O'Connor, Knights run over South Windsor

SOUTHINGTON - Southington's Matt O'Connor accelerated through South Windsor's defense like a rumor spreads through the halls of a high school.

Once he started, there was no stopping him.

"He gets that ball in his hands and he wants it," Southington head coach Mike Drury said. "He wants to score. He wants to get in that end zone. He has a drive."

O'Connor's aggressiveness was just what the doctor ordered Friday. He rushed 18 times for 191 yards and two touchdowns as the Blue Knights (4-1 overall, 1-1 CCC West Division I) got back to their winning ways with a 34-0 victory over South Windsor.

"We needed to bring it all together, the whole team effort, and I think we did. We felt good about it," Drury said.

A senior co-captain, O'Connor got things started right away with a blistering 45-yard rush on the first play from scrimmage, running through South Windsor tacklers as if they were the drops of water that poured down on the field throughout the game.

"When I run, I run to get to the end zone," explained O'Connor. "I want to get to the end zone and I will do anything in my power to get as many yards as I can."

A couple of rushes later, O'Connor found that end zone from 11 yards out for the first score of the game, just 2 ½ minutes into play.

"O'Connor was great," said senior teammate Andrew Walowski. "O'Connor was awesome. He just runs people over. It's fun to watch."

After a few failed drives on both sides, Southington got a 43-yard punt return from Corbin Garry down to the South Windsor 21, setting up Andrew Walowski for a 4-yard touchdown run with less than 30 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Drury elected to go with Walowski, a senior co-captain, at quarterback in the absence of injured sophomore starter Stephen Barmore. He picked Walowski over freshman Connor John.

"(Walowski's) a kid who's played quarterback in the past," Drury said. "He played a great game for us."

After a quiet second quarter, Southington - more specifically - O'Connor, exploded out of the locker room. He scored on a 32-yard run right after intermission, making the score 20-0 in favor of Southington.

"I feel pressure, but it's a good pressure," O'Connor said. "I love the pressure of when I get the ball. I know I have to get something done."

The air attack finally got going as the third quarter unfolded. Walowski (9-18, 96 yards, 2 TDs) connected with Jarrid Grimmett on a 25-yard touchdown pass.

"I had the jitters at first because I've never played under the lights as quarterback so it was a different scene," Walowski said. "Everything was just better in the second half with the passing game."

One more touchdown pass to Nate Bonefant from 10 yards out rounded out the scoring for the game. Following a 40-7 loss to Conard last week, the Southington defense got back on track with its second shutout of the year, allowing only 101 yards of total offense.

"After last week, we needed to come in and play a great defensive game because we gave up a lot of points last week," said Walowski, who also lines up at linebacker.

The Blue Knights felt good about after the win, but they have little time to bask in the glow. A monster match-up at Glastonbury, also 4-1 overall, looms on Friday. The game, originally scheduled for Oct. 22, was moved to Friday night. It's such a big game that the Tomahawks will rent lights for the occasion.

"It's a playoff-atmosphere game," Drury said. "That's the way we've got to prepare for it."