivers made some nice plays," Enfield coach Jay Gaucher said. "We had a lot of penalties, we've got to get better at executing and our focus has got to get better."

Enfield grabbed a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter on an 18-yard scoring reception by Lindo and Anthony Trotta's extra point. The score capped a 68-yard drive, highlighted by a 16-yard run for a first down by Avery Boissy.

After Lindo intercepted a Steve Barry pass and returned it to the Locks 37, Enfield looked poised to strike again, but a succession of penalties nullified three scoring plays in a 1:19 span. Trystan Cauley snuffed out the drive by intercepting a deflected pass two yards deep in the end zone and returning it 31 yards.

Romano crossed the goal line on a 1-yard quarterback sneak halfway through the second quarter, leaving Enfield with a 13-0 lead after Trotta's kick was blocked. On the ensuing kickoff, Curtis Cauley fumbled after a hard hit, and Romano immediately connected with Lindo on a 28-yard touchdown pass for Enfield's second score in 15 seconds and a 20-0 advantage.

Curtis Cauley atoned for his turnover with a brilliant 55-yard return on the next kickoff, giving Locks the ball at the Enfield 35. He later broke off an 11-yard touchdown run with 1:29 left in the first half to cut the margin to 20-6.

"Curtis did a nice job on returns, he had a couple of nice runs from scrimage and he played well defensively," Locks coach Marty Powers said. 

Enfield struck right back, using a 19-yard pass to Lindo, a 14-yard run by Boissy and an 11-yard pass to Boissy to reach the Locks 4-yard line. Romano then found Sean Gill in the end zone with nine seconds to play in the half to make it 27-6 at halftime.

The explosion continued for Enfield immediately after intermission, when Adrian Crichton ran the second half kickoff back 80 yards for a 33-6 lead. Two minutes later, Trotta booted a 34-yard field goal, and later in the third quarter, Lindo hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Romano to account for the game's final points.

Romano connected on 13 of 19 passes for 226 yards. Lindo had 157 receiving yards, and Boissy picked up 95 yards on the ground.

Locks was held to 108 yards total offense, with Trystan Cauley gaining 65 yards rushing.

"I think we made them make good plays to win," Powers said. "We didn't stop playing."

Enfield (3-1) plays host to Canton Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1:30 p.m. Suffield (1-3) is idle until Oct. 22, when it hits the road to face Ellington/Somers at 1 p.m.