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STAMFORD, Conn. Stamford High's football team came into the season with big expectations. Two weeks into it, the Black Knights have to figure out how they can get their offense on track.Norwalk dismantled Stamford, 25-12, Saturday night at Testa Field. Stamford, which looked out of sync offensively in a season-opening win over Harding, was even more off kilter against the hard-hitting Bears.Much-ballyhooed quarterback Bryan Boderick completed just 6-of-15 passes for 65 yards, and rushed for 49 yards on 11 carries. He compiled most of those yards on a long touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter after the outcome had been determined."He's thinking too much,'' Stamford coach Bryan Hocter said. "We've had similar issues with it at practice. He's too concerned with what our people are doing on every play. He's not being aggressive enough. He has to play much better than this."In Boderick's defense, Norwalk's defense was nipping at his heels the entire game. The Bears stuffed Stamford on the opening drive of the game, sending the Black Knights off with a 3-and-out. Norwalk then marched 41 yards for its first score, a four-yard run by quarterback Delshawn Wilson.While Stamford was ineffective on offense, its defense didn't stand stout, either. Wilson torched the Black Knights for 218 yards and two touchdowns, completing 14-of-20 passes. Norwalk also converted on third or fourth down 11 times, including a fourth-and-10 32-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Derek Edwards to ice the game with 2:15 remaining. "We didn't make the third down stops when we needed to,'' Hocter said. "We had our chances and didn't make the plays."Stamford trailed 12-0 at half after Wilson and Kenny Francois hooked up on an 82-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Norwalk added to its lead with a 1-yard run by John Anzalone in the third quarter. Stamford got its first score with 1:18 left in the third when Boderick hit Nick Palumbo with a 17-yard touchdown pass.Norwalk iced the game with a 65-yard drive that consumed 7:08 in the third quarter. Wilson's 32-yard pass to Derek Edwards made it 25-6. Boderick scored on a 10-yard run with 59 seconds left.
Chandler Foster had 18 yards rushing, and Barry Boderick had just one catch. It was a complete offensive meltdown for Stamford, which was beat physicaly all game by the fired-up Norwalk squad.
Stamford meets Ridgefield Saturday night at Boyle Stadium in what amounts to an early-season "must" game. It's a stunning development for a team that most observers thought might be a league and state playoff contender."Hopefully, we can right the ship and get this thing turned around,'' Hocter said.
Contact Tom Renner at trenner@mainstreetconnect.us.
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