Contrary to the beliefs of some bloggers, we have two equally important games in our first full week of NVL divisional play.
Ansonia-Derby
Remmy's Keys to the Game: Although some may not believe it, Derby quarterback Ray Kreiger WILL need to have the game of his life. This is the best team, on paper, that he will face in the NVL since Derby came over. The most obvious key will be Derby's ability to sustain drives on offense against that tough Ansonia defense. I don't think Ansonia's Arkeel Newsome vs. the Derby defense will be as much of a factor in this game as Derby's aerial attack vs. Ansonia's D will be. It's the most glaring matchup of the game--slightly more important than Derby's O-line play vs. Ansonia's defensive front.
In my head, I want to say Ansonia will play press-coverage and bump Derby's wide receivers, which will allow the Ansonia defense to get an extra second or two to get in the backfield and deter Kreiger. But thus far, I've seen Ansonia play their defensive backs off of the ball. We'll see if the Chargers' staff goes with the former. Makes sense to me that they would. No-brainer.
On the Derby side, I expect the Derby staff to get Kreiger out of the pocket before he fires the ball. Quick, quick reads, too. I don't expect Kreiger to sit in the pocket for long at any point during the game. He's a tough kid, but if he sits in that pocket, he will take a beating--guaranteed. Rolling out Kreiger seems like the way to go this week. This will give Derby a shot at some big plays. These types of play calls will also lead to the Chargers playing their worst pass defense as they will be forced to rotate and latch on to defenders way downfield. Kreiger usually hits these guys so Ansonia will have to play very soundly in the secondary when Kreiger is moving to the right or his left as he looks for his targets.
Kyle's Keys to the Game: If Derby doesn't have incredible success throwing the ball, it's tough to see the Red Raiders staying close in this game, much less winning it. Ansonia's defense proved that it's the best unit in the league by a long shot but so far the Chargers have only really been tested on the ground. Their athleticism in the defensive backfield should be OK, but if Kreiger has one of those nights, there might be a little magic in store like we saw in last year's first half. Derby also had a big lead early last year and gave it away. A big lead this year would be helpful, too, because Ansonia gets stronger throughout the game.
Remmy's Key Players: Do I have to mention Arkeel Newsome again? I think I have to, until he has a few bad games in a row. He will be the most electrifying player on the field on both sides of the ball and special teams. With Ansonia's Andrew Matos sidelined this week, it may prove to be pivotal if Derby somehow slows down Newsome. While Matos has dropped some big passes, he is Ansonia's go-to receiver, and it's a big loss for the Chargers. On the other side of Division Street, Derby's Tyrae Small may be the player who is most under the radar. While everyone thinks Derby will try to throw the ball every down, I can see a shift in the game plan for a bit with Small in the backfield. He's a bruiser. The question is how much will George French call his number? I think Small gets at least 15 carries this week to try and throw the Ansonia defense off of its course.
Kyle's Key Players: Everyone knows Ray Kreiger and receivers Dillon McMahon, Tim Adanti, and Brian Dobek will need to have great nights for Derby to have any chance. With that being said, the Ansonia secondary will have to keep its end of the bargain and hold out long enough for players like Tyler Wood to get to Kreiger. Kreiger's effective when he scrambles, so keeping him from gaining free yards will be key to getting the Raiders off the field.
Torrington-Holy Cross
Remmy's Keys to the Game: This one is easy: Holy Cross' ability to stop the Torrington running game. It sounds simple but stopping the Torrington running game will win you the game. Of course, that's sometimes the task of a lifetime. I expect Brenden Lytton to run all over the Cross defense but I do expect some turnovers in this game if the Crusaders contain Lytton and Torrington has to count on its quarterback to win the game. After the Ansonia game, it's apparent that Torrington will continue to run Lytton despite being down by five touchdowns in a game. But as we also saw, Torrington quarterback Jason Abbott did have his number called and completed a couple of big passes (one for touchdown) later in that game. Who knows what'll happen this week? One thing is for sure--Lytton carries the ball 40 times and will score at least three touchdowns. Torrington's defense has been rather sketchy thus far and Holy Cross will be a tougher opponent than Wolcott was last week. That's what makes this game so interesting. Torrington will, of course, bring it on offense. Can Holy Cross put up enough points against the Torrington defense to win this one? I'd be surprised if they do but it's very possible.
Kyle's Keys to the Game: This game will likely be more about what Holy Cross does than what Torrington does. Brenden Lytton will likely get his yardage and touchdowns, and the Red Raiders will probably not be so stout on defense. The Crusaders have to put some hits on Lytton and keep him from busting the long run. Giving up first downs isn't nearly as bad as giving up long touchdowns. On the offensive side, working toward establishing the balance Cross wants to find is key. Dave DiGiorgi is the known entity on the Crusaders' offense and should have a pretty solid game. But the Holy Cross passing game needs to click. Zach Brown is a very good athlete and can power the offense with both his arm and legs. It will be interesting to see if Cross lets him makes plays from the pocket with his strong arm against a Torrington defense which isn't especially strong.
Remmy's Key Players: Holy Cross quarterback Zach Brown will need to air it out against the Torrington defense to get his Crusaders a win. Stellar freshman Isaiah Wright will need to contribute in big ways on both sides of the ball as well as senior Dave DiGiorgi, who will certainly have something to prove in this game as it is his senior season. In Raider country, Brenden Lytton is preparing for another huge game where he will have a chance at proving his critics (from the Ansonia week) wrong, showing that he really is one of the best running backs in the state. One thing we haven't heard much about is the players on Lytton's squad that complement him--guys like Demetrious Dailey and Joan Toribio. If these guys get into the mix and contribute with big plays and scores, it could get ugly for the Crusaders.
Kyle's Key Players: The major offensive playmakers on both sides of the ball will be big because we expect this game to be a high-scoring affair. How Brown, Wright, and the other Crusaders playmakers factor into the offense will be important. Not to be overlooked are two of the crucial defensive players in this game--Torrington's Dan Schebell and Holy Cross' Anthony Jamele. Both of these players have been all over the field so far this season and they could both factor heavily into this game. Jamele, in particular, could be the most effective force to slow down Lytton.
Predictions
Ansonia-Derby Picks: Remmy- Ansonia, 46-20. Kyle- Ansonia, 42-14.
Torrington-Holy Cross Picks: Remmy- Torrington, 38-28. Kyle- Torrington, 35-28.
