WEEK 8 FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Holy Cross returns two interceptions for scores in win

Vincent Graziano (15) had one of two Holy Cross interception returns
for touchdown in Saturday’s 49-14 win over Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech.
There were a total of three in the game. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69)

One interception returned for a touchdown is a lot in a single game.
Two is a lot.
Three? Wow.
That’s what happened in a 49-14 Holy Cross win over Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field. The final tally was two for the Crusaders and one for the Hearts.
SH/KT’s Josue Salazar returned a Corey Fappiano pass 75 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first quarter. The pick-six pulled the Hearts to within 14-6, but that was as close as they got.
Fappiano threw a 32-yard touchdown strike to Deandre Wallace for a 20-6 lead, then the Crusaders got pick-six happy.

DeAndre Wallace (1) had touchdown catches of 32, 31 and 48 yards.
(Copyright, Sports on CT-69)

Qaron Brown started the frenzy with a 24-yard interception return for a touchdown. Wallace made a terrific catch over three defenders in the back corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion, which prompted this comment from an official.
“That’s not’s even fair, you’re 10-feet tall,” the official said about Wallace.
For the record, Wallace is listed at six-foot-four.
Vincent Graziano added a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown of his own later in the second quarter, and his extra point gave Holy Cross a 35-6 lead it would keep into halftime.
Wallace had a monster day on offense, hauling in touchdown passes of 32, 31 and 48 yards from Fappiano. The win moved the Crusaders to 4-3.

PHOTOS: Click here to see images from Saturday’s game.


Wolcott was certainly glad to have Anthony Ligi back against Oxford.
The dynamic junior running back accounted for 217 total yards of offense, two touchdowns, and a pair of two-point conversion runs in his return, a 58-34 Eagle victory over the Wolverines at Joe Monroe Field.
Mike Polzella was 13 of 21 passing for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Two went to Ligi (48 and 15 yards), and the other was a 26-yard strike to Santino Ciarlo. 
Polzella ran 22 times for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Jake Sforza carried 11 times for 51 yards and a score, and Matt Olmstead added a 26-yard touchdown run.

Two 100-yard rushing efforts helped Bristol Central knock off Capital Prep/Achievement 35-28 at home.
Justus Fitzpatrick ran the ball nine times for 131 yards and a touchdown while teammate Darrell Payton rushed 16 times for 137 yards. Dathan Hickey ran for three scores, including the game-winner from 11 yards out in the fourth quarter.
Central improved to 4-3 with the win.

Waterbury Career Academy lost 30-22 to Derby on the road, but Jaden Battle did his best to keep the Spartans in the contest.
Battle returned an interception 104 yards for a touchdown on defense and ran 12 yards for a score on offense.

It was a tough day for St. Paul, which lost 15-8 at home to Woodland on Saturday. The Falcons held a late lead, but the Hawks forced a fumble and drove for the game-winning score. St. Paul had trouble sustaining drives, and mistakes hurt. The Falcons dropped to 5-2 and have another home game this Friday, but that’s one against Seymour. St. Paul will have to have a much better day on offense.

Big plays hurt Bristol Eastern in a 24-14 road loss to Hartford Public on Saturday.

Andres Urena hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Alexandre Gonzalez in Wilby’s 40-6 loss to Watertown at Ray Snyder Sr. Field on Friday night.

Kennedy lost 28-22 on the road at Torrington on Friday night. Crosby had a rough night and lost 61-14 to undefeated Naugatuck.