Missed Opportunites Doom Wilton In Football Opener

If you force six turnovers, logic dictates you're likely to win, whether in the NFL or a Pee-Wee league.

That's what made Wilton's season-opening 13-9 loss to Trumbull at McDougall Stadium so difficult to digest.

Despite a half dozen turnovers - four interceptions and two fumble recoveries - the Warriors reached the end zone only once.

As the players dejectedly boarded the team bus following Friday's game, they were left wondering how they didn't win when the defense gave them every chance.

"There's not much to say about it," said junior Wilton quarterback Sean Carroll, who made his first varsity start. "It's just missed opportunties. You miss an opportunity to score, and it stinks."

Wilton's defense kept the Warriors in the game early, as two of Trumbull's first three possessions ended with interceptions in the end zone, one by Elija Sanon and the other by Ned Hemmerle. Clay Helms and Connor Devane recorded Wilton's other picks.

The Warriors twice drove inside Trumbull's 10-yard line in the first half, but had to settle for field goal attempts each time. Matt Reyes-Guerra-Dunn converted a 19-yarder to give Wilton a 3-0 lead with 9:35 left in the first half.

On Wilton's next possession, however, Dunn was wide left on a 23-yarder with 26 seconds remaining before the break.

Following Dunn's made field goal, Trumbull marched 46 yards on eight plays to take a 7-3 lead on Don Cherry's 3-yard TD run with 4:34 to play in the second.

"We didn't finish the plays," Wilton coach Bruce Cunningham said. "We had some opportunities through all that stuff  to finish some plays and we didn't do it.

"When you play in this league, week in and week out against good teams, and you have opportunities to finish the plays, you better take advantage."

Wilton was forced to return to Trumbull for the second time in as many days after the game was postponed on Thursday evening due to a severe lightning storm that lasted nearly 30 minutes.

When Friday's contest kicked off at 2 p.m., there were only a handful of fans in the stands because it was a work day and school didn't let out until 2:25 p.m.

As the afternoon wore on, the stands started to fill up somewhat. Those who did show up on a spectacular late-summer afternoon - a marked contrast from Thursday night's deluge  - witnessed a defensive struggle.

"That (missed) field goal ended up being big," Cunningham added. "You can get into a situation where hopefully you kick the extra point and you can get this thing into overtime."

The Eagles extended their lead to 13-3 on quarterback Ian Milne's 2-yarder keeper within 10:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. Trumbull botched the snap and Milne's conversion pass failed.

The touchdown was set up by Phil Terio's interception at the Eagles' 41, even though it appeared that the Trumbull player did not have full possession as he came down with the ball.

The missed extra point loomed large after the Warriors finally scored on Carroll's 8-yard TD scamper up the middle with 6:44 left in the contest.

However, Dunn's extra point was wide right, putting the Warriors in a position where they needed another touchdown to prevail.

A pass interference penalty gave Wilton a fighting chance with a first down at Trumbull's 30 with 27 seconds remaining, but a pair of sacks and two incompletions - the last one on the final play of the game - sealed Wilton's fate.

"(The missed opportunities) are very frustrating," Carroll said. "We have to work very hard this week to brush up on all those missed opportunities and come back here (next) Saturday and give St. Joe's our best."

Cuningham couldn't find fault with his defense - not when it forced six turnovers - but Milne presented major problems with his keeper runs. He rushed 13 times for 112 yards and completed 10-of-16 passes for 88 yards.

"That quarterback who can run the ball is going to drive you nuts," Cunningham said. "(Milne) gets out in the open field, it's almost impossible to defend. He's a great player and he makes them go."

Admitting to some pre-game jitters, Carroll didn't complete a pass in the first half. But he looked sharper after the intermission and finished 4-of-15 for 63 with all of the completions going to Dunn.

Travis Stella paced Wilton on the ground with 74 yards on 15 carries, and Andrew Sudano added 58 yards on eight attempts.

"At halftime, we made a lot of adjustments and it just came together well," Carroll said.