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STAMFORD, Conn. – Trinity Catholic’s football team put the focus back on running back Shaquan Howsie in Saturday’s game against Fairfield Warde, and the results were predictable.
A week after sophomore Randy Polonia ran for five touchdowns in a win over Stamford, Howsie re-emerged as the focus of the Crusaders’ ground attack against the Mustangs. He rushed for 190 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns as the Crusaders won, 34-13, to improve to 6-0.
Howsie, who rushed for 115 yards in the win over Stamford, had his best game of the year against the Mustangs. He scored on runs of 65, 17 and 15 yards. Another touchdown run was called back due to a penalty.
“Everybody likes to get the ball,’’ said Howsie, who entered the game with 517 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. “As long as the number stays zero for games that we’ve lost this season, that’s the most important thing.”
Shawn Brown scored on a 52-yard run on Trinity’s opening possession, and the Crusaders went up 12-0 when Neno Merritt blocked a punt and raced 22 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter.
Warde cashed in after a Howsie fumble to get within 12-6, but the senior back atoned for his mistake with a 65-yard run on the first play of Trinity’s next possession. “I was still mad at him for the fumble,’’ Trinity coach Pete Stokes said.
The Mustangs scored again to get within seven at 20-13, but Howsie’s 17-yard score extended the lead to 26-13 at halftime. Howsie scored again early in the third quarter for the final margin.
Trinity’s defense gave up some yards, but made big plays to stop Warde drives. Tom Costigan’s tackle behind the line of scrimmage ended one Warde drive at the Trinity 5-yard line, and he also had an interception. Cody Zaro brought down Warde runners all day, and Riley Kinahan added a sack.
It was another solid team effort for the Crusaders, who are moving closer to locking up a spot in the Class S state tournament. They are the top-ranked team in the division with just four weeks left in the regular season.
“They want to play football,’’ Stokes said. “They were sick and tired of getting their butt kicked for the last three years. I take full responsibility for that. This team is so unselfish, they don’t care who does the job. They just want to win.”
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